The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-05-05
Confederate Veterans are Defended,
CONGRESSMAN TALBERT SPEAKS
IN THEIR BEHALF.
The Confederate Survivors are Loyal
to Each Other and to the Cause for
Which They Fought.

Ihe Confederate Survivors are LOya
to Each Other and to the Cause TO
Which They Fought.
The Pickler pension bill, which pro
posed to give pensions to deserter
from the Confederate ranks, wa
vigorously fought by Congressman
Ialbert, of this State, and the follow
Ing Is his final protest against it. Hi
defense OF Confederate veterans from
unjust slurs and sneers is most admir-
aole In every respect, and as he was
personally named by several speakers
In connection with the Southern solder
he felt 1t q duty to respond in behalf Of
his native State:
Mr.: Chairman, while 1 am opposed
TO this bill and shall vote agairs st every
section of 1t, If the bill must pass
think the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Hepburn
IL very good one. 1t puts all appli.
cants for pension upon the common
evidence that Is received in all courts
OF justice. The whole bill Is vicious
and deceptive from beginning to end.
And, Mr.. Chairman, the discussion OF
This bill has taken very wide scope,
embracing all manner of partisanship p
as we'll as the merits and demerits OF
the Democratic and Republican parties,
which Is possibly somewh hat of legi-
innate range OF argument but, sir,
when the subject of the reunions of
| Confederate veterans has been lugged
| into this debate by the gentleman
| from Indiana Mr.. Hardy, | think
| the proper limits of propriety have
| been transcribed, as that is a matter
entirely irrelevant and disconnected
from this bill.
The gentleman alluded more parti-
cularly to reunion lately held in
Charleston, s. c., gathering of as
true, loyal, and brave men as ever as.
semoied upon this or any other con-
tlnent. The Southern soldiers, after
following Lee and Jackson, Johnston,
and other leaders through four years
of winters snow and summers heat,
often half naked and hungry, after ac-
complishing all that human endurance
and bravery could accomplish, after
showing the world how half-naked
and half-starved troops could put to
hight an army better equipped and
three times more in number, yielded
to fate only when our flag went down
upon the now historic field of Apo
mattox, they accepted the situation
and surrendered when the immortal
Lee said they should fight no more.
The war with them was ended, they
accepted their paroles,' shook the
hands of their comrades in silence as
they looked for the last time over the
hills of Virginia, dotted with the
graves of the slain of both armies, and
returned to theic homes. But what
did they find there?
In many parts of the sunny South
they found their houses burned, their
property gone, and all over the land
was heard the cry like that of Rachel
weeping for her children because they
were not. Yet, amid all this destruc-
tion and devastation by the cruel hand
of war, which had swept over the land
with the crushing foot of giant, they
commenced life anew, and the field
that run red with blood in April were
green with the harvest in June, and
the horses that shifted the battle in
the spring under the saber (be it said
to the honor of that grand and noble
soldier, General Grant, for he maenani-
mously gave back to the boys their
horses) were proudly walking before
the plow in summer.
Then, as the yea rs roll by, 1t is
proper, it is natural, it is right, yea,
1T Is more than right, that these old
soldiers should meet together in their
reunions to grasp each other again by
the hand, to celebrate their trials, and
live over again for the moment the
life of the soldier And it is unk ind,
1t is unfortunate, it is improper on the
hoor of the House in the discussion of
measure with which they have no
connection except to pay their part of
the burdens it may impose. Be this
as 1t may. Mr.. Chair nan, 1 wish to
say that while these men Of the South
are as true and as loyal to the flag to-
no Nf \
ready to fight for its defense, at the
same time they will continue to have
these reunions as long as time itself
shall last. Yes, sir; as long as the sun
shines by day and the moon gives her
light bJ night, as long as the stars
twinkle in the heavens, as long as the
Potomac and the Shenandoah continue
to How, as long as the dewdrops fall
upon the resting places of our dead
and the Blue Ridge sentinels their
graves, just so long will the men of
the South meet together in reunions
to commemorate the heroic deeds of
her immortal stldiery in song and in
story. (Applause.)
this Is not done in any spirit OF dis
loyalty. to the Union to-day. 1t is not
done in any spirit of prejudice to the
| gallant and brave soldiers who fought
on the other side for believe l voice
the sentiment of every true Southern
soldier when say that with them the
conflict of arms is over, the result ac-
cepted In good faith, and that now
the soldiers Of the South stand ready
at all times to take by the hand the
soldiers OF the North, whom once they
met in the red blaze of battle, now
meeting over the chasm of sectional
ism, ready and willing to bury forever
the bloody spirit, and to plant upon its
grave the white rose of peace, with
the prayer that it may bloom perpetu-
ally, bringing forth fruit for the up
building. and prosperity of this great
nation OF ours, with but one ambition,
that we may forever remain reunit-
ed, fraternal, and happy people. Zap
plause.)
Then 1t seems to me to be unchari-
table in anyone to criticise the Con-
federate soldier foi his love for the
lost cause, for while he stood by the
Southern cross, with more than filial
affection, until 1t went down, he be-
lieved he was right, and that his quar-.
: rel was made upon o principal quar-
ried from the mine of eyerlaa III N o