The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-05-07
Confederate Veterans are Defended.
CONGRESSMAN TALBEsT SPEAKS
IN THEIR BEHALF.
The Confederate Survivors are Loyal
to Each Other and to the Cause for
Which They Fought.

| ho lckicF pension Dill, when pro-
posed to give pensions to deserters
vigorously fought by Congressman
Talbert, OF this State, and tho follow
ing Is his final protest against it. His
deionsc OF Confederate Veterans from
unjust slurs and snccrS Is most admir-
ablo In every respect, and as he was
personally named by several speakers
in connection with the Southern solder,
he felt it ~ duty to respond in behalf OF
his native State:
Mr.: Chairman, while l am opposed
TO this bin and shall vOto agair st uyery
section of it, if tho bin must " ass @
think the amendment offered by tho
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Hepburn)
Is u very good ono. 1t puts all appli-
cants FOR pension upon tho common
evidence thnt is received in all courts
OF Justice. The whole bill is vicious
and deceptive from beginning to end.
And, Mr.. Chairman, tho discussion of
thls Dill has taken worry wido scope,
embracing all manner OF partisanship
rs we'll as tho merits and dcmcrits or
the Democratic and Republican parties,
which Is possibly somewhat of a lcgi-
tlmatc range OF argument; but sir,
whom tho 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 prOpricty have
boon transcendcd, ;Is that ia IL matter
entirely irrelevant and disconnected
from this bill.
Ne gentleman alluded more parti-
cut .rly to Il reunion lately held in
charleston, 5. g., gathering Of rs
true, loyal, and bravo mon us over as
Somblcd upon this or any other con-
tincnC. The Southern soldiers, after
following Leo and jackson, Johnston,
and other leaders through four ycars
OF winters snow and summers heat,
often half naked and hungry, after ac-
complishing all that human endurance
and bravery could accomplish, ufter
showing tho world how half-naked
and half-starvcd troops could put to
Hight an army botter equipped and
throo times moro in number, yielded
to late only when our flag went down
upon the now historic fold OF Apo
mattox, they accepted tho situation
and surrendered when tho immortal
Loo said thcy should fight no moro.
Tho war with them was ended, thcy
accepted thcir paroles, shook the
hands OF thclr comrades in silence as
thoy looked for the last time over the
hills Of Virginia, dotted with the
graves Of the slain OF both armies, and
returned to thci. homes. But what
did they find thcre?
In many parts Of tho sunny South
they found their houses burned, thcir
property gone, and all over the land
was heard tho cry like that of Rachel
wecping for her children because they
wore not. Yet, amid all this dcstruc-
ti0n and devastation by tho cruel hand
Of war, which had swept over the land
with the crushing foot Of giant, thcy
commenced life anew, and tho field
that run rcd with blood in April were
green with the harvest in June, and
tho horses that shifted the battle in
the spring under tho sabor (bo il said
TO tho honor OF that grand and noble
soldier, General Grant, for he maenuni-
mously gavo back to the boys their
horsos) wcro proudly walking before
the pillow in summer.
| Then, as tho years roll by, 1t Is
proper, it is natural, it is right, yea,
1t Is moro than right, that these old
soldiers should meot 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 tho soldier. And it is unIt ind
1t Is unfortunate, it is improper on the
lloor of the House in tho discussion of
q measure with which they have no
| l>o'A'AOoO'"'
the burdens it may impose. Be this
as it may. Mr.. Chairman, / wish to
say that whilo these mon Of the South
arc IS true and as loyal to tho llug to-
day ~ those Of the North, and us
ready to fight for its defensc, at the
same time they will continue to have
these reunions as long as time itself
shall last. Yes, sir rs long as tho sun
shines by day and tho moon gives her
light ~ night, as long as tho stars
twinkle in the heavens, as long as the
Potomac and tho Shenandoah continue
TO how, as long as the dowdrOps fall
upon tho resting places Of our dead
and the Blue Ridge sontincls their
graves, just 80 long will the men Of
the South moot together in reunions
to commemorate tho heroic dccds Of
her immortal sc sGldicry in song and in
story. (Applausc.)
but let mo say to this House that
this IL not done in any spirit Of dis
loyalty to tho Union to-day. 1t Is not
done in any spirit OF prejudice to the
gallant and bravo soldiers who fought
on the other side, for | believe / voice
soldicr when | say that with thcm the
conflict OF arms Is ovcr, tho result &C
copied in good faith, and that now
the soldiers Of the South stand ready
at all times to take by tho hand tho
soldiers OF tho North, whom once thoy
met in the red blaZo OF battle, now
meeting over the chasm of sectional.
ism, ready and willing to bury forever
tho bloody spirit, and to plant upon It's
grave the white rose Of peace, with
the prayer that it may bloom perpctu
ally, bringing forth fruit for the up
building and prosperity OF this grca,
nation OF ours, with but ono ambition
that wo may forever remain rcunit
ca, lraternal, and happy people. zap
plauso.)
Then 1t scoms to me to be unchari
table in anyone to criticisc the Con
iederate soldier foi his love for the
lost cause, for while he stood by the
Southern cross, with moro than fila
affection, until it went down, he be
licvcd he was right, and that his quar-
rel was made upon O. principal quar-
ricd from the mine of everlasting
truth and SO he loves 1T still and wi
continue to love it till death. Will