The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-08-23

A Duty the States Owe to
Veterans who Wore the Grey-Are
we UngratefuI to the Men who
Fought for Our Country.

Fought for Our COuntryt'
Editor r. Larry Grant, of The Head
light. Spartanburg, S. c., writes the
following strong words, and he
saws about his state will apply to
North Carolina:
From the public demonstrations
over Lieutenant Hobson one wo1l
think that he was the only hero
of the Merrimac. Wherever the gal
liant lieutenant goes he is Toasted,
fondled and caressed, While his name
is on every ones lips. We would not
take one leaf from the wreath OF lau-
rels that crown this young mans brow,
but we remember that there were sew
en- common tackles upon the collier
when she was sent into Santiago har-
Dor, who had volunteered for that
dangerous service and risked their
lives the same as the officer who COM
manded them, and who were just as
near death and destruction as he. And
yet these poor privates are already for
gotten and consigned to oblivion, while
their comrade who wore the shoulder
straps is given all the honor and
praise. This is wrong, unjust and I'M
grateful. These hero sailors are en-
titled to equal honor with their COM
mander, and whenever the name Of
HObsOn is spoken or printed the names
Of those seven brave men who vOlun-
teered to go with him on that perilous
expedition should be found by it's side.
But it is eve thus The commanding
officers are given all the praise and
honor for victories while the privates,
who bore the brunt of toll and priVa-
tions and faced the danger, are ignOr-
ed and forgotten. It was the case in
our late war. Defeat one of our con-
federate generals for high office, and
every man GWho voted against him is
branded as an migrate, and a howl Of
Indignation ascends. But the poor pri-
Vate, with his armless sleeve, his
crutch, or his wrecked and shattered
health, can die in q ditch or go to the
poor house, and no protest is heard.
There today rests in the little grave
yard attached to the pauper farm of
S~partanburg county the ashes of one
of the most gallant scouts in Lees
army, who lay for months Upon a bed
of pain, his joints ossifed with rheu-
matism, and SWarms of flies settling
on his face, and who Dreathed his last
an inmate of this abode of the wretch
ed and friendliness That poor private
faced death an hundred times where
Lieutenant HObSOn did once, and led
as forlorn hope as the hero of the
Merrimac.
And there are today in our coun-
ty and state hundreds of just such
caseS-pOVerty stricken and helpless
old veterans, who do not know where
their next meal is to come from. When
their cOuntry demanded their services
they responded to her call and did
their duty faithfully and bravely. At
ter many years, and when on the brink
OF the grave, their ~ungrateful state has
thrown q few of them a little crust in
the shape of a pitiful annual pension,
not amounting to as much as one of
their old commanders would spend on
a single supper given to a few friends
in Washington city. 1t is a shame and
a disgrace upon our state, and The
Piedmont Headlight intends to ring
the ears of South CarOIinians until our
legislature votes a pension of at least
$50 per mum to every confederate
soldier within her borders, and to every
soldiers widow. 1t is a just and honest
debt that our state owes these old vet
Grams, and it must be and shall be
pad. 1t is unfair to discriminate. Let
all old soldiers share and share alike.
OF course the miserable p%ittance of
800. 900 now given is not worth divid-
ing among so many; but let us supple
ment our pension fund so that every
soldier n soldiers widow will re-
CeiVe at least $50 a year from the state.
General M. G. Butler, in a letter
published in The Columbia State last
week, calls on the people to fill the
Second regiment, and "let not shame
rest on our fair record; that it is NOR
tifying to those who feel a pride in
South Cardinals past history to find
her q laggard."
I'VE would ask General Butler what
greater shame can rest on the fair
record of our state" than when she
has for nearly a third of a century,
after bringing on the war, permitted
her manned old veterans to die in poor
houses? Those who feel a pride in
South Cardinals past history should
unite with The Headlight in doing
simple justice to the old heroes of one
war before before urging to the front
to engage in a foreign war the flower
of our youth, to, in time, become help
less cripples or mendicantS as soon as
the services required of them are per-
formed. When the war between the
states was waged, those same appeals
were made to the fathers and grand |
fathers of the young men of today.
I'VE know that our language is
strong, but it requires strong words
to arouse our state to this crowning
act Of injustice and ingratitude and
make it right a wrong. We have writ |
ten nothing but what is true, and ev- |
cry reader of this paDer knows it.
w don't intend to enlist in any
war with Spain, but we are enlisted
to the end in a war to light for a
$50 pension for every old confederate |
soldier n soldiers widow within the |
confines OF our state. A recruiting of |
fce is now open in the Headlight sane !
tum, and we want as many to enlist |
under our banner as possible. We will !
give commissions to all the legislative !
candidates who will join us.