The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-19
WHEELER LETTER TO
JOHNSTON EXPLAINED

Mr.. Wheeler, of Alabama-Mr. Speaker.
| The Speaker-For what purpose does the
gentleman rise?
| Mr.. Wheeler, of Alabama-I rise to a
question of personal privilege.
The Speaker-The gentleman will state
his question of personal privilege.
Mr.. Wheeler, of Alabama-The patriotic
expressions which have come to me in
numerous letters from the people OF Ala
bama and other southern states impelled
| me-
| The Speaker-Will the gentleman state his
! question of personal privilege2
! Mr.. Wheeler, of Alabama-I will state It,
| I felt it my duty to write letter, which
| hold in my hand
| The speaker-The chair has nj doubt the
| house would indulge the gentleman IN a
| personal explanation or statement, but we
| ought not to allow questions of personal
| privilege to be brought up when there are
| none.
| Mr.. Wheeler, of Alabama-I ask ten
minutes.
The Speaker-The chair thinks the mouse
| will be quite willing to grant the gehtie-
| man permission to make a statement put
| it ought not to be called a question OF per-
| sona1 privilege.
| Mr.. Wheeler, of Alabama-I ask unani-
| mons consent that 1 may address the mouse
| for ten minutes.
| The Speaker-The gentleman from Ala
| bama asks unanimous consent for ten MIN
| utes to present a statement. Is there op-
| iection?( After a pause) The chair hears
| none.
| Mr.. Wheeler, of AIabarla-Mr. speaker
! on the 9Th of this month, impelled by
| sense of duty and admiration for the nople
| and chivalrous spirit which had been eX-
messed to me by many citizens of Alabama
| 7 addressed letter to the governor Oh 'ii1l
| state. which is in these words
NV Dear Sir: It looks very much as
| though we would now become lnVoiVeo III
| war with Spain and 1t would not SURPRISE
| me for the president to call for volunteers
| in a very short time. ,o,r,,a
| I am convinced that the men VINO cou,9
most safely go to Cuba at this time wouio
| he those from the Gulf coast, ana nave
| 60 stated to the secretary of war.
r feel II the dtuy of every man VINO mas
baa axnerience in military affairs to tenoer
| his services and I want you to say that
| am at your service to perform any outy
| you may direct. o,os;o,+
With very high regard your ,t 0pe Ip
servant, Joo' )" -.
His Excellency Hon. Joseph F. Johnston,
Montgomery Ala
Two papers of that state, without my
agency or knowledge, obtained and pup
1isbed fine letter and the articles they have
published regarding 1t, unless refuted, will
| tend to place the people of Alabama ana
| myself in a very wrong attitude
| 1t will be observed that my letter Simply
| expresses an opinion that
10
| Cuba at this time would be those from the
| Gulf coast.
This innocent paragraph Is sought to be
| construed by the articles in these journals
as a contention that southern people would
be expected to bear the brunt of the pend
| ing war.
| One of the papers, The Birmingham Age
Herald, of April IA, published an article
! signed by a man named Ball, which con-
| tains expressions some of which l will read
| 1t says:
But has General Wheeler right to sug-
| gest to Governor Johnston or the secretary
| of war that the fighting should be done by
men from the Gulf states? Why should
| southern men be expected to bear the brunt
| of the trouble?
| The article also, in referring to southern
men, says:
| Why should they be chosen as the only
| suitable men to furnish targets for the
| Spanish bullets and Spanish torpedoes! IL
there is one section of the country in winch
| the masses of the people have been taxing
| little part in forcing the issue it is the
| south, and it appears the height OF ABSURD
| ity and injustice to have General wheeler
| at Washington instructing the war secre-
| tary as to the proprfety of fighting the war;
| The article then states
| Southern men stand ready to do their
| duty at all times and in all emergencies
| but that should not furnish a reason 10
| General Wheeler or to any other congress-
man TO insist that they and they only
| should do all the fighting in war they are
| entirely innocent of bringing about.
| These and other expressions, none OF
| which have any warrant whatever from my
| letter or anything else which have said or
I done. are being construed by papers
| throughout the country as an indication
| that there exists sentiment in Alabama
| which, to say the least lacks an enthusi-
astic desire to engage in military service.
Even with such construction it does the
brave and patriotic men Of Alabama great
| injustice.
| Letters which 1 received from Alabama
! this morning insist that the expressions
| contained in The Birmingham Age-Heraio,
| and the other paper, the Montgomery Ad-
| yertiser, only voiced the sentiments of the
| writer's of these articles, and they utterly
repudiate the effort on the part of the writ
ers of the articles. who seem to desire to
create an impression that such feelings are
I general in that state.
I know the editors of The Birmingham
Age-Herald and the Montgomery Adver-
tfser They are chivalrous men, sons of
chivalrous sires, and I am confident that
these communications do not express their
sentiments; not only that, but I feel GER
tain that they will meet their hearty dis
approval
l They feel as I do, that we must show to
the world that American blood and Amer-
t'can wealth will be poured forth freely in
the defense of American honor.
u desire, in one word, to say that that
noble state, with it's healthy, salubrious,
and delightful climate, it's fertile soil, and