The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-27
THE SOUTH.
It's Position In Civil
War Upheld.
BUTLER'S SPEECH.
An Unexpected Utterance
Made In the Senate.

! Washington, Jan. 26-As the Senate
seemingly was about to conclude con-
sideration of the pension bill, late this
| afternoon. Mr.. Butler of North Caro-
lima offered his amendment announced
some time ago, providing for pension
ing ex-confederate soldiers. Upon
this he took the floor and delivered a
speech which, as he proceeded, devel-
oped into a most unexpected utterance.
! While his colleagues on both sides of
the chamber listened with interest Mr..
Butler defended the position taken by
the south during the great civil con-
| fiict of third Of a century ago. He
declared that the south was right, and
that history would so record; and that
every shot fired by southern soldier
was fired in defense of the rights of his
state conferred by the constitution it.
self. and in defense Of his home and
fireside. At the conclusion of his
speech, Mr.. Butler withdrew his amend
ment. Mr. Bate of Tennessee, himself a
distinguished confederate officer, de-
clared that while the south believed it
was right, the occasion was not oppor-
tune for the proposition which Mr. But
Ter had made, and that the southern
soldiers as a body did not desire pen
sions from the general government.
Mr.. Mallory (dem.) of Florida deliv-
cred a constitutional argument in sup
port of the Vest resolution.
| Shortly after the session opened, Mr.
Mallory of Florida addressed the Sen
ate on the Vest anti-expansion resolu-
ton. He said that in the very face
of the declaration of our disinterested-
ness in Cuba, we proposed to take Por-
to Rico and the Philippines We could
not afford to take the Philippines, al
though the case of Porto Rico might
be fairly regarded as different.
| Mr.. Mallory then entered upon a con-
stitutional argument in favor of the
| Vest resolution. He complained that
| II the treaty of peace should be rati-
| ned, the inhabitants Of the Philippines
would have the right to come to this
country and compete with our own
laborers, and if they did not actually
come here they would have the right
I
with those of our own laborers.. He
| held that the policy which it was pro-
posed now that the United States
| should enter upon, was not only dan
| gerous and fraught with consequences
which we knew not of, but was an alb
solute menace TO the republic itself
The Senate then went into executive
session. At 420 p. m. the Senate re-
| sumed business in open session. The
| pension appropriation bill was taken
| up at the instance of Mr.. Perkins of
| California, in charge of the measure
and il was read, The bill appropriates
| $135, 233, $50.
| After two amendments had been
ruled out on a point of order, Mr.. But
Ter of North Carolina offered his
| amendment providing for the payment
of pensions to confederate as well as
to Union soldiers. He delivered
speech in support of 1t. Mr. Buffers
speech developed, as he proceeded, into
quite remarkable utterance. After
presenting an analysis Of the compact
Of 1887, he declared that mot a single
| southern soldier was a rebel or a trail
tor. He maintained that the great
fraticidal conflict was forced upon the
south, and that the people of the south
simply defended their personal and con-
stitutional rights. Under the compact
of 1775 the southern states, in Mr.. But
| lers opinion, undoubtedly had a right
| to withdraw from the Union. He was
inclined to think the compact was not
right, but it was a compact and ought
to be, and ought to have been respect
ed.
Mr. Butler said that his own STATED
North Carollna) fully and completely
recognized the right of South Carolina
to withdraw from the Union, but decid-
ed haTSQlf NOT fn will IroW Not until
forced to defend herself did North Car
DINA vote to withdraw together with
her sister southern states. This, Mr.
Butler said was true of majority Of
the southern states. They had been
forced by northern states to take up
arms in self defense. Every gun fired
by southern soldier" declared Mr.
Butler, was fired in self defense of
constitutional rights Of the southern
states and in defense of his home and
fireside.
Further along Mr.. Butler said, speak
ing of the war of the rebellion: 1T was
most unnecessary war. Tire south
ern states did not desire war. They
asked only to be allowed to exercise
their constitutional rights and with
draw peacefully from the Union. The
south was right and history will so
record. The south knew she was
right at the time and she knows it
now. 1t is the duty of the southern
people not to permit prejudiced his
torian to brand their fathers and broth
ers as rebels and traitors
He believed that the states whose SOL
diers were being pensioned would not
object to the pensioning of the ex-con-
federate soldiers.
1nterrupting Mr.. Butler, Mr. Chandler
said he had no doubt the ex-soldiers of
the north would be perfectly willing to
set on foot any reasonable testimonial
of regard and respect but he did not
see how the government Of the United
States could recognize, as Senator But
Ter had suggested, those who had ta-
ken up arms against the Union. Mr.
Butler protested against the language
of Mr.. Chandler, as he had already ex-
planned, he said. that the south did not
take up arms against the Union except
in sef-defense
II wish the senator would explain"
inquired Mr. Chandler, little later
upon what theory the United States
government could be asked to pay for
property in the south destroyed by the
forces Of the Union.%{f
whenever" replied Mr.. Butler 1.-THE
senator will explain to me why we
should pay Spain 5000 900 for the
privilege Of not being whipped by the
Filipinos, / will answer his question"
For an answer to his question:" re-
torted Mr.. Chandler, II must refer the
senator to the aanior aanator from Mna.