The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-02-02
BUTLER DEPEEDS fHBSOUrH


Advocates His Amendment Psostding fer
PessioniBg of Ex-Cosfed~raass-tstv
Cios@ Attention by . Full senate.
Washington star.
As the senate seemingly was about
TO conclude consideration Of the pen
ston appropriation bill late yesterday
afternoon, Mr. Butler ~ ~ offered
iiI- amendment, announced some time
sxo, providing for the pensiosipz Of
ex Confederate soldiers. Upon this he
took the floor and delivered = speech
which, as he proceeded, developed into
a most unexpected utterance.
While his colleagues on both sides
of the chamber listened with interest,
Mr.. Butler defended the position ia
ken BY the south during the great civ
| II conflict OF third of \ 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, in self-defense and in de-
fence of his home and freside.
Mr.. Buffers speech.
Mr.. Buffers speech developed, as he
proceeded, into quite q remarkable ut |
terance. After presenting an anaiy-
sis of the compact of 1877, he declared
that mot single Southern soldier
was a rebel or traitor" He main
tanned that the great fratricidal con-
tict was forced upon the South, and
that the people Of the South simply de-
Tended their personal and constitu-
tioual rights. Under the compact Of
1887 the southern States, in Mr.. But
lers opinion, undoubtedly had 4 right
TO withdraw from the Union. He was
inclined to think the compact was not
right, but it was compact and ought
to be and ought to have been respect
ed
Mr.. Butler said that his own State
of North Carolina fully and complete
~ recognized the right Of South Caro-
lima to withdraw from the Union, but
decided herself not to withdraw. 1t
was not until forced to defend herself
did North Carolina 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 the
Northern States to take up arms in
self-defense
Every gun fred by Southern SOL
der" declared Mr.. Butler, twas fired
in self-defense of the constitutional
q rights of the Southern States and in
defense of his home and fireside."
Further along Mr.. Batter said speak
ing of the war of the rebellion: cit
5 was most unnecessary war. The
= Southern States dad not desire the war.
p They asked only to be allowed to exer-
{ else their constitutional rights and
| n fill hx, Tnso
South knew she was right at the time
r and she knows it now. 1t is the duty
5 of the Southern people not to permit a
y pre- judiced historian to brand their ia
theirs and brothers as rebels and trait
Ors."
He believed that the States whose
soldiers were being pensioned would
not object to the pensiOning of the ext
Confederate soldiers.
Concluding he said Now, Mr.. Pres
o ident, when this conflict between citi7
: zens of the United States, represent
a ing equal States, as to the nature oil
# the compact betw cen the States was
# settled at AppomattOx, and the South.
I ern States accepted the perpetual
q compact construction and gave allegi.
+ ance and loyalty to that doctrine, then
II there should never have been q sugges.
~ ton or a discrimination against the
n South or her soldiers on that accOun,
IS any more than there should have beer
a against Calhoun in his speech in 1888
II If the Confederate soldier of 1856
# was traitor, equally was calhoun
- traitor in 1888, and equally was Mass
achusetts q reasonable State in 1916
| believe that the life and services o
Calhoun are as proud heritage o
this Federal Government of the State
as the life and services of Webster.
Z believe that the grave of every South
ern soldier, made in the defense of tn
y constitutional rights of his State as b
lie understood them, is as great tribut
a. to American valor as the grave of ev
lie cry Northern soldier made in defens
be of the constitutional rights of his Stat
" as he understood them.
OF Just SO, | believe that every empt
o. sleeve, every crutch, and every battle
I'd scared face of every Southern soldie
ay is as great tribute to American valo
ct as every crutch and empty sleeve an
Ill SCARED veteran of the Grand Army {
e. the Republic. The Union is now pei
ed petual and has been since Lee an
at Grant faced each other at Appomatto,
,r The flag of every State will hereafte
OF float with the flag of all the States fol
at ever, in prosperity or adversely,
I'D peace or in war, always united for til
ng common good and against any and a
on foreign foes. Then why should thel
TO- longer be permitted to remain or to e,
list the least discrimination betwee
citizens of this great Republic of un
ted and indissoluble States?
Mr.. President, these are the view
that my father taught me when I w
AN boy, and my investigation and stut
via have confirmed them. Holding the
views, it seemed to me that after thi
-, ty-four years the time was OppOrtun
ees Just upon the close of successful W
10. against foreign foe in which the Z:
w Confederate veteran and the Mort
ne ern soldier stood side by SIT
e enI under a common flag, fighting for
~, ~. common country, to completely wi
'la a out every vestsge of past differenc
'oo by removing every vestige of section
discrimination. If the time has n
~ come to do this. pray when will
vi come ?"