The age-herald., 1899-02-08
Championed Bill AppropTf- ating Public Lands
 for Her Benefit.
DELIVERED A BEAUTIFUL RAHvT
He smote the Harp of Eloquenoe, and His Colleagues and the Gallery Stood Entranoed Days Of
 Demosthenes Recalled.

Among the most interesting bills that have been passed by the presant legislature was the one donating a section Of unap- proprfated state lands to Emma Sansom Johnson, the famous civf war heroine. f,his bill was charppioned by Reprasantative Wallace, of Madison, at the request of the Daughters of the eonfedsracy. On the morning of his strong and eloouent spesch the galleries were thronged w women and subsequently, the bill was I amid much enthusiasm by a vote
 speaking to the question uy era. tlon, MT. Wallace said in pa
 The subject of this bill fsi., it. seif to every patriotic asouthera = one which should entsross the h.
 pathy and enthusiastic advocacy
 man, who lives Tn our glorious sou
 ana those who, by their brilliant dee the past have helped to make 1t the eA est emlsjIre of the world
 fP'ofn In the early seventies and reareo amid the waving woods and clustering hills or North Alabama, it was my wont to lin- ger about my grandmotheTs knee. who is now sainted and gone, and l fancy I oft see her seated on some high snowy cloud cliif, harp in hand, singing the sun to sleep. as down he lays his head in glory on the rocking deep, and she recited to me this story, which for daring and bravery has no Parallel in all of the brilliant history of the world.
 General Streight with 2,4O0 picked men, was on raid through Alabama bound for Montevallo and Rome, Ga, where he ex- pected to destroy the iron works of the southern eonfederacy. Terror and desoia- tion followed in his wake, and the citizen ship along his route fled before his devas- tating forces.
 Forrest, the wizard of the saddle, that incomparable military genius, had invested the enemy at Corinth. When he heard of StrelghtS s raid, he swiftly sped in pursuit of the Yankee general. Crossing the river at Decatur, he overlook him in the mountains of North Alabama; then followed four nerce fights in the night, and the reverber- ating of the cannon, and the cracking of musketry told terrible tales of fierce and raging battles. Streight being pursued, crossed over Black creek, and burned the bridge behind him. Black creek is one of the most turbid and rapid mountain streams in the land. It was swollen on this occasion, and for the first time in his life, the gallant Forrest was daunted. He had about given up in despair when out from a mountain cottage sprang a beautiful noun tain maid of 15 years, who said to him, General Forrest I know where there is an
 
 mother protested, and insisted 1t was un- lady-like for her to do so. But she replied, "I am not afraid to trust myself with so brave a man as General Forrest" and sprang up behind him on his horse with alacrity; they crossed over the ford as safe ly as the voyage of a tiny apple blossom over the unrufled bosom of a placid lake. Arriving on the other side she followed General Forrest in the trenches, and waved her bonnet at the Yankee forces, who, see- infp xuaG n at signal bravery. It is familiar to all how General Forrest with 300 men captured Streight and his force of 2,4o0, as has been portrayed by that gifted Aabemian, the .'poet of recollection" John Trotwood Moore.
 The brave men who next assembled in this hall of representatives, who had fought on the battlefield, and who met the suc- ceeding term of the general assembly, do- mated to this Alabama heroine, section of land but the carpet bag administration that followed, deprived her of her just rights. Is there a man who will say that Emma Samson did not render valuable ser- vice to our army in aiding Forrest to cap ture the raider Streight?
 This woman is no longer young. The roses in her cheek have faded, she is in destitute circumstances. and often wants for the necessities of life. Will the sons of the south not heed her silent yet eloquent ap-
  deserves? The fair women, made in the image of the seraphs. have been brave and -1rue and when put to the test have ever displayed that superb courage which has won for them fame and glory.
 I believe if republican president is brave enough to advocate that the gray and blue march side by side, and decorate. and strew flowers on the grave of our common dead that a democratic general assembly will not refuse to donate those things which are conducive to happiness to the heroine of Alabama who lives in abject want. The patriotic women of Dixie have perpetuated in silent grandeur on the capitol campus, the memory of those who so bravely died for what they thought was right but moth ing dies that memory rocks to sleep"
 If such be erected to the memory of those who are dead, why can we not show our respect and reverence for one greater than all those who still live, the brave Emma Samson. There are among those who are only "waiting to pass over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,'' gallant old confederates, who will soon "bivouac on Fames Eternal Camping Ground" Let us make them happy by showing them their sons have not forgotten the cause for which they so nobly fought, and sir, the noblest heritage my father left me was that of be- ing his son, the son of an ex-confederate captain.
 snIn the halcyon days of my youth, I dreamed of fame, yet, did not, even in my fondest ambition, think that it would ever he my happy fate to stand in the legisla- tive halls of the state of Alabama, the birthplace of the confederacy, the halls, where the confederate congress first met, and advocate a measure where the con- federate congress first men, and advocate a measure whose theme is as beautiful as ''the dream of Pericles. and as magnificent