The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-17
CAN'T BE HERE IN PERSON
But ASK FOR CONSIDERATION
OF THEIR MEMORIAL ADOPT
ED JANUARY 9th.
COL. CHEEKS FOSClBLE PLEA IN 1889
A Veteran Desires its Republication at this Time
that The General Assembly May Read
aSrong Plea 10 Behalf Of
the Wearers of Gray.
the Wearers of Gray.

At the State meeting of the Confeder-
ate veterans held in Raleigh on the 25th
of January last, memorial was sent to
the Legislature, asking for increased APP
preparations for the Soldiers Home and
for pensions to our disabled and INDECENT
veterans. Some of the friends of the 'ol1i
soldiers would like to appear before
the committee of the Legislature to urge
the adoption and favorable recommen-
dation of these suggestions, but cannot
conveniently do so. In their absence a
Confederate veteran writes: Il do not
know how to urge their claims more
forcibly than to lay before the commit
tee and the Legislature an address that
was made by Col. w. III. Cheek on the
occasion of public meeting held in Hen
derson on the 4th day of July, 1889, Tor
the purpose of organizing a County EX-
Confederate Association looking toward
the establishment of Soldiers Home
for our disabled and INDECENT heroes.
Col. Check was made chairman of the
meeting and upon taking the chair, said:
ADDRESS OF COL. w. III. CHEEK.
j
honor.
Friends: We have assembled to-day
TO aid in the development of humane
enterprise. Nearly thirty years ago at
the call of our State. her people were
summoned to prepare for war. Nobly did
they RESPOND. In the history of the
world no people ever did so more prompt
w, more unanimously. All classes heard
4l,> I'D ol1 hn
Alike the stripping youth-the young
man in the vigor of manhood-and the
gray haired man buckled on his armor,
fell into line, touching elbow to elbow.
And our women-God bless them-wno
can ever forget how heartily they re-
sponded to that call; who can forget their
zeal. their devotion, their sacrifices. In
the breast of all the people from i'll
fancy to old age the fires of patriotism
blazed as if touched by electricity.
The war came, and for four long
years it. lasted-a~ bloody war, with
hard fought battles and fearful ear
mage. On many fields the opposing
armies met. and few of these there
he that was not crimsOned with the
blood of North Cardinals sons.
THAT war has passed; will not speak
of its cause or of its effects. We meet
you today for another purpose. Before
telling you what that purpose is, allow
me TO say that in this war, these sol
diers of ours won for themselves an
mperishable fame. and for their State. a
name and reputation, that is not ex-
celed by Sparta or Lacedaemon. So
long as impartial history shall recore
the gallant deeds of gallant men, so
long will North Carolina be known as the
prolific mother of great warriors; and
that reputation will stand as prominent
as the pyramids of Egypt and as last
ing as the rocks of Gibraltar.
'In winning this proud name for their
mother State, many brave sons lost their
lives, and their bones now lie scattered
along the highways of the great armies.
Some of her soldiers-as gallant and as
brave as those who fell-survive the
dangers of the conflict. and at the close
of the war returned to their ruined
homes, diseased, wounded, mutilated-
broken down in body and estate. Many
of these there are who. though crippled
for life and living in the novels of the
the poor, with scant allowance of daily
bread clad it may be in rags, are vet
as noble specimens of the true soldier
as ever marched in Roman legion or
Grecian phalanx. Some of these are
with us here to-day. / never look upon
one of these battle-scarred veterans that
my heart does not beat with emotions
of pride and of pity. / honor them for
their ga..antry, pity them in their pow
crty. ,ney are heroes, such as the world
has seldom seen.
Our State has not done for these
men. those of them, who are now living,
or the families of those that are dead,
all that she should have done. When
she called them to war, they heard the
cry and obeyed her call. With unflinch-
ing courage they faced death at the
cannons' mouth, and freely offered up