The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-02-01
= THE C0NFEDERTE SOLDIER,
Not a One Of Them a Rebel or a
Traitor.

In the United States Senate on
Thursday Senator Marion Butler. of
North Carolina, made a notable speech
in support Of his bill to pension Con-
federate soldiers. Senator Buffers
speech developed, as he proceeded, into
quite remarkable utterance. After
presenting an analysis Of the compact
of 1857, he declared that mot single
southern soldier was rebel or a trai-
tor. He maintained that the great
fratrlcidal conflict was forced upon the
south, and that the people O.. the south
simply defended their personal and
constitutional rights. Under the COM
pact 1857, the southern state undoubt-
edly, in Senator Buffers opinion. had
right 20 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
respected. Senator Butler said that
his own state of North Carolina fully
and completely recognized the right Of
South Carolina to withdraw from the
Unior, but decided herself not to
withdraw. Not until forced to defend
herself did North Carolina vote to with.
draw, together with her sister southern
states. This Senator 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 fired by southern SOL
dier, declared Senator Butler, was
fired in self-defense Of the constitu-
tional rights Of the southern states, and
in defense of his home and freside. y
Further along, Senator Butler said,
speaking of the civil war. TT was a
most unnecessary war. The southern
states did not desire the war. They
asked only to be allowed to exercise
their constitutional rights and withdraw
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 tha southern people not to per,
nit a prejudiced historian to brand
their fathers and brothers as rebels and
traitors" He believed that the states
whose soldiers are being pensioned
would not object to the pensioning Of
the ex-Confederate soldiers.
lnterrupting Mr.. Butler, Mr.. Chand
Ter said he had no doubt the exsoldiers
Of the north would be perfectly willing
to set on foot any reasonable testimoni-
al Of regard and respect. but he did not
see how the government Of the United
States could recognize, as Senator But
Ter had suggessed, those who had taken
up arms against the Union.
Senator Butler protested against the
language of Senator Chandler, as he had
already explained, he said, that the
south did not take up arms against the
Union except in self-defense.
I wish the senator would explain, >
inquired Senator Chandler, little later
upon what theory the United States
government could be asked to pay fol
property in the south destroyed by the
forces Of the Union?"
Whenever, replied Senator Butler
"the senator will explain to me why We
should pay Spain 20,O00,0O0 for the
privilege Of not being whipped by the
Filipinos l will answer his question"
For an answer to his questions, re
torted Senator Chandler, Il must re
fer the senator TO the senior senator
from Massachusetts," C1r, Hoar.,
Qaughter).
At the conclusion Of his speech, Sen
atos Butler withdrew his amendment.