Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-27

fioNe " tilc IcpuDllC llSelI.
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Mallory's
speech. on motion of Mr.. Davis. chair
man of the Committee on Foreign Re-
lations. at 2:30 p. M, the Senate went
into executive session.
PENSION APPROPRIATION BILL.
At 420 the Senate resumed business
in open session. The pension appro-
priation bill was taken up at the in
stance of Mr.. Perkins California;, in
Charge of the measure, and it was
read The bill appropriates sl45. 233. $50
Mr.. Sullivan (MississippD offered AN
amendment providing that no pension
should be paid to any person as a de-
pendent pensioner under the act of
June, 1890. who has an income of $3.50
annually. and further that q depend
ent pensicner must afiirmatively estab-
lsh the fact that he has not an in
come of $3.50 before he can draw a PEN
sion
Mr.. Gallinger (New Irampshire).
chairman of the Pension Committee.
said that ut first blush he was inclined
to favor the amendment. lie believed
Congress might well place some res;ric-
ton upon the granting of pensions to
applicants. His committee had not
considered the proposition presented,
and was not quite prepared to say that
it ought 10 be adopted. lie pointed out
that widow having an income OF
500 was not eligible under the act Of
1890 TO obtain n pension.
Mr.. Perkins made the point of or
der against the amendment that 1t
was new legislation. The point of or
der WAS sustained.
PENSION FOR CONFEDER ATES.
Mr.. Butler North Carolina) offered
his amendment providing for the pay
inent of pensions to Confederate as well
as to Union soldiers. He delivered a
speech in support or it.
Mr.. BuulerS speech developed. as he
proceeded. into quite a remarkable ut
terancc. After presenting an analysis
Of the compact of 1877 he declared that
mot a single Southern soldier was a
rebel or traitor He maintained
that the great fratricidal conflict was
forced upon the South, and that the
people Of the South simply defended
their personal and constitutional rights
Under the compact of 1877 the Southern
States undoubtedly, in Mr. Buffers
opinion. had "A 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 respected
Mr.. Butler said that his own State
or 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 to-
gether with her sister Southern States
This. NJ. Butler said. was true of n
majority of the Southern States. They
had been forced by the Northern
States To take up arms in self-defence
Every gun fired by n Southern SOL
der declared Mr.. Butler. was fired
IN sclf-dctcncc of the constitutional
rights of the Southern States. and in
defence of his home and fireside."
THE CIVIL WAR.
Further along, Mr.. Butler said. speak
ing of the war OF the rebellion:
1T WAS n most unnecessary war The
Southern States did not desire the war
They asked only to be allowed to cX-
ercise their constitutional rights and
withdraw peacefully from the Union
The South was right and history will
so record. The South knew she was
right mt the time and she knows it now
1t is the duty of the Southern people
not To permit n prciudiced historian to
brand their fathers and brothers as
rebels and traitors"
He believed that the States whose
soldiers We're being pensioned would
not object TO the pensionng of the ex-
Confederate soldiers.
lnterrupting Mr. Butler, Mr.. Chand-
Ter said he had no doubt that 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 Butler had suggested. those
who had taken uD arms against the
Union.