The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-03-07
REPRESENTATIVE RKER'S
PLEA FOR THE OLD SOLDIERS.

In C00 OleCuS6lOu VI tuo DAA O01OA .
the Legislature for appropriations to
the old Confederate soldiers few days
ago, Mr.. W. F. Parker, one OF the
Representatives of Halifax county,
spoke as follows:
Mr.. SPEAKER II wish to submit a
few remarks on the bill now under
discussion. Yes, desire to say few
words IN behalf of the Confederate SOL
dlers the men who gave tohistory the
name of that superb General, that great
and good man, Robert e. Lee the men
that aroused the sleeping energies and
brought forth the dormant skill OF
that great General and kind-hearted
man, Ulysses s. Grant; the men that
gained for themselves on the bloody
field of battle reputation for herolsm
unsurpassed and honor unsullled.
Nothing useless Is or low"
The Colonial soldiers of '76 achieved
American independence. The soldiers
of 1912, of ~ and '98 accomplished
all that was possible but the soldiers
of Isl and '65, who fought the bloody
battles around Richmond and Peters
burg, Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chan
cellorsville, Sharpsburg, Shiloh, Chick
amauga and Gettysburg, gave the
United States the proud position that
she now holds among the foremost
military powers OF the world.
Although the Confederate soldiers
failed to achieve the grand object OF
their cause,-Southern Independence
although their flag succumbed to over
whelmlng numbers; yet, 1t went not
down in disnonor and disgrace. It
was furled with the respect and adj
miration of Its foes, the idol of its
countrymen and the pride OF hero
lovers throughout the world.
Every country should care for its old
soldiers. I bear willing testimony
that the South has been no laggard in
this respect. For more than genera
ton the Confederate soldiers have lib
orally shared in the offices of honor and
emolument, and their INDECENT haye
been an object of constant solicitude.
The Confederate soldiers are rapidly
passing away; soon there will be no
one of them in this honorable body to
lisp the Cause of his comrades soon
they will have heard their last tattoo
soon reveille will have ceased to
arouse them from their slumbers
soon they will have finished the
battle of this life and will have en-
tered the confines OF eternity, where
it is to be hoped they will join that
celestial army that shall sing praises
everlasting to the great Commandant
and Savior Of the universe.
Mr.. Speaker: There are some old
Confederate soldiers now travelling
through this vale of tears that have
not lalnup sufficlency to tide them
through this life. For these ] offer
my humble plea. There are some now
wandering, without special friends or
relatives to care for them in their
enfeebled age. For these would ask
as has been provided, soldiers homo
We ask for no marble mansion with
giIded halls and costly furnishings and
sumptuous. fare. We ask for the
simple blessings of home. The Con
iederate soldiers are SUI generis, a pc
cullar people. They have no success
ors. They are the last Of their race
They lesye rich inheritance of honor
and herolsm to their countrymen.
There are some who have friends
and relatives willing to offer tender
hand and keep constant vigil, but who
have not the means to procure the
necessary comforts of this lite. Fol
these we ask, as set forth in the bill, {
modest pension. We would not ash
this did we not fear that some old sol
diers might baaneglected in their de
Ginning years. The county that / have
the honor, in part, to represent, ha.
never let her old soldiers suffer. He
honorable Board OF Commissioners art
instructed to issue to every needy Con
federate soldier a monthly stipend il
an amount sufficient to procure tn.
necessaries of life. l may be charged
with too much fondness of speaking O
my own county. This I grant bu1
different minds to different objects
incline. Some admire the wild, the
wonderful, the wise, while others sigh
for harmony, grace and gentles
beauty" Virgil sang most sweetly oil
pastoral life, of love, of arms and the
hero. Blind, sublime Milton rose tc
the familiar presence OF angels and
viewed the celestial worlds, and Their
turning downward, he scared with al
even and gentle wing and explored thu
dismal vaults of hell.
NV muse leads me to sing of thOse
noble women and great men-of Mrs
Wiley Jones, of Mrs. Ashe of revolu
tionary fame, of Gov. Hutchens G
Burton and Gen. Junius Daniel,-tha
point to Halifax county as the Dakots
of lovely and noble women, the land
of statesmen and of heroes.
Yes, Halifax county, grand ole
county as she ls, mother of statesmen
aud father of heroes, the first to tur
nish forcible resistance to Britist
oppression, among the first at Bethe
and among the last at AppOmattox
has never permitted her old soldiers tt
suffer, nor will she so long as she ha,
such worthy sons as Col. Francis Marion
Parker, the gallant Colollel OF the 3Otl
and no less courteous than gallant; *
long as she has such brave sons as Mai
Thos- L. Emery, the hero of Malvern
Hill,-fearless, generous SO long Al
she has such gallant sons IS Capt. w
II. Day, brilliant, genial, kind hearted
who loves his friends and hates moi
but plties his foes; so long as she has
such IoSOluto sons aa the lata Cant. w