Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-01-30
Our Jackson Letter.
JACKSON. MISS, Jan. 81. 1904.

to exclude all persons who were not Con-
federate soldiers, sailors or widows from
the pension roll. and II will take hard
fighting to get 1t passed, for | have met
strong opposition. There is a great but.
as | think, mistaken sentiment about
continuing the negroes on the roll.
| attended a "smoker' gwen by the
Robert Smith camp to old soldiers, %.
pecially those of the senate and house.
and a speaker was appointed to speak on
1.-The uses and abuses Of the pension. -
| did not think he covered the ground.
80 | ASKED for Eve minutes on this ques.
ton. Before | concluded several gen.
tlemen were clamoring for recognition
and wanting to speak in opposition to
this measure. but / held the floor until !
finished. told them / was not ANNA.
ted by any hatred Of the negro and e.
pecislly Of the old negroes who had gone
through the war with rs, that ! would
do as much for them 40 any man. When
JEFF came home from the army after the
battle Of Gaines Mill, Va. and told
grandma that Mars Van was killed. he
was put on grandma's pension roll and
fed from the table and cared for until he
died. Whom Reuben came home after
the battle Of Jonesboro, Ga. and told
grandma that Mars Clayte was killed.
and he was needed no longer, he. too,
was fed from the table and cared for
| also told them my boy Steve was still
living and l would do anything in the
world for him except put him on the
pension roll as n Confederate soldier. -
If we would pension the negroes | asked
that they be put in a class to themselves
and not in the roll with Confederate sol.
diers. One speaker intimated. as
thought. that all who entertained these
views were pandering to the administra-
tion. Immediately called him down
on this and told him that I represented
the grand armv Of Northern Va. and
the county of Noxubee and that no man
could reflect upon me. II looked rather
warlike for awhile but he explained. say.
ing he meant no reflection and every.
thing Gained down. l had the majority
with me and | am going to advocate this
measur for all / am worth.
Our Worlds Fair Commissioner has
asked for $15, 900 more to complete the
Mississippi Exhibit at the Worlds Fair.
| think the $50. 900 appropriated last
term ought to be ample for this purpose,
and while l appreciate Mr.. Henry's clio.
quent address l do not think ! can vote
for this bill.
A bill was introduced appl OPERATING
$4,000 to furnish the Governors man
sion. ! was opposed to this 40 there was
no provision made for making any re-
port to the legislature Of what would b
bought and no inventory taken Of what
has been bought heretofore. This ap.
preparation has been made every time a
new Governor has been elected for q
long time and still they report nothing
in the Mansion. 90 | and two others
voted "no''-s HOPELESS minority. bat |
hope | shall always have the courage ts
have my vote recorded against any
measure that | do not believe 10 right.
eve If | have to stand alone. Mr..
Brooks was absent sick and Mr.Patty was
absent on his committee inspecting col
leges.
very drastic and much needed vagrant
law has been introduced. and passed
the house. and | think 1t will do much
good in preventing the worthless me-
groes from congregating in the towns
and cities. A game law was introduced
in the House and reported favorably on.
A bill was introduced, requiring sher-
ifs. t%reasurers, tax collectors and
chancery clerks to make bonds in sure.
~ companies, same to be paid for by
the county. This is done for State Of
ficers and | think county officers ought
to be entitled to the same privileges,
and will vote for it.
The committee reported fav0rably q
bill to-day changing the Board Of In.
quiry for pensioners. putting 1t back to
the board Of supervisors, clerks and
sheriff. l would have opposed this bill
but a great many representatives state
that in their counties the old soldiers
composing the Board Of Inquiry had
stated publicly that they did not turn
down a single old soldier. but would al
low all who applied to 60 on the pension
roll. 1t Is q hard question to decide
which will make the best board. Under
the old law the board OF supervisors
constituted this board and the pension
ers Increased rapidly. and when this was
changed go that the Board Of Inquiry wal
composed Of old soldiers, It still in,
creased, &C ! hardly knew which way
was the best. The purpcss Of the PEN
sion roll is for the aid OF tho iadigent
and helpless old soldiers and their wild
ows and any n who is not entitled to
this pension but is on the roll. take,
that much from some needy veteran or
his widow. 1t WAS thrown up to me in
the House that my county has as many,
If not more negroes on the roll than auy
other, There are about $50 negroes in
all on the pension roll; one draws 500.
four draw $50 apiece. and the balance
the regular amount making over $4,000
in all paid last year. and this to negroes
who never fired a gun and were like the
colored soldier who ran out of the battle
of Vicksburg. His captain met him
and said Hello, colored soldier. you
must have run at the first fire." He
said, Yes. and il I had known what
was coming | would have run before"
Ours were faithful to us but they were
our private servants and when the bat
tie commenced left for the wagon train
/ was going to the Capitol this even
ing and thought l saw two familiar
looking figures. especially Iwhen ono
raised his hat and showed his bald head.
When l overlook them | found to nv
delight twas none other than Will
Cunningham and Kinney Mcleod, /
took great pleasure in showing them
over the magnificent Capitol and was
only sorry that the House was not in
session so that they could have listened
TO the debates and had the privileges Of
the Honse extended to them.
| will be glad to see or hear from any
OF my constituents at any time. More
mon. '.BIG Bun
P.S,-The special order of to. day was
for the purpose Of paving tribute to tho
memory OF Hon. Jud Russell, late
speaker of the House. A COMMITTEES
had been appointed to draft resolutions
and those introduced were worthy Of
this noble great. hearted gentleman.
Messrs. Alcorn. Denton, Watts and
'%speaker' Thomas delivered eloquent
addresses commemorative of his MANY
virtues, Il also made a short address. 10
express the sorrow Of myself and county
and to lay a flower plucked from the
garden of friendship on his untimely
grave. Mr.. Smith OF Holmes. recog-
nized Bishop Galloway n the gallery
and had the Honse to extend an. invita-.
tion to him to address The House on this
subject. The Bishop was at his best
and delivered an address worthy Of him
self and that noble Mississippian.
Among other things he said were: $50
sunny hearted that there was not
enough shadow in his great heart to
hide any sinister motive, Said that