Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-03-02
UNIQUE FAREWELL
IN U. S. SENATE
GOOD WORDS FOR EVERYBODY
Pays Tribute Alike to Wearers of
Blue and Gray

What Senator Depew fittingly
characterized as the most unique
farewell ever delivered in the Senate
chamber, was heard there last
Thursday, when, at the close of the
session and at the end of his term,
Senator James Gordon, the repre-
sentative from Mississippi, said
good-by TO the Senators with whom
he had served for the past sixty
days.
General Gordon grew reminiscent
and took the Senate into his conf
dence. He admitted that ever since
he was FIVE years old he had an
ambition to come to the Senate. 1T
was a rugged road, but at last l got
here" he said. He then told how,
when at that age, he had been
presented with a toy card board,
which was checked over with diff.
ferent objects. some of them good
and some OF them bad. One of these
objects was the Capitol of the United
State and his mother told him, he
said, that if he would be good and
would live correct life he might
some day hope TO sit in the seat OF
the big man who was pictured there.
She never had told me lie, and
l knew that what she said was
true. / knew that / would some day
occupy the seat of that big man, and,
God helping me, l got there" re-
ferring to the fact that for a time he
mad occupied the seat of the presid-
ing officer.
Il was born a multi-millionaire,
said General Gordon, but | never
was happy until got rid of my
surplus money. spent much of it
on my slaves, and the rest of my
funds l spent like gentleman and
got rid Of the entire circumference.
Il want to see the Mason and
Dixon line 0bliterated from the map
of the United States, and on it writ
ten the words Our Country"
1t was here that the Senators ap-
plauded for the first time. And the
applause was taken up by the crow
6ed galleries.
4 am tired of sectionalism, the
Senator went on.
God knows, | have seen enough
of it. l don't want any more of it.
Il do not want to hear any speech
in the Senate, or anywhere else, that
stirs up any strife between the old
soldiers or citizens. 1 am an old
Confederate. You are old union men,
perhaps. We disagreed. And you
are the victors.
"A man might as we'll attempt to
scale the ramparts of Jehovah and
pluck from heavens diadem God S
brightest star as to snatch the laurel
from the brow of the conqueror or
the conquered that stood under that
apple tree at Appomattox. They
we're all good men and famous. They
disagreed and they fought, but when
conquered we took our Oaths of
allegiance, and l can hold up my
hand before high heaven and before
the Senate to-day and say l have
never violated that oath, and l do
not know q soldier of the Confed
eracy who has violated the obliga-
ton.
Referring to Senator Heyburn's
recent protest against General Lees
statue being allowed to remain in
Statuary Hall, General Gordon in
vited Senator Hepburn to visit him
on his plantation, and said that he
was sure that after the Idaho Sena-
tor had seen the South through his
spectacles ne would take off his hat
to Lee, as he (Gordon) was willing
to take off his to Grant.
DR.. Gordon Bovine, professor of
philosophy in Boston University, in
an address delivered in Cambridge,
Mass, q few DAYS ago, before the