The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-02
GORDON BIDS FAREWELL.
NIQUE ADDRESS DELIVERED
BY SENATOR FROM MIS-
SISSIPPI.
Nged Soldier Tells His Colleagues
Good-bye-Percy To Take His Place
Says the Senators Are the Finest
Body OF Men He Ever Associated
With--Dcplores Sectional Feeling.

ne most unique farewell ever deliv-
led In the senate chamber was heard
mere today. when at the close OF the
ssssion. and at the end OF his term,
ames Gordon, the Senator from Mis-
ssippi. said goodbye to the Senators
With whom he had served for the last
ixty days.
enator Gordon. Senator Depew said:
mo matter how wonderful a col
eague succeeds him he cannot be
James Gordon. of Mississippi"
Practically the entire senate listened
Nth rapt attention to the address of
he venerable Mississipian. He stood
Jack of his own desk on the extreme
light of the Vice President and in
homely phrase and almost without
gesture talked TO his colleagues as IL
hey had been old-time friends. Twice
ne quoted from his own book of verse,
which he afterwards presented to the
Vice President. His remarks were
frequently punctuated with applause
md laughter. The galleries were we'll
illed and the occupants of them join
ID freely In the manifestation OF ap-
proval.
Beginning with the statement that
the deadlock in Mississippi had been
broken and that Mr.. Percy had been
chosen to take his place. Co.. Gordon
said that he had felt desire to ex-
press his feelings towards the senate
before returning to his home In Mis-
slssippi.
He then told how when years old,
he hal been presented with a toy
board which vas checked over with
;, different objects. some OF them good
and some OF them bad One OF these
objects was the Capitol OF the United
States and his mother had told him,
he said, that IL he would be good and
would i've a correct life he might
. ne big man who was pictured there.
- 'She never had told me lie and
new that =. nat che said was true. 1
new that would some day occupy
ne seat OF that big man, and God
helplng me 1 got there yesterday"
Tsferring to the fact that for a time
|. yesterday he had occupied the seat
'of the presiding officer.
II was born a multi-millionaire, :"
a aid Col. Gordon. "but 1 never was
happy until / got rid OF my surplus
rioney. I spent much of IL on my
slaves and the rest Of my funds
,, pent like any gentleman and got rid
Il the entire encumbrance.
'1 have listened with interest to the
speeches here, and the more I hear OF
hem the soirier am for the million
Tres. Why IL there is a fellow in the
United States that l am sorry for it's
rockefeller. because he has more
eynoney than any one else. He can't
o on the street with one Of his gram
hildren without being afraid tina!
ONE one might kin him"
Referring to he fact that he had
cen Confederate soldier, Mr.. Cor
c. said:
, 1 fought and bled. but I did not
ie. However, [ 'sbedaddled' fire.
uently."
He then told Of some Of his exploits
4 the war and how he had captured
ien. Coburn. of Indiana, and Cen.
halter. lie admitted that on more
nan one occasion he had been "sl;ecr
a." but said that whenever the
lhion and Confederate soldiers met
Iey were always good fri, ,ds
Asserting that he loved the negro.
declared that he wanted Mason
nj Dixon's line obliterated from the
= ap Of the United States.
"A few blab-mouthed people down
r way talk differently" he said,
put they are so Insignificant that
trey are not worth cussng they are
I worth wasting invectivcs upon"
Paying a tribute 10 soldiers Of both
North and the South. Col. Cor
said
you may as well try u storm the
lights OF Heaven ana pluck the dia-
IN from Jesus crown as To- take
'ay from either Of them any OF the
Dry Of tho records Of the two men
no stood under the tree at Appo-
lttox and brought the war TO y
use.
This Is the finest body OF men that
ever associated with, ne continued
saklng Of the senate itself. and he
arned uDgu hi4 Ct ttl,npue9