The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-03-01
GORDON BIDS FAREWELL
|, =; TO THE SENATE.
Unique Address DelivereH by Sen
ator from Mississippi.-Aged
Soldier Says Goodbye.

the most unique farewell ever del1V-
cred in the senate chamber was heard
there to-day, when at the close OF
the session, and at the end OF his
term, James Gordon, the senator
from Mississippi, said good bye to
the senators with whom he had
served for the last sixty days.
Expressing regret at the passing
Of Senator Gordon, Senator Depew
said:
"No matter how wonderful co.,
league succeeds him he cannot be
James Gordon, of Mississippi
Practically the entire senate lis
tened with rapt attention to the ad-
dress Of the venerable MisSisslpplan.
He stood back Of his own desk on
the extreme right Of the vice presi-
dent and in homely phrase and al
most without gesture talked to his
colleagues as if they had been old
time friends. Twice he quoted from
his own, book Of verse, which he af-
terwards presented to the vice pres
ident. His remarks were frequently
punctuatd with applause and laugh
ter. The galleries were well filled
and the occupants Of them joined
free1v 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, Col. Cor
don said tbat he had felt.a desire to
express his feelings towards the SEN
ate before returning to his home in
Mississippi.
He then told how when five years
old, he had been presented with a
toy board which was 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 if he
would be good and would live a cor
rect life he might some day hope to
sit in the seat of the big man who
was pictured there.
"She never told me a lie and I
knew that what she said was true. I
knew that I would some day oc-
cupy the seat Of that big man, and
God helping me I got there yester-
day." referring to the fact that for
a time yesterday he had occupied the
seat Of the presiding officer.
Was Born Rich.
II was born multi-millionaire,' -
said Col. Gordon, "but T never was
happy until I got rid of my surplus
money. I spent much of it on my
slaves and the rest Of my funds I
spent like any gentleman and got
rid Of the entire encumbranee.
II have listened with interest to
the speeches here, and the more I
hear Of them the sorrier I am for the
millionaires. Why, if there is fell
low in the United States that I am
sorry for it's Rockefeller because he
has more money than any: one else.
He can't 60 on the street with one
|of his grandchildren without being
afraid that some one might kill him. -
Referring to the fact that he had
been a Confederate soldier, MIR.
Gordon said:
81 fought and bled, but I did not
die. However, I 'skedaddled" fire.
quently.''
He then told of some of his ex-
ploits In the war and how he had
captured Gen. Coburp Of Indiana,
and Gen. Shafter. He admitted that
on more than one occasion he had
been "skered,'' but said that when
ever, the Union and Confederate SOL
diers met they were always good
7 friends.
Loves the Negro.
Asserting that he loved the negro,
he declared that he wanted Mason
and Dixon's line obliterated from
the map Of the United States.
"a few blab-nouthed people
down our way talk differently" he
said, "but they are so insignificant
that they are not worth cussing, they
are not worth wasting invectives
upon"
Paying tribute to soldiers of both
the North and the South, Col. Cor
don said:
"You may as well try to storm
the heights Of heaven and pluck 5he
diadem from Jesus crown as 10
take away from either Of them any
of the glory of the records of the