The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1912-05-02

when PreSi lent Mckinley called fol
volunteers 1 was one of the first gov
ernoFs to put my quota in the field.
came here to beg the president to lei
me have more regiments. They Joined
the sons of the men who wore the blue
to fight for their country.
During that war ! was down in Mis-.
sissippi. went into little town and
found coterie of young men bitterly
protesting against the sons of cOnfeder-
ate soldiers marching under the federal
flag and wearing that blue uniform.
saw an old man sitting among them.
Finally he said, "Young men, do not
wish to engage in your discussion, but
| followed the stars and bars four long,
weary years. surrendered at Apo
mattoX. / went home barefooted and
in rags, to find my country desolate
and my home in ashes. l swore eter-
nal vengeance against that flag and
against that uniform. But one day
not long ago saw a Mississippi regi-
ment marching upon the street under
that flag and in that uniform, and l
saw my boy in the ranks. rushed to
the colonel and said to him, Make
these boys take off that uniform and
let them wear the gray in this war, and
show to the world how the sons of
confederate veterans can fight But
the colonel smiled and said, No; they
must war the blue and march under
the old flag went to my home, still
nursing my revenge more than ever.
But when they brought my boy home
in his coffin and l bent over him and
looked upon him there in his blue uni
form and wrapped in his country's
flag in moment all the animosities
of the past vanished, and I said, Hence
forth that is my flag, that uniform is
my uniform, and henceforth this whole
country is my country "
Mr.. President, this is the spirit that
must animate the people of this coun-
years have contributed their part to
build monuments to the federal dead.
They have contributed their part in
pensions to the men who wore the blue.
Now, after forty-six years have come
and gone, while we are building a
monument in the south to commemor-
ate the deeds of the brave men who
followed the federal flag, is it asking |
too much to build a monument to the |
brave men who met them face to face |
on the battlefield and upon the water
Why not build it? The southern peo-
pie were not guilty of treason. They |
fought for what they believed was
right. No man will die for cause
which he does not believe is right.
Mr.. President, it is the best way in
the world to wipe out the sectional
lines. 1t is the best way in the world
to make us truly one people, with
hopes, common fears, and a
destiny. appeal to the sem
ate, especially to the men of the north,
to vote for this pittance to honor the
courage and the bravery of the men
who fought under the stars and bars
and we will stand there under Old
Glory and say TO the men who followed
1t, "Unrurl it to the breezes, for it is
the flag of our reunited country" and
The men who wore the gray will stand
under it with uncovered heads and ac-
knowledge it as their flag. But who
will chide them if they sometimes
bring to light that other flag, the blood
stained stars and bars to look upon it
md weep over it and press it to their
oosoms, for it is hallowed with memo
les of blessed past? And they know
hat it is furled forever.
Mr.. President and Senators, / have
,ut little patience with the man either
n private or in public life who awak-
ms the passions of the past. do not ,
believe it is good patriotism or good
Americanism. So far as I am concern
d, have sat upon the committee on
and for four years voted pen |
ions to the men who wore the blue,
md ex confederate soldiers have sat
here by me.
What the south wants is peace, and {
stand here today as representative |
# the generation that came on after /
he war, to declare TO senators who |
epresent the states of the north that if ,
here is ever another war in this coun- =
ry it will not come from the south, =
'ut her sons will be ever ready to ,
march shoulder to shoulder and heart
o heart with the men who wore the
'lue for the preservation OF our union t
brewer. This is the sentiment of the
outhern people. Q
The Demons Of the Swami