The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-19
NONE MORE WORTHY
Have More Than The Five Hun
dred Dollar Limit, Yet As
Matter Of Justice, Not Char
ity, Should Be Placed On
List Of Those To Be Aided,
Quick Action Needed

T. the General Assembly II North
Carolina. nov in session At t;alei9h
-. c..
Gentlemen:-I wish TO say a few
things as TO one class Of the ola Con-
federate soldier and | have no hesi-
tati0n in calling them the very best
class. Those who. on coming home
found a desolation that had to be
seen to be realized, those who took
ton 10 succeed, laid the foundation of
n great Commonwealth and have
stood by il with a devotion truly TO be
appreciated. The pension laws. as
they now are, discriminate greatly
against those Of as who by hard dint
and close application and economy
have saved UP enough to have more
than the five hundred dollars worth
In most cases. II Is in Door dirt which
We are not able to cultivate. We, ali
these years, have been paying taxes
70 allow a pension To those. many Of
whom have been less energetic.
There is a petition in our county
OF Alexander to increase the pension
Of those now on the list. What we
the class for whom l speak. ask, as o
matter of justice not charity. is that
AL be placed on the list. II you can
not do better, dismiss half of youl
laborers n pages and give help tc
the old man and his widow. The
men who followed Lee, Jackson. A
Scales and Col John Ashford Of
Sampson and Capt. Alsey Brown Of
Duplin, who commanded our sharp
shooters, n Capt. John Young, COM
mander Of our brigade sharp-shooters,
were men that were worthy of un-
stinted help. they were the men OF
whom General Lee spoke in his fare
well address at Appomatox. these
who had remained true to the last -
as he declared, as he shook hands
with his ragged, footsore and dirty f..
lowers, with n God help you boys
may we all meet again" while great
tears ran down his face.
Nearly all who were there then have
crossed the great divide. The dream
Of a soldier, as he related it neal
the close of the war, has almost come
true in one sense. He said he dream,
ed that the val had gone on till Lee
had only one sergeant, n corpora.
and two privateS when Lee said ON
on boys and let us fight it out today
We are scarcely more now than
~corporals guard.
We ask your honorable body TO dc
something for us at his session ~
are reminded OF what old Aunt abb.
House, who lived in Raleigh in {
cabin given her by the old soldiers be
cauSe she loved them so. Her pastor
brother Whitaker, was going out o
the city for a few days. She told hin
If he had ~ message for those gon,
before to send it. for when he cam,
back she would be gone.
when you come again two wear
from now, many of us will have go1l
beyond the region of help. Our fee
are now standing far down the slop
ing hillsides Of the West. our face
toward the setting sun, our feet wi
soon stand in the brink of the dar,
n rushing river. God grant tn
lights from the Holy City may ligt
the Valley.
| have already written too much bl
indulge me in this; for do not e1
pect to bother you again. do NJ
know whether there are any Cor
federate among you or not, unless
he the Hon. Tom Mason. When [ ha
n honor to be one of You in 1S9
Hon. McGill from Cumberland IN
others represented us. Let the ia
be so amended as to include all an
their widows also the Home Guard.
Toll not the bell Of death for me
When I am dead,
Strew not the fiowery wreath over n
ON my cold bed"
But come to our relief while we ly
1t will only aid six or eight of y,
company.
THOS. T. MURDOCH.
Co. G.. Thirty-eighth Regiment Nor
Carolina Troops.
am in my 73d year.
HiA60nita n