The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-20
A REUNION IN ELIZABETH.
FRITERNI MEETING or UNION AND
CONFEDERATE VETERANS.
Gen. Pryor Sustaining tho Course Of the
soutb-He would Fisht the War Again n
Necessary-The Gain bv Emancipation.

Gen. Pryor Sustaining tho Course Of the
South-He would Fisht the War Again n
Necessary-The Gain bv Emancipation.
The soldiers and sailors OF Elizabeth, who
fought in the Union aud Confederate armies. en-
joyed reunion Yesterday, the anniversary OF the
battle OF Cedar Creek. Almost every bouse was
decorated. and the city wore a Rala appearance.
In the morning, a procession Of the veterans and
the guests formed In East Scott place At the
head OF the line were the Marshal, Gen. J. Madi-
son Drake, and his stan after them, and in
front Of the Governors Island band, Seth II.
RYDER, veteran Union soldier, bore Gen.
Kilpatrck's battle flag wrapped around
Its stan to keep its tattered remnants together.
Brave Phil. Kearney's battle Hag and the nag OF
the Second Corps, the first standard unfurled In
Virginia in the war, were carried furled and
tied In the van OF the line. After these the
main body Of the procession, formed OF compa-
MES Of the First, Second Third, Ninth, Eleventh,
Fourteenth. Thirtieth. Thirty. NTH, and Thirty
seventh Regiments, fell In line. A little band Of
Confederate soldiers and sailors, undistinguish-
able from their late antagonists In the civilians
garb they wore, marched In the line. On the
State Fair grounds at Waverley, the vete-
rams coneregated on the race track IN front OF
the grand stand. An address OF welcome was
delivered by Lieut.. Il. II. Ropes of Elizabeth.
He expressed hope that II we should become
struggling. heroic Cuba. Capt Edwards OF
Newark, who WAS an officer in the Confederate
army defended the forces on both sides In
the late war from the inference Won Moltke
left To be drawn when he said Nothing Of
value value Then fr2% sne
delivered a conciliatory, patriotic, and humor-
Gus speech. Said be. in stil further defence Of
"1f Paris had had one hundred regiments OF
one thousand undisciplined Yankees each, Bis
marck and Won Mohks must nave had to dust
home fermauN
MAJOR. Gen. Franz Sigel said "I Tho North and
the South need each other; the legislative power
Is Tor the first time since 1881 and 1852 IN the
hands OF the whole country, and nothing should
be considered but the true welfare Of all sec
tiOns."
Gen. Pryor, being called for, said, ave fought
for cause we thought was just, and until this
Is recognized there can never be perfect recon
Citation. So long as you think our cause a
mere political intrigue, you will be philosophic.
longer think so. II NAV criticiss our revered
forefathers, would say thev were to blame for
the late rebellion, for they undertook TO JOIN In
autonomy two sections OF country with wide
ly different interests. From them, from Madl-
son, we learned TO believe in our right to secede,
In state sovereignty, or Home Rule, a. you call
II and when the question OF the abolition OF
slavery came up We could not view u a. you did.
You contended that you could limit the area OF
slavery; we thought IL a domestic institution to
be managed by ourselves. Thus began what
sarily took the state rights view we naturally
took TO our right TO secede. venture TO say
there is not q gala ant soldier before me- who,
in my case. would not have been rebel.
The speaker who preceded me had nothing to
apologize for; II he had, ] should have con-
tempt for him. have nothing TO apologize for,
and under the same circumstances, before q cd,
should do II all over again"
stiffness prevailed as this sentence was rung
out, but when the speaker said that though his
heart bled over the devastated nelds Of his na-
tive state, and though million souls we're sac.
rinced by the war, he thought the abolition OF
slavery was enough to compensate for u all, the
loud ,st, most vocferous applause Of the day
was given. In conclusion Gen. Pryor said he
believed every Southerner was now again at
tached TO the country and the Constitution. and
should another war come" which may God
avert-tbe North would feel the touch of the
Southern elbow, and the South would march
10 the music Of the Union"
A lunch WAS served In a tent near the stand.
and the procession returned to Elizabeth. On
the outskirts of the town the line was met bv
the Fire Department, which had chosen that az
the day for Its annual parade. In the evening
some Of the main streets OF the city were lllu-
minated, and dinner was given to the guests.