Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1881-10-08
THE CONFEDERATE REUNION.
Speech of Ex-Gov. Thos. G. Rey-
nolds on the Occasion.
ELOQUENT and Patriotic Words.
President and his he.
reaved Wife.


earliest times, men who have been on
any perilous enterprise, or even those
who have made a difficult Journey in
company, delight to meet together. As
I say, it is part of human nature. No
eers IN California, and don't you
and ask whether you succeeded or not in
securing the golden fleece? Whether
you were fortunate or unfortunate, you
like to recount all the troubles, the sor-
rows and the joys of that journey. 1t is
in human nature for you to do it, and
II any one doesn't like it you say let him
lump it. [Applause.] So it is that in
nearly every county In this state you
will find an annual reunion of old set
tiers, who have conquered this noble
state from the Indians and the wild
beasts, and in their old age are reposing
In comfort. They like to get together
also, and tell of their early struggles
and their early triumphs. This is es-
pecially trait OF human nature with
reference to military service, where
men have shared together the dangers
and triumphs of the battlefield in a
cause which they considered just. 1t
doesn't matter whether they were set
tiers or got settled as we did; but they
rejoice to come together, and recall
memories of the past. Two thousand
years ago, as any college boy will tell
you as he reads the fascinating account
Of the expedition of the 10000 Greeks
1000 years ago band of soldiers whom
we would now call fllibusters, UNDER
took to invade the dominions oil the
most powerful monarch OF that day.
They met with danger, disaster and de-
feat, but one OF their generals, Keno:
phon, wrote an account of their retreat,
in which he told OF their noble actions,
their courage and their endurance. 1t
electrified all Greece, and to day even
every man who has taste for gallant
deeds delights to remember how these
devoted Greeks bore themselves in that
retreat. 1t matters not what the cause
was; in fact, not to put too fine a point
on it, tellow-citizens, it was simply a
filibustering expedition, and the lawyers
and sober-minded Greeks of that day
said it was downright rebellion. But
when we come to learn of the noble
deeds performed we forget all about the
causes of that war and admire the glory
which was achieved. Heroic deeds are
admired everywhere, irrespective of the
cause, irrespective of what may be the
belief of those who admire. We have a
striking illustration OF that in the general
mourning all over this country at the
death of President Garfield. In Chatta-
nooga as at Gettysburg; IN Pennsylva-
MA as In Mississippi; at Vlcksburg and
Charleston, as we'll as at New York and
Boston, who inquired whether he had
been union or q confederate general ?
Who inquired whether he was demo.
crat or republican, No; all thought
of such questions were cast aside. We
admired the man, the patriot, the states
man, the heroism OF his suHerings and
OF his death. [Applause.l And we ad-
mlre the
HERoIsM OF THE NOBLE WOMAN
who stood by his side, and while she
has ceased to be what is sometimes
called the ''first lady OF the land" she
has elevated herself to be the first in the
hearts of her countrymen. Applause.
AS another illustration of how noble
deeds touch the heart without reference
to national divisions and prejudices oil
opinion, the lady who occupies 30 lofty
place as the Queen of the United
Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland
and Empress of India has also won a
place IN the hearts of all Americans by
the graceful manner IN which she has
shown herself not only powerful SOW
ereign, but also a true woman; and
when she placed that garland on the
bier of our dead president. she the de.
scendant of hundred kings, and he the
man who had climbed up to the first
place in the country from the position
of an humble laborer on a canal, she
touched chord in the heart of every
man, woman and child in this country
which will cause Victoria's name to be
mentioned with love and reverence as
long as the memory of our people lasts.
There are ties between soldiers which
few who have not been soldiers can
compr ehend, and as an illustration OF
this will venture to repeat to you an
anecdote which perhaps some OF you
have heard, which is about our great
General Lee, and is authentic. He stood
some years after Appomattox, at the
gate OF his residence at Lexington, Va,
talking with friend, when poor wan
derer came by, and Gen. Lee put his
hand into his pocket, and his pockets
were not over full after the war,
and gave him something to help him on
his road, Gen. Lee said to his friend,
"He is one OF our soldiers" "But,''
said his friend, "He has the federal
uniform on. He is a federal soldier.n
"Oh, never mind" said Gen. Lee. "He
Is one of our soldiers now." rLoud ap-
plause. It IS In q confidence of that
trait OF human nature, of which have
given you instances, that venture to
presssge that in the future many a moth
or OF confederate sympathies or lineage
will give the name OF Garfield to her
baby boy. 1t was in confidence in that
trait of human nature which causes US
to admire noble men and noble actions
without reference to any circumstances
surrounding them, that at the meeting
IN st. Louis some years ago on the
death OF Gen. Robert E. Lee, l some
what astonished some OF my confederate
friends by venturing the prediction
which venture again now, that when
all the passions and prejudices of the
late war have passed away, perhaps
alter we are all in our graves, and the
history OF the war is impartially written.
as it then will be, even within sight OF
plymouth Rock many a mother will
pray to God that her child may be like
Stonewall Jackson or like Lee. rap.
plause.l 1 shocked some-people then,
especially some of my union friends,
WHAT" said they. s'predict that ?''
"Yes," said |. II don't predict it, but
human mature predicts it," and the great
qualities OF these great men, Garfield.
Lee and Jackson. will incite admiration
and children will be named after them
whose ancestors fought against them
SO it is with US. We also in our circle
have glorious deeds to remember. We
must meet together to see each other, to
recall the incidents of the contest, to re-
now old acquaintances and make new
| ones.
THE GOOD RESULTS OF REUNIONS.
Governor Reynolds gave an illustra.
tion OF the good results of these reunions
by relating little incident of the war
times. Once when weary he was offer
ed horse by a gentleman, who in the
goodness of his heart urged the govern