The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-08-14
THE REUNION.
The Last Day OF the Greeting Carnival
OF TX Soldiers.
ADDRESS OF COL. CRAWFORD
Other Addresscs-ro.try of the Lost
Cause-Mrs. Beers Foem-striking
TestS-Tk~ old Camp Ground
Deserted - Tn, End.

tho morning the crowds began to leave
tho city for the grounds, and by IL
o'clock they We're pretty well filled up,
At II o'clock tho vast concourse OF peo-
plo were called to order by Gen. w. l..
Cabell, who introduced Rev. Mr.. Ennis,
who opened the exercises with prayer.
IL was the last day OF the reunion,
and, although quite number
Of tho old soldiers from abroad had re-
turned 10 their homes on tho trains of
the night before and of yesterday morn
ing, still there were goodly gathering
! Of them To hear the last speeches, Ia
take part in the last days proceedings,
| to bid each other farewell, perhaps =
long, last farewell, perhaps only for a
year, if the mercy of a kind Providence
| will permit them to meet nj the next
| reunion. Thore were sad hearts on the
! ground. Battlc-scarrcd veterans min
| gled with each other, and there seemed
10 bo greater iondncss, ten
dorer regard the one for the other
as they contemplated the fact that they
| might never meet again, might never
more see each sthcrand clasp each other
| by the hand. The last tattoo must sound,
| the last taps come for us all, and of the
| thousands " no mingled together so joy
ously during the past four days, many
\ are there whose eyes will bc closed in
! the last slumber, whose hands will bc
calmly folded across their breasts,
| whose pale, cold faces Will wear never
| again on earth II smile, whose pallid lips
| will never more he pressed TO the lips
of those they loved dearest and best in
! life. But each OnS carries with him to
| his home fond memories of this reunion,
memories that will come TO them as the
days speed bv to make pleasant the
! hours, memories that will live as green
places in their minds and hearts while
! life lasts.
col. ". T.. CRAWFORD.
Colonel Crawford was introduced to
! the audience by General Cabcll, and
| his appearance on the stage created gen
, erGl applause. He said the committee,
whose duty it was to select the speakers,
| had conferred an obligation upon him
| that WAS not sought. In eloquent terms
| and there is nOOne in the broad limits %!
our vast State who eat,
moro happily illustrate an idea,
he paid tribute to the cX-ContGderatc
| soldiery assembled. He compiimentcd
them upon their chivalry, and remarked
| that they were the grandest army, COM
| manded by the grandest chiettainS, the
world ever recognized. The South con-
tended against an organized Govern
ment. with "A plurality of four to one.
That she acquitted herself nob,y, history
will attest. The war, he urged, was
over, but the principles for which South
crn blood was shed still remained. He
recounted daring deeds, privations and
Inconvenience, and the noble attributes
of Southern womon in most glowing
terms. His dietion was chastc, his ora
tory superb, and round after round Of
applause interrupted his delivery.
MR. i. &. BIGGER
was introduced TO the audience "a an OK
Union soldier, and delivered the follow
ing address:
Ladies, Gentlemen and Comrades of the Gray
Before attempt to give utterance to
u thoughts that crowd my brain rela-
o to the somewhat bitter past and
N rious future, permit me, in the mann"
he eX-l Mon soldiers WhO have as
mbled il! compliance to your kind aud
1rdial invitation upon these grounds,
and enjoyed to the fullest your bountc-
Gus hospitality and cheer, to sincerely
thank you Tor all the kindness and gen
erOsity you have so nobly and Gener-
OuSly extended TO us all.
These reunions, in my humble judg-
ment, can but conduce to the general
veal, and | am glad indeed they meet
with mCritOriOuS success throughout the
Union. They should be lOstered and
encouraged. The sentiment that creates,
them is sound in principle and practice
and results only in pTUhul.hr Uhe best
of feeling among the masses that com
prise our grand and glorious nation. 1t
is well for the war-scarrCd veterans of
either side to meet in friendly converse
and recite amid the cleaning camp fire
and the strains of martial notes the
story of the war, with its deeds of bra
very, fortitude and hcrOiSm; its mirth
tul incidents and its terrible recitals of
devotion, suffering and woe. "a fellow
feeling makes us wondering kind" and
an exchange OF feeling and sentiment
upon such an occasion as this can only
result in much good to all.
The recital of the gallant and heroic
achievements of the Confederate arms,
so glowing and correctly depicted by
Col. W. l.. Crawford, who has just pre-
ceded me, (and u better orator than
whom does not tread the soil cf Texas,
meets my hearty appreciation. No man
can make me, III the slightest degree,
green with jealousy by reciting the he
roic deeds and brilliant ACHIEVEMENTS of
those who wore the gray. The valor,
fortitude, hcroism and bravery dis
played on every field by the gallant con-
fedrrates | claim as American, and l am
and eXerted for, instead of against, the
banner of our common country. L am
as proud of the Sallantry and bravery OF
Mississippi, South Carolina, Virginia
and Texas as am of that of Iowa, New
York, Pennsylvania and Illinois. 1t is
all American valor, and 4 refuse TO be
deprived of its glorious and untarnishcG
men who question honest mo-
tives. The battalliOns OF the South
believed in the honesty and rcctitudc OF
their purpose as firmly rs did the heroic
legions OF the North, who moved upon
their works and lines Of battle. When
men bare their breasts to leaden hail
and risk everything near and dear to
manhood, the man or set of men who
question the sincerity of their motives
is yillainous!y base and dead to every
sense Of doccnry. For liberty they
ought nd died on either side, and
:" . n,.oc ike this, for Liberty shed,
.aIly is, 1t would not stain
= ID. purcst ril that sparliles in
= - Vale of Bliss. On! If there be
o this earthly sphere boon,
An offering Heaven holds dear,
It's the last libation Liberty DRAINS
her cause"
These reunions, too. ladies and gentlo
men, can but be conducive to the gen
eral good by bringing in contact
the sufferers of the strife. 1t is hard to
forget tcri;c war; the Southern mother
mourning the loss of her brave husband
and noble boy canscarccly be e)mtorted,
and the poignant grief OF the Southern
widow, sister, father and brother is
equally intense. But we must renien-
Der that the sorrow of a Northern mother
whose boy equally noble, brave and
chivalrous as any blue eyed son of
sunny elimes) went out of her life
pierced by Southern bullets is suffering
the same woe unutterable OF those
whose loTed ones went down by the
bali. 1t will assuage or
commH sorrow 10 meet in common
sympghy, and when we go to deck the
grave of those who heroiall.v died that
4 MI L,;uh,x- ,,nt;n,, n,iul. : bp II ii fad by