The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-27
VETERANS AT A BARBECUE.
Bulloch County's Rally at StatesborD
: q Great Occasion.

! Hon. Rufus E. Lester returned last
night from Statesboro, where he attended
the grand barbecue and rally of confed-
crate veterans of Bulloch county yester-
! day Col. Lester was accompanied by
| Hon. Steve Clay president of the state
| senate who was one of the orators of the
day, Mr.. Clay only remained in Savan-
| nah very short while, taking the train
! for Atlanta last night on his way to his
| home in Marietta.
To a MORNING NEWS reporter who met
him at the depot Mr.. Clay said he enjoyed
the occasion very much. He disclaimed
any intention of opening a gubernatOrial
campaign and said he only spoke at
Statesboro by request of Hon. L. G.. du-
! Bignon. Mr.. duBignOn had accepted an
| invitation to speak at StatesborO, but sub
! sequently found that certain legal bust
ness would prevent his attend
ance and so notified the com
mittee in charge of the celebration.
He was asked to secure another speaker
and prevailed upon Mr.. Clay to take his
| place The subject of Mr.. Clay's address
| was the wonderful work accomplished
! by the confederate soldiers since the
war. He depicted the condition of the
| south and its soldiers at the close of the
war and cOntrasted those with the
| present prosperous condition of the
| people of this section. He rehearsed the
| great battle of the confederate soldiers
| since the war how they came home with
nothing but pluck, energy and determine
tion, and brought order out of chaos.
Col. Lester followed MIR. Clay and
| spoke somewhat in the same line. Mr.
| Clay having devoted himself to the work
| of the confederate soldiers since the war,
| Col, Lester devoted himself more es-
! peclally to the record of the confederate
soldiers during the war. There were
| several hundred old soldiers present, in
Guiding some of Col. Les
ter's old regiment the Twenty
fifth Georgia, besides many former
| members of the Fifth Georgia cavalry,
the FOrty-seVenth Georgia, and other dis
tinguished commands. Col Lester spoke
of the causes of the war and then told
of the gallantry and heroism of the con-
federate soldier and the glory he had i'm
parted to the American name. He dis
cussed the rise and fall of the cOnfeder-
acy at some length, and dwelt upon the
admirable conduct of the confederate
soldiers in war and peace, equal to the
duties of both and in both displaying the
highest characteristics of citizenship.
Col. Lester said last night that the day
was very enjoyable one Very little
politics was discussed and the day was
devoted to the pleasure of the old soldiers
crowd, he said, was very large, numbering
between 5000 and 4, 900 people A large bush
arbor had been built over the court house
yard under which the people gathered.
Outside the arbOr tables were arranged
entirely around it and when the speaking
was finished these were loaded down
with the most bountifui supply of pro
visions of every character.
The barbecue was the feature of the
day. The pits had been dug near by and
several dozen carCasses of pigs, lambs and
kids were prepared in the genuine old
southern style. Besides this baskets Of
provisions without number were brought
in by the people and everybody was invit-
ed to partake of the generous spread.
| There was q scarcity of nothing, and the
| scene was one of plenty calculated to de-
| light the hearts of gOurmands and cpl
| cures The exhibition spoke well
| for the people of Bulloch.
| Col. Lester said the people
seemed happy and prosperous, and the
! financial stringency which is worrying
| the people of the cities to death did not
seem to be worrying them very much
| The people have full barns and smoke
| houses, and the calamity howlers find no
| encouragement among them
Altogether, Col Lester said, it was as
! pleasant an occasion as he ever witnessed.
| Mr. Clay and Col Lester were the only
| speakers. Hon. DAN Grower was
master of ceremonies, and Major j. G.
! Cone was in command of the veterans
! All enjoyed themselves, and there was
| nothing to mar the pleasure of the day.