Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-31
BOOTS AND SADDLES.
/ Grand Cavalry Reunion at the To-
baCcO Exchange.
ROSSER'S SPIRITED SPEECH.
Ovation to Hampton and Fitl-Governor
OTerrall Introduces stuart's Son
Amid Wild Enthusiasm

and listening to talks from some or the
notables Of the Confederacy. had what
might truly be described as a rouslnG
good time The Rebel YELL" proverbial
for its peculiar ring, was heard through
out the morning on all sides OF Shockot
Slip, and as IL fioated out on the air II
gathered in recruits. until the crowd was
sweiled to such proportions as TO I'll
every portion of the hall.
General Thomas l.. Rosser, OF Char
lottesville, first spoke to the old boys
He made stirring address, which warm.
ed his auditors up to a high pitch Of ex,
element, and many times he was inter
rupted by cheers.
| PENSIONS AND SUBSTITUTES.
| He spoke OF the hopes OF the future
| which filled the breast Of the soldier as
| he marched forth to the war, and added:
| But we are here TO do honor TO the
| men who fell, for we love their memory
as we love our God. The men who over
| ran us remind me Of the locusts which
| are now infesting portions OF this State.
| They couldn't whip US but they deVoured
| our substance, The army that deyoured
US was an army OF substitutes. We killed
| all the substitutes and the men whom
| they represented stopped at homo and
| made money and now draw pensions.
despise the man who gives United States
money to a pensioner. This country
| can't stand when 1t makes one citizen
| support another. l shall never vote for
| a congressman who is in favor OF gov
| eminent pensions. 1 would say TO Mas
sachusetts, you pay your pensioners as
| Virginia pays hers"
| The General continuing said that the
| Grand Army of the Republic was banded
| together to get pensions and II he had
been at birmingham he would have voted
against the proposition 10 invite them 10
Atlanta. He didn't want them TO come
to Richmond.
| THE GREATEST SOLDIERS.
| I'VE have unveiled" he resumed. "a
| monument to the greatest general the
| world ever produced; We are now pre-
pairing TO unveil one 70 the greatest sol
diers Of the world, and the next one we
| unyeil will be 10 Jefferson Davis, the be-
| loved President OF the greatest cause for
| which men ever fought But when we
| get them all up the Yankees will call ,
| halt. We are Knocked at the North. and
| Will live 10 see the Yankee army march
| again through the South and pull down
| our monuments"
| The Sons OF Veterans Is composed OF
| the posteTity OF fighting stock, but they
| nave never yet been tested, and we
don't know whether we can depend upon
them or not; but this we do know. that
so long as the breath Of life remains I'm
| our bodies We will defend these monu-
ments.
The speaker here branched Of into an
| humorous vein. Say, boys" said he,
| were you all there? You look mighty
young. I'm a little suspicious Of you.
| guess you were there, though. That
yell that | have heard you give utterance
to has the genuine ring"
| REV. J. WILLIAM JONES.
| Immediately upon the conclusion OF
| General Rosser's address, DR.. ]. William
| Jones was loudly called for. He respond
| ed, and said: Il want to utter a very
! hearty amen TO the speech made by
| General Rosser; especially that part about
| pensions. l have seen too many soldiers
for revenue only IN my time, and 1 don't
| want to have anything to do with them.
! | honor the soldier on either side who
| fought for what he thought to be the
| right: but I will not associate with the
| bounty-jumper and siOn-grabbsr-as
| Ben. Hill described them, the invisible In
| war and the invlncible in peace. We have
monuments to almost all Of our generals.
! Lee, the greatest general, not alone I'm
Virginia, but IN the world, stands at one
| end Of this city, and now the monument
| TO me soldier win grace the other end.
| I thank God that He gave us that grand
Christian character, Jefferson Davis,
| and hope next TO see 4 monument I'M
| yelled to him.
WHAT LEE SAID.
mo land ever produced truer soldiers,
| nobler patriots, nor drawer men than
| those who fought under Lee and jackson,
and General Lee truly put it when he
| said that the bravest men are not the
men OF rank, but the men OF the ranks.
/ have known the Conferedate soldier
| from Texas to Virginia, have marched
with them, ministared to them, and
| fought side by side with them, and am
prepared to say that the world never
knew drawer soldiers than these men,
| who, with empty haversacks, marched
| forth TO do or die"
HON. HENRY T. wICKHAN
Hon. Henry T. WIckham, in response 10
| loud calls, assembled the rostrum. He
said: To-day you have met to do honor
| To those who made the heroes Of the
world. Few remember that upon the
| battlefield It is the private soldier who IS
| the ambassador upon whom rests the sue
| cess of the cause. While you are hero to-
| day assembled in reunion, It becomes
your duty to organize to control the
schools Of our Southland. You know
our people They can do great things
| but they will not talk about them. When
you have departed this life and your
| children and their children are left alone
| there will be no one TO tel them the
| truths as they are. We don't want our
| children taught from northern histories
| We have plenty OF talent to write history
! 1t can be done in eighteen months, ana
the legislature can be gotten % adopt
the new book in our schools. II they
don't adopt it, turn them out
DIR. JONES, AGAIN.
Dr. Jones again spoke Immediately upon
the conclusion Of Mr.. Wickham's address,
and said: "The idea is good one.
Barnes's History, a miserable, lying, Yam
kee concern, which lies by the yard, Is
on your school list Go home and put
it out"
Judge Henry w. Flournoy made a
strong speech, in which he said that the
man who had the name of Lee cngrayen
on his heart was his friend. Continuing
he said: But so help me God, III not
| associate with any man who has Lee On
| the record as a traitor"
GENERAL HAMPTON ARRIVES.
At this juncture General Wade Hamp-
ton, looking as grand and soldierly as
when he sat his horse on the field OF bat
tie, entered the room, and as soon as the
boys" caught sight OF him they broke
forth with one accord in the old-tlme YELL
which could have been heard blocks away,
and literally carried him TO the platform.
His mounting thereto was the signal OF
another outburst of applause. Hats were
thrown in the air, and resOunding cheers
were given In honor OF the old war-horse.
He hesitated for moment before COM
mencing his address, and appeared 10 be
very much affected by the greeting which
had been accorded him.
HIS VIRGINIA FOREFATHERS.
81 would rather" said he, put the old
| command I'm a fight than 10 make
speech. 1t ia more TO my liking. have
some claim to citizenship In this State
and am proud OF H. My forefathers came
from Virginia. / was glad that my ser
vices were called for the Army OF North
ern Virginia, for never was there such
an incompatible army on Gods green
earth, and never did men fight so molly
and so well. There never was such a
man as General Lee. can't talk 20 you,
but my heart Is with you. When heard
that there were a lot OF old cavalrymen
down hsre who wanted to shake hands
l,,.fth 4 fn I rartt1 NOT FPfti