The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-02-21
THROUGH THE SOUTH.
The Albany Burgesses Corps Tour
to New Orleans and Return.


The Albany Burgesses Corps returned home
on Saturday from ntne-days' trip through
the sunny Southern States. From start 10
finish this trip was one contiD Duous round ol
magnificent receptions rendered to the Corps
by the leading men OF every Southern city at
which they rested on their way TO New Or
leans, and again while en- route for home.
The Corps retiecten much credit to the En-
pire State by their soldierly bearing and gen.
tlemanly conduct throughout the enlir Jour.
ney, winning generous applause In every
place for their fine marching, and making
muny warm friends among litary men and
other citizens Of Dixie Land by their genial
manners and manly department..
Never before has a military organization
from the north gone south OF the Mason and
Dixon line and been received as was the Bur
yesses Corps upon this never. to-be forgotten
tour. The Governors OF five southern states
received the Corps with addresses OF welcome
and then shook every man by The hand, and
made one and all feel at home In the land OF
flowers by assuring them all that they were
among friends and brothers. The freedom OF
the city WAS extended To the Corps at every
stopping place aud all clubs threw wide open
their doors 10 welcome the "Boys In Red
from Albany. Speech after speech rang
through the banquet halls where the sons OF
the north clasped hands with their southern
brothers, and the sentiment expressed In all
OF these eloquent addresses Was that there
was no north and no south, but one grand
and glorious country, whose honor and whose
flag the soldiers that wore the grey would ny
10 protect just as quickly AS those who wore
the blue; and that sen timent struck O respon-
sive chord In every heart, as was evinced by
the hearty cheers which greeted these patiot.
ic words when uttered by our orators from
both north and south.
That the old war feeling is thing OF the
past down in Dixie Is fact that cannot
truthfully be contradicted. There is abso-
lutely nothing left OF the old rebel spirit ex-
this statement take trip through this south.
ern land as we have just done, and he will
be convinced that the people OF the new south
are as loyal to the Union as their brothers OF
the great north and mighty west. He who for
political purposes or personal aggrandize-
ment. waves the "Bloody Shirt" should be
summarily dealt with, and all law-abiding
] his teeth. % There is no "Bloody Shirt issue
In the south and there should oe none in the
north. The man who says that the southern
people are not loyal TO the union and have
not buried the hatchet long ago, Is either lg-
n GRANT Of the truth or else is a traitor to the
true interest Of this glorious country, whose
fair fame depends upon the perpetuation OF
that motto which our iorefathers selected
The Journey which as just been ended at
Albany will never be forgotten by the mem.
bers OF the Burgesses Corps and the invited
guests who accompanied them. Ihe memory
OF the receptions at Raleigh. at Abbeville. at
New Orleans. at Atlanta, ut Montgomery. at
Richmon and at Washington, will ever be
green in the recollections Of those who en-
of Of the Governors Of North Carolina, South
Carolina, Alabama; Virginia and louisiana;
and also the hand Of President Cleveland
will ever forget the warm feelings which
came from the hearts OF those noble gentle
men and found expression in fervent hand
clasps and "God Bless YOU"
The tour Is ended. The last bugle call has
been sounded, and we are home again. But
the recolections Of this trip will live forever
in all our hearts. The sentiments which we
heard expressed by our friends In the south
came from honest hearts and will be echoed
all over our country. The following beautiful
Democrat, well expresses this noble senti-
ment to which we all say, Amen
To our royal King submissive.
Bowling TO his sceptered sway,
Come the soldiers brave from Boston,
Albany and Iowa.
With the blare aud crash Of trumpets,
Shrek OF fife and sound of drum,
Marching in grand procession,
See the Northern warriors come.
Welcome TO you, gallant soldiers,
Welcome to the noble band,
Not the welcome that we gave you,
Long ago TO Dixie land.
You remember, don't you, soldiers,
Our warm welcome years ago,
With a storm OF shell and bullets,
Meeting them as foe and foe.
Now the past ia all forgotten,
For US all but one flag waves,
North and South, all rancour buried,
Ger their slaughtered soldiers graves.
And the greeting we now give you,
Is that Of kinsmen, warm and true;
We are all, as fellow subjects,
Rendering Rex our homage due.
Welcome 10 the land OF sunshine.
Welcome each succeeding year;
May you bring back to your firesldes
Pleasant thoughts OF Southern cheer.