The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-05-02
CONFEDERATE REUNION.
WINNIE DAVIS'S W:eWAM CROWDED
WITH VETERANS.

WINNIE DAVlS'S W:GWAM CROWDED
WITH VETERANS.
The Fourth Annual Reunion FoEmsllJ
Opsreo-Goverror Jones Address o!
we,come-over. 500 Camps Represented
stthe Roll Call.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, April 25.-The
fourth annual reunion of Confederate
Veterans was formally openes this
morning by Gen. Fred s. Ferguson OF
this the first Alabama brigade in Win
ME Davis wlgwam at 8 O'Clock. There
were fully 10000 in the building and
many who could DOT gain access TO the
immense hall. Governor. T. G. Jones
of Alabama made brief but eloquent
welcoming address in behalf OF the State
and was followed by Hon. DaVo D.
Fox, mayor, on behalf of Birmingham
Gen. John b. Gordon commanosl-in-
chief, on behalf of the United Confed-
crate Veterans responded in an able and
eloquent manner.
Tomorrow, decoration day, will be OBJ
served in a gorgeously appropriate man
ner. The cornerstone Of a Confederate
monument to be erected by Camp Clay.
ton Sons of Veterans will be laid and
Gen. Stephen D. Lee Of Mississippi Will
make the address. The graves WILL
then be decorated in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Assistant Chaplain, Gen. J. Wilson
Jones, IN the absence of the Chaplain
General in calling blessings upon the
fourth annual reunion of United Con-
federate Veterans and upon -rh"m are
left, said In feryent manner: "6eaV'
enly Father we ask that Thy blessings
be upon Us today as We are gathered to-
sether in this reunion. We thank Thee
that Thy blessings were over US ID bat
tie, and we thank Thee that Thy hles-
sings are over Us here today. We thank
Thee that while many have fallen out
of our ranks, so many Of Us remain to
bless Thy name today. We thank Thee
that in the days that tried mems souls,
We had men OF courage to 6ght for our
cause. We thank Thee that there still
remains the principles Of justice and
truth that We fought for. We thank
Thee that those principles have been
preserved and that the sons Of veterans
today maintain the principles OF their
fathers. Hear US and answer US, ano
be with Us IN our reunion and grant that
the God of Abraham and Isaac and OF
jacob and the God of Jackson and
johnson and Of Lee be with US in the
DAYS that are to come. We ask this all
IN Jesus name. Amen.
ifser prayer General Ferguson intro
duced to the vast audience his excel
lency, Gen. Thomas G. Jones, who for
Alabama extended the visiting Confeo-
crate Veterans q cordial welcome TO-
the confines Of Alabama and assured
them that during their stay they would
be met with hospitality characteristic
Of true Soldiers. He said:
Gentleman, citizens and country
The proud honor has fallen to my lot
in behalf Of Alabama to welcome you
to bsr soil, but what is the power Of
words compared to the deep feeling that
,swells up In our hearts as He conteu .
,olate the grandeur and significance OF
this meeting? There never was time
when ahsson of Alabama did not tbrcb
when the feet of soldier preSsed le
God bless the soldier in his, OLD age.
Some asked If it would not have been
better if these veterans who survived
had fallen in the paths of bravery while
NghSing for justice and right and avoid
ed the temptations and trials of q later
time: but If the career of the Confeder.
ate soldiers was grand in war it has not
surpassed his career in times Of peace.
But the soldier in peace has been equal
to the soldier in war. We have not
met here today in spirit Of apology or
in a spirit Of condemnation. Every
man who went into battle with cleaE
hand and came out with clean hand
went in as a brave man and came out
as brave man is our countryman. IL
seems but dream those thirty years
when the shadow of Appommatox fell
like pail upon this land. We look il
to the eyes today of men who followed
every great commander who fell IN
Shiloh. We look into the eyes OF men
who heard the immortsi words: "See
jackson standing ike stone wall, !"
and as country men We meet hare to-day
in memory of lost cause. Your exer-
cises are to be crowded and will not
.detain you longer. know I endorse
the true sentiment Of every man IN
Birmingham and in Alabama when 1
say welcome, thrice welcome, God bless
the Confederate Veterans.
Mayor Fox was then introduced by
General Ferguson to extend to the Wis
itipg people a hearty cordial and warm
welcome to Birmingham, city now,
but unknown wnen the old soldiers who
are now assembled here were fighting
for what they thought to be right.
In response to these welcomes which
had beer rendered visiting Confederates
and their wives and children, Gen John
3. Gordon thanked in behalf of the
United Confederate Veterans the speak
ers and asserted that, coming as they
did they were true and simple welcomes
of cherished persons who fought for a
cherished cause. His response was elo'
auent, terse and received commenda-
ton He said:
NV Confederate Brothers and Sisters:
1t is my pleasure to respond to the
hearty welcome just given Us by this
grand old State. wish to re the
Governor Of Alabama that re follow.
ers Of those immortal men to whom be
has referred are ready to meet with hlw
in his cordial memory Of those lu NOR
tai dead. Yes, here are the men who
+, flowed Lee and Jackson and John
son and ali the leaders who have made
the pages of American history what
they are. In one sense, my brethren,
am not the man to respond to a well
come from Alabama, for IN that sense
] am am an Alabamaian myself and
feel that it would be more proper for
me to stand with Der Governor ED ex-
tend to the brave men Of other States
her Welcome rather than to receive It,
and on the other hand am perhaps OF
all living men the proper one to make
this response, because no living man is
more INDEBTED to her than lam. 1t was
among the mountains of Alabama that
] first beard the voices that called US to
battle. It vas an Alabama regiment
which I led, or rather which led me, in
tothat bloody fray and made principles