The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-23
GALLANT HEROES or THE GRAY
SCENES OF WILD ENTHUSIASM IN
THEIR CONVENTION.

haohH-Nths HoFNon 1lStNeA an h-At-
quent sDeech-Gen. Lee submits
the Report OF the Committee on
History-The Crowd in the city
Estimated at 10000.
Houston. Tex. May 22-The fifth annual
reunion Of the United Confederate Veter-
ans was formally inausurated at the Win
ME Davis Auditorium by Gen. Gordon this
morning. amid scenes which will be re-
membered long after the last veteran of
the cause commemorated to-day has re-
turned to dust and the last Of the great
leaders in that immortal conflict has
passed away. In an ever increasing stream
the crowds have been pouring into Hous-
ton from every quarter Of the union on
regular and special trains. bringing with
them tattered battle flags and enthusias-
tic hearts, sacred memories and yet more
sacred scars of hard fought battles and
the determination to meet and mingle once
more with their comrades in arms before
they bow to the final conqueror.
This climax in the matter Of numbers
was reached this morning and tonight
there are not less than 10000 visitors in
AAbAHANAls 2 Alte are tAbuAlAb taHll UAAlfA
in the streets and the hotels in cosmOpoli-
tan conglomeration. Veterans. crippled
and decrepid. mingle with daughters of
the confederacy, wearing their jaunty cos
tunes of confederate gray, while here and
there dark complexion and long black
hair betoken the American Indians. At
every possible opportunity the old veterans
gather around their respective leaders
and shake their hands with a cordial
warmth, not infrequently with tears in
their eyes
The morning began with a drizzling rain.
which with few intervals. has prevailed
all day, dampening the clothes, but not
the ardor of the thousands of veterans
who never failed to respond to the stir
ring strains of the numerous bands which
are playing war melodies all over the city
Nine O'Clock was the hour at which the
convention was to have been opened, but
80 cordia' were the veterans in their greet
ings TO Gen. Gordon and others that ii was
nearly IL O'Clock when the commander
mounted the platform The auditoriurn
which is beautiful piece of architecture
Is decorated inside with hundreds of flags
and yard after yard of bunting. while a
row OF palmetto leaves ornaments the
edge of the huge platform.
Ihere was deafening roar of cheers
when Gen. Gordon mounted the platform
lie bowed his Acknowledgement and as
the band struck up Dixie the enthusiasm
rose stlH higher. Seated on the platform
were the members of Gen Gordon's staff
and the major generals Of the divisions
each with his respective staff There were
also large number of ladies present. Near
Gen. Gordon sat Gov. Culberson. Mayor
Grown, Chaplain Gen. ]. w. Jones, Prof.
w. B. Cleveland, Gen. S. d. Lee and
others.
The convention was opened by prayer
by the chaplain general. in which he in
voked the blessing of God on the delibera-
tions of the assembly and asked that the
God of Israel and of Jefferson Davis
would raise up friends TO care for the
veterans in their declining years.
President Cleveland then introduced Gov
Culberson, who welcomed the delegates
and their friends to Texas He paid
high tribute to southern valor and the
justice of the southern cause, saying that
it was the proudest event of his official
career to welcome the veterans to this re-
union.
Mayor Brown followed in a brief ad-
dress, bidding the visitors welcome to the
city
Gen. Gordon then rose to respond to the
addresses of welcome 1t was the signal
for another outburst of cheers from the
throats of the 10000 people who were as
sembled in the vast auditorium, each state
under its respective banner. 1t was some
time before the speaker could be heard.
He spoke as follows:
Governor Mr.. Mayor, comrades, and my
fellow-countrymen It is my official duty
ans high privilege to respond in behalf of
my comrades to this gracious welcome and
tender of munificent hospitality by the city
of Houston and the state of Texas. When
l have said that they are characteristic
of this city and state, my language is
capable of no stronger expression. What
higher tribute could be paid to this great
people than to say their hospitality is
worthy of Texas? Around the history of
Texas are gathered associations glorious
and hallowed; and In her subsequent ca
reer are centered high hopes of richest
contributions to the future of the repub-
lie. In fifty years of statehood. she has
risen to a commanding position among her
sisters and the imagination can scarcely
keep pace with her assured progress in
the fifty years TO come. With a genial cli-
mate and imperial domain, with a soil
not only exhaustless in it's fertility but
which like responsive charity answers
with more lavish abundance as the de-
mands upon It become more exacting,
with history rich in the memories of her
Alma, her Gloiada and her San Jacinto as
well as in the deeds of her Houston, her
Austin, her Travis and her Lamar; with a
proud heritage Of valor and heroism
bequeathed by her intrepid sons in the
mighty conflict of the sixties with some
of the best blood of the republic in the
veins of her people. whose indomitable
energy and lofty spirit are equalled only
by their princely hospitality, with all these
splendid endowments by nature, by her
history and by the characteristics of her
sons and daughters. what optimistic
prophet would not predict for her career
so glorious as to be beyond her reason
able ambition.
The assemblage of these war SCARED
veterans in this war SCARED state recalls
a striking contrast in their war histories
Sixty years ago Texas won her fight for
independence. Thirty years ago these ex-
confederates lost their fight for separate
nationality. but Texas victorious were not
more glorious and grand than were these
brave men around me in their overwhelm-
ing defeat. Texas victorious won her way
to statehood and place in the front rank
of the states. These confederates. crushed
and disbanded as soldiers, addressed them
selves to the duties of citizens with a con-
servatism so conscicuous, a patriot
ism so true and broad, a fidelity
to the decision of battle so unquestioned
and scarce as to challenge the confidence
and esteem of patriots in every section OF
the union. This leads me to recall three
remarkable achievements by these ex-
Hn