The record-union., 1895-09-21
CHICKAMAUGA PARK.
Last Day of the Celebrations at the
Noted Battlefield.
YESTERDAYS PROCEEDINGS THE
MOST ATTRACTIVE OF ALL

The Programme Concluded With q
Meeting of the Army of Virgins
and That Portion of the Army OF
tanooga-Comments by Governor
Oates of Alabama.
! CHATTANOOGA (Tenn.), Sept 20.-The
proceedings of the third and last day OF
| the dedication of the Chickamauga and
| Chattanooga National Military Park
were participated in by a crowd fully as
large as that on the preceding days. On
first judging from the crowd that thronged
the streets it would seem as if to-day S
| proceedings were perhaps the most at
tractive OF the series.
Every ones attention was centered
upon the meetings in the city. The mill
tary demonstration by the regulars and
the State militia was the attraction that
drew many residents of the surrounding
territory into town. There was slight
relief from the oppressive, almost over
whelming heat OF the past few days,
whereby existence was rendered more
! comfortable.
The procession formed on Market
! street, the principal business thorough
| fare of the city, ana marched through the
| principal streets 10 Grant l University, in
! front OF which the reviewing stand had
| been erected. General Fullerton, Presi-
dent of The Park Commission, was the
I / 4
were Lieutenant-G General Schofield and
! Vice President Stevenson. the reviewing
officials. and large body of distinguished
| visitors and prominent citizens.
| The procession disbanded shortly after
| passing the reviewing stand. The bat
| terry proceeded To Orchard Knob, on the
summit of which was fired the Union
| salute of torty-tour guns at noon.
a. that hour began the exercises in the
| tent intended to commemorate, in con-
nection with the dedication, the battle OF
| Chattanooga proper. Nlce-President
! Stevenson presided. The proceedings
opened with prayer by Rev. Samuel j..
| Nichols, d. D., of ST. Louis. Hon. q. w.
Ochs. Chattanooga's eloquent Executive,
| welcomed the visitors.
| General Bate, the Senator from Ten
nessee, was the first speaker. His ad
dress presented the Southern view of the
| causes leading TO the war. lie main
/ tanned that the position of the South was
ethically correct, but declared that the
! result of the war forever adjudicated the
| question a. issue. He paid glowing
tribute 10 the soldiers of both sides.
! General Bate was followed by General
Grosvenor. Republican Representative IA
| Congress from Ohio.
CLOSE OF TIE CEREMONIES.
! To-nights meeting of the survivors OF
! tho Army OF Virginia and that portion OF
! the Army of the Potomac that fought at
| Chattanooga brought to close the pro-
gramme arranged by the National Com
mission in connection with the dedica-
ton of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga
/ Military Park. The meeting was held in
/ the tent, and was presided over by Cen
/ eral b. e. Walthall. Seuator-elect from
| Mississippi, who fought against Hooker
! in the clouds on Lookout Mountain.
| Addressing his remarks to Ladies and
! fellowSoldlers," Senator Waltnall de-
! liVered glowing euIogy on the Southern
| soldier, VINO, he said, symbolized courage,
| constaucy and devotion In war, self
respecting dignity in defeat, and, in
| peace, the same fidelity TO this Govern
nent that the Southern soldier bore to
| that for whose permanent establishment
! he fought four years In vain.
Colonel Lewis Il. Stegman of New
! York followed.
Colonel w. C. Oates, the one-armed
| Governor OF Alabama, better known for
| his Congressional career was the next
speaker. Governor Oates. addressing his
/ remarks to the SOLDIERS OF the lost cause
and successful defenders OF the Union, >"
made some exceedingly pointed COM
mentS upon the causes Of the war.
| Among other passages were the follow
/ ing: Let the blasphemous mouths of
! the bloUdy shirt snriekers be closed and
/ the truth De toId, and our cause and the
| heroIsm which sustained it for four inn
| mortal years viii illuminate the bright
| est chapters of the true history of that
! great conflict. There never was a war
! wherein the object of the invader was
anything short Of determination, in
| which there was more involved or the re-
/ suit of which was fraught with great
! consequences, nor was there ever war
| the real cause of which was so imperfect
! ly understood by other nations aud even
! by many OF the American people.
The presence in our midst of the
African race, for which they are in no
way responsible, has ever been the Pam
| dora's box of our American politics.
! Slavery, it must be conceded, is contrary
| 10 natural right, but it was a lawful Stale
| institution, and was SO recognized by the
| Constitution of the United States. Being
a State institution, II was The right of the
State in which it existed TO continue or
otherwise, for its continuance belonged
alone 10 the people OF the State wherein
it existed. 1t was abuse, threats and inn
pending assaults upon the rights of the
State 10 regulate its own local and do
mestic affairs, voiced by The leading men
OF the puritanical type, who abused and
traduced Justices OF the Supreme Court
for deciding tEat slavery was lawful; and
who denounced the institution of slavery
aud polygamy as twin relics of bar bar
| ism, as the sum total of all villaiuy and
| as q league with death, until their doc
! trines inclted a band oil fanatics to be-
| lIeye that they were inspired by heaven
TO light the torch OF revolution in South
! ern homes auu to invade Southern State
/ for the purpose OF incitiDg the slaves to
lnsurrectlon, arson and indiscrimiuate
/ murder OF white people: and when the
/ chief OF these nlaieiactors was executed
! church bells were toled in some of the
/ Northern cities to canonize him as q
martyr.
These were tho irritating causes which
/ aroused the feelings OF Indignation and
| prepared the Southern people tor seces-
sion from the Union. Then. when great
| aud growing political party, confined
alone to the Northern States, whose sIo-
! gan was hostility to the institution of
/ slavery, and whose orators were full of
teinperate denunciation OF the Southern
people, succeeueu IN elecLlng their Pr5Sl-
dent, who proclaimed irrepressible con-
flict, the apprehensions of the Southern
people were awakened 10 a common dan
ger-not about slavery alone, but that
/ their ancient and we'll defined right TO
govern their own internal affairs In their
own way would be denied and destroyed,
not directly. but by attraction under the
guise OF law and constitutional adminis-
tratiou. Thus was presented a great
issue, which, unfortunately, cur Cousti-
tuition provided no umpire to peaceably
adjudlcate, and hence the question was
necessarily submitted to the arbitration