The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-07-01
SOUTHERN VETERANS
The Followers Of JEFF Davis Meet in
Convention in Richmond.
OLD CoNFEDERATEs SPEAK
Wade Hampton. Generals Gordon
and Wise and Others Rensw Their
Devotion to the Lost Cause.-The
Meeting AdIourns to To-Day.

Richmond. Va. June 3o.-The confsd-
crate reunion opened to-day with
charming weather. An immense thronG
Is present. A General Gordon showed
his face on the rostrum this morning
a mighty confederate yell went up. Be
fore the convention was called to Or
der General Gordon was presented with
a gavel made from o tree from ths
battlefield Of Chicamauga. Rev. J.
William Jones offered prayer to the
memory OF Lee. OF Jackson and Davis.
Governor o'Ferrali was introduced,
who. on behalf OF Virginia, welcomed
the veterans. Governor OFerrall said;
Veterans and comrades. you were en-
listed In these bands who wrote thetP
names in glorys skies and carved them
deep in the temple Of fame. who made
the cause of the South DO impsrishabio
and the renown Of her armies 20 fault
less. Ii was neither conquest nor pow
er for which you fought: It was In de-
tense Of home and country. The rights
for which the founders OF this republic
struck were no more sacred to them
than the rights for which you struck
were dear to you. II you were rebels,
so were the fathers OF constitutional
liberty of l2o years ago. IL you fought
to sever your connections with union
whose bonds were CALLING. 10 did the
men now immortalixed in song and
story. when they snapped the cord Of
British allegiance In l776. II you had
within n spirit that would not submits
10 wrong and dared to assert itself, "
came to you by ancestral inheritanca
or II foreign born you imbibed II from
the air you breathed" He closed with
an eulogy OF Lee and called attention
to the fact that the monument to him
would be erected without governmental
aid.
While Governor O'Fsrrall was speak,
Ing. Wade Hampton came In and was
received with cheers. At tho conolu-l
sion OF the governors address Mayor
Taylor delivered an addrsss Of wel-
come on behalf Of the city.
General Gordon introduced 0snUul
Peyton Wise 10 turn over TO the vetnr-
ans the building In which the osav1qr
ton Is being held. Sevsr11 ttmse dRf.
ing the day there had ben onx1D rW .
| speech from General Hamptou. WhGn
'GencrM Wise took his seax <Ae OIL
were renewed and the South CaroGlnnn
band struck up pixie w01ls ths Whole
audience arose end applanded A w.t.
eran was passed % the frUuk, bsaxing
an old battle nag that had beeo shot
through In many places and w9wsd q
before the vast aAgeuno5aEa.
When Gsneral HaknptoA ~ per-
mStted 10 speak he eaed woFyos o6u10
not express bis gratitude for - 80
honor which had been 6o0s ~ -
had coms % miuSls With - vgesraub
perhaps Tor tho hDt tAcp end 70 Do
honor 10 the memory q that ozVss
man. President DAviA ~ 0sUeral
said no would be stili hghc1kg nov e
the confederate flag wvrV wuwinu.
(Grsat epplause). He bad - aDoioGy
TO make Tor his courUA In c0uc1omD
he said the only epstsph ~ wauked
written on his tombstone wss thAk ~
was a confederate soldier.
General Gordon responded 10 o. -
dress Of welcome ard recelved -
building ON behalf OF the veterans.
General Gordon's speech was In part
an follows: Governor. Mr.. Mayor ana
ladies' and my confederate comrades:
You will not wonder that an literally
overwhelmed by the flood Of emotions
which this scene evokes. As We LOOK
upon the grizzled locks and furfowed
brows OF these stalwarts who. 80 years
ago, were soldiers OF an army which
they immortallsed by their deeds, how
utterly inadequate are words to ex-
press the emotions of our hearts. No
popular assemblies of intelligent and
high spirited citizens in the worlds
posterIty were freer from partisan zeal
or self-scekIng spirit or ignoble 1eal-
ousy or sinister intent. and the muse
/ OF history win yet embalm. In one OF
| her sweetest stories. the unseidsh char
acter and exalted aims OF these confed-
crate gatherings. The pathos Of that re-
cltal will be deepened by its simplicity
and Its beauty. heightened by the les
son which II will teach to. humanity.
That story will record the simple but
sublime truth that these reunions year
after year convey the indisputable
proofs that these broad-minded men
were neither embittered nor disappoint-
ed. nor warped by political passions
nor narrowed by sectional prejudice
nor blinded TO the common Interests OF
the country by selfish aims, but that
made unselnsh by sufterings. broaden
ed and ennobled by sacrifice. refined
and purified in the fres OF afiiction.
/ they embrace as a brother every true
lover OF his country and acknowledge
no superiors In devotion to the COM
mon veal and In nattering support 10
/ the laws and the flag. the honor and
the freedom OF this American republic.
And row by the memory Of that
white-rohed army OF comrades who
have gone before us to the better land.
but whose spirits are with US to-day
and voic'ng the sentiments Of thous-
ands who long to be with US, In their
name and as their representative, hay
a Nirg!nia's feet the sincerest tribute
OF our grateful hearts"
General stephen ID. Lee was intro
duced 10 present the report of the
committee on b story. II was a lengthy
paper and dealt with the whole sub
ject OF histories. The report rsccsn-
b mendcd rhe establishment of a char
of American history In southern col-
/ leges and universities and the more
/ thorough teaching OF history m the
schools. p,lirsc aud rsrivlte. through
/ out the South. The report divides his
tory into three CLASSES. First. those
J written in the North and totally un-
l fair TO the SOUTH second. those writ
ten In the North and which deal fairly
with the South; THIRD. those wrlxten in
the South. The report concluded with
an eloquenr tribute % the contesbeg-4te
Isolthses and the southern women. The
lcomG,end0tlons contained In the re-
port were adopted. After the appotnt-
Rtrpt OF committees the convers<fon ~
prna1 until 10 o'clock bo-mugrun