The Indianapolis journal., 1896-07-03
GRAFTON BY GEN. S. D. LEE
TRIBUTE TO THE MEN HISTORY
HAS DECLARED TRAITORS.
Many War Veterans I'm the Procession
furfed and Greeted with Cheers.

| the unVeillng or the Lee monument In 1871,
has Richmond seen such a crowd within
her limits as that which assembled here
to-day. beneath perfect sky. to witness
the laying Of the cornerstone of the monu-
ment to the memory of Jefferson Davis. 1t
| was the last and greatest day of the sixth
annual reunion of the United Confederate
| Veterans Association, which has brought
TO Richmond altogether about twelve thou
| sand veterans besides thousands of other
visitors. To-day's exercises added thirty
thousand visitors and young soldiers to
| the throng of visitors.
| Last night history repeated itself in the
scene which Capitol hill presented. A
| small army of grzzled men, in Jackets of
gray. slept upon the greensward around
the old Statehouse, with coats for pillows
and the grassy lawn for their beds. A
| full thousand spent the night the Cap
| itol grounds. The city is very gaily deco
rated. Here and there the streets faded
| and tattered battlefiags, relics of the lost
cause. float like gaunt skeletons in the air,
attracting constantly a surging crowd of
men in gray around them.
The Rouss Memorial Hall Association
met this morning and a committee was
| appointed to obtain a charter for organiza-
tion. General Johnson, of Alabama; Gen.
Briggs, of Kentucky; DR.. league, of South
| Carolina, and General Jackson, of Ten
nessee, were appointed q committee TO visit
| New York and confer with Mr.. Rouss and
show him the great opposition in the South
| to locating the proposed Battle Abbey in
| Washington. InN an interview Mrs. Davis
| expressed decided opposition TO locating
! the proposed Battle Abbey in Washington,
and said it would be just as appropriate
| to erect the monument TO Davis in Boston.
| The veteran cavalry held n meeting this
| morning to take steps toward erecting
monument TO General j. p. b. Stuart. Col.
1 William Hempstreet, of Brooklyn, made
| speech, IN which he spoke kindly of the
| treatment he had received by veterans and
| American flag But. he added, he was dis
| appointed TO find so few flags of the Union
used by civilians in decorating their houses.
! Lieutenant George p Hall replied 70 Col.
| Hempstreet by saying the Southern people
| do not wear their patriotism on their coats
but in their hearts; that the South was
| true as any section to the Union and If
| the President should call for troops to OPP
| pose foreign foe the South would be the
| first section to respond.
| CLOSE OF THE CONVENTION
The convention was opened at 10 O'Clock
| with prayer by the Rev. DR.. ]. p. Smith,
of Stonewall Jackson's staff. The session
was very short. General Gordon made a
| brief address, praising Richmonds hospi-
| tality memorial was submitted asking
| that the name OF the United Confederate
| Veterans be changed to Confederate Sur
| vivors' Association. A request that the
memorial be sent TO all camps .in the as
sociation adopted. An invitation was
extended from the Philadelphia brigade to
attend the reunion of the blue and gray
at Washington Sept. 16. when monument
| TO the brigade will be unveiled at Antie-
| tam. General Gordon said the invitation
would be sent to the various camps for
| tion. The Rev. j. William. Jones op-
! posed TO this on the ground that this was
| aa brio do hnf nEa6 tha. i'm
Richmond about marching behind the Con-
| federate flag.
| General Gordon replied: "Dr. Jones be-
longs TO a church that believes in conver-
sion. Our friends have long since repented
| their action
Yes, but they should bring forth fruits
| meet for repentance" responded Mr..
! Jones.
A paper from Louisiana in reference to
/ the monument to Southern women
fferred TO the monument committee and
| General Gordon said ii would sleep there.
petition from Fredericksburg in refer
ence to a national park at Battlefield. near
| that place. was approved. After resolu-
tions of thanks to Richmond and General
| Gordon the convention adjourned.
The cornerstone OF the monument TO be
| erected In Monroe Park to the memory of
jefferson Davis was laid this afternoon
pathetic. Under bright sun and sky.
| through densely. packed streets and with
cheer them on, the followers of the lost
! cause marched through the city which is
dearer TO the old Confederates than any
| other in the land 1T was sight to stir
! the enthusiasm of the most sluggish ma
| ture with bands playing. companies
moving and colors flying the parade passed
| In review. Two hundred children. boys
| and girls. wearing white and red sashes.
| followed the police. who cleared the way,
and led the procession. The chief marshal,
General Gordon. in civilian dress. looked
| royal commander. as did Governor OFer-.
rail-. who rode with barred head Mrs.
| Jefferson Davis was I'm an open carriage
1 bowed smiled cheers greeted
| her on every side. The sponsors and maids
| of honor. chosen for their beauty from all
lowing that of Mrs. Davis. The military.
under command of Brigadier General Phil
saders Ps Norh caropa nek was tHe rst
| State to exhibit tattered battle flag and
| as it f1uttered in the breeze 1t was greeted
with great cheers.
THE VETERANS.
| The veterans made the pathetic picture of
| the parade. Nearly all old. and for the
most part weak and feeble. but summon
| ing their remaining strength. they marched
| with pride and pleasure. A large number
| of them carried sticks for support and
many were compelled to use umbrellas in
| order to withstand the rays of the sun.
| On the backs of the marchers were many
| bullet-torn Confederate coats. old canteens
| and knapsacks. Several 'darkies. true to
| their old masters. marched with them in
| the parade while two old Confederates,
| who probably had relieved the monotony
| of camp life with music in war times car
| rfed their fiddles and bows.
| 1t was n grand parade, and a great spec
| tacle one not likely TO be seen again. From
| I:t5 10 8: 40 o'clock veterans. sons of vet
| Grams and military passed the City Hail.
| The column moved very slowly, owing TO
| the age and disabilities of many of the
members. From the military down TO the
dozen negro cooks. who brought up the
| rear the parade was an imposing and in
spring spectacle. lit was estimated that
| * OaO men and children started in the pa
| rade but large number were affected by
| the heat and withdrew before they had
marched many blocks.
| When the procession reached the park
| the military formed complete square
| around the grounds. preventing any but
| those in the parade from entering the in
| closure. The Grand Lodge of Masons.
| corted by the knight Templars, marched
| to the park. where the cornerstone was
| laid with Masonic ceremonies Prayer
| offered by Rev. Dr. George III. Ray. At the
| close of the Masonic exercises the Howitz-
| e-s out the Lee monument grounds fired
! a salute OF thirteen guns Hon. j. Taylor
Ellyson president of the Monument Asso-
| ciafion. came forward and called on Bishop
| Johnson c. Cranberry TO offer prayer.
| GENERAL LEES ADDRESS.
| General Stephen d. Lee was introduced
as the orator OF the occasion and made an
address In which he spoke In part as fol-
| lows
=