The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-07-09
THE GREAT REUNION
Many Veterans at tISichmond-Gordon
and Hampton-.-lsouss Raises his
Oncr.

| "hu hanptOn-.-ltOuSS Raises his
Oncr.
me sixth annual convention of the
Confederate veterans met lin Rich
mona tuesday, in the vast and
gaily decorated auditorium erected FOR
the purpose ut the exposition grounds
In this city. lnterminglcd with the
Conlcdcracy colors and battlelugs arc
inc national llags and just above the
presiding Ottlccr's seat are two large
sIar spangled banners. Around the
gallerles are tho coats OF arms of all
the late Confederate generals. Just
above was another tier OF banners on
which are inscribed the names of all
the famous battles Of the war end in.
termlXed with these are large star.
SNAPPED designs bearing the names OF
all the famous Confederate generals.
The auditorium, which can seat over
10000 people, was con- fortably filled
ana presented q handsome appear
ancc when at II o'clock the arrival of
General John Is. Gordon, commander
in-chicf OF tho Confederate Veterans,
played "DiXic." He was thon present
cd with n gavol, which General Gordon
announced was made from Il tree cut on
the battlefield Of Chicamauga. He thcn
opened the convention by introducing
Chaplain j. w. Jones Of the Confedcr,
ate Veterans, who made an eloquent,
impressive and fcrvid prayer which
was followed by tho band playing
Nearer My God to Thee"
On the stand were seated ull tho dig
nlthrics, among them Governor O'Fcr-
rail-, Mrs. General George E. Pickett,
now OF Washington; Mayor Taylor OF
| X S6n1o
eral Stephen ID. Lee, Mrs. General Cor
don and daughter, cxMinister to Spain
j. l.. M. Curry, General Trench and
| numerous others.
At the conclusion OF the prayer Gen
oral Gordon proceeded to Introduce
Governor O'Ferrall, who was on tho
programme to welcome the votorans to
Richmond, but that gentleman had
barely begun to speak when u cheer
broke forth from the far end of tho au.
ditOrium and the venerable form OF
that gallant old soldier, General Wade
Hampton, was seen llmping up towards
the stand. His progress through the
audience was greeted by the widest
cheers and when at last he reached the
st'nd,, General Gordon announced him
us tho "brayc chief OF
tho Confederate cavalry" which called
for another round Of cheers and "rcbc
yclls."
Order being restored, Governor
lOFerrall was rc-introduced and vel
coined the veterans to Virginia in an
appropriate and eloquent address.
AS soon as the applause on the con
cluslon OF Governor O'terrall's address
had subsidized today, General Gordon in
troduccd General Simon Bolivar Buck.
ncr OF kentucky. VINO was warmly
greeted by the veterans. GCnCral Cor.
don styled him the "Eaglc OF the Blue
Grass State" and General Buckncr
made Il thrilling Southern speech which
carried tho convention by storm
When he had taken his scat and the
cheering of the Kentucky statesman
had ceased, Mayor Taylor Of Richmond
was presented to the assembled vctc-
rams by the chairman. His honor, who
has n commanding presence and excel
lent lung power, welcomed the veto
rams to the hearts and homes Of the
people OF Richmond. We meet again.
nc said, on historic ground. Even since
lichmOnd had been chosen rs the place
| lOr the meeting OF this convention. il
has been our earnest wish to give YOU
Il greeting that would show our aiIcc-
Tomato regard for such worthy and dis
tlnSuiShcd guests. oar houses arc Opcn
to you and we will meet you on tho
threshold with the clasp Of a brothers
| hand. at this time, he continued. YOUR
presence here is especially grateful as
you come for the purpose of laying the
corner stone OF grand monument to
the llldstrious president OF the South
crn Conlcdcracy. We are deeply
| thankful for this service and especially
| is our city is to be honOrcd by this me-
| mortal OF virtue, bravery and undyinr
constancy. We rejoice to see you here.
where Jefferson Davis lived and wh9,fc
his ashes rest AYain .wGtl5ut Gtl.5ut6mo YOU
to Richnyr1tU;ffiiut1.' -
At this juhcture there were loud calls
| for "Gordon,' and after while the
chairman had to respond. He said in
part:
"Govcrnor, Mr.. Mayor, General Wise,
Ladies' and My Confederate Com
! rai"S:
| ~ o. - '."' w"Hlcr that am lit
ora - g. ',tl. q by the Hood Of emo
tlOns " nlCil li..a :crNC cVOkeS. As we
look upon the griZ2icd locks and fur
rowed brows Of these stalwart men, who
thirty years ago were soldiers of an
army which they immortuliHcd by their
deeds: when their presence in Rich
mond SO vividly recalls that heroic era
In which they were the heroic actors:
when We remember the position Of
lilchmOnd, OF Virginia., throughout
whose borders and over whose homes
the tides OF war swept from first to last
with thoir widest and most destructive
Hoods: when we rccur to tho dauntless
prowcss of her sons, and to the forti-
tudc, and almost martydom. Of her glo-
riOus women, who for our sukcs stripped
their homes Of the simplest comforts
when say all these dcathlcss memo
rcs thrill us afresh when We gather in
this long bclcaguercd and ever be loved
city, how utterly inadequate are tho
words Of our lips to express the ono
tion Of our hearts" (Applausc). He
paid most eloquent and touching trib
ute to Virginia as tho fostor- mother OF
American freedom, whose alarm bell
gave the signal that aroused tho colo
MES whose sons gave us the bill of
rights and the Constitution, and who
gave the revolution and the COnfodcr-
acy their illustrious commandcr-n-
chiefs.
General Gordon introduced the Hon.
j. Taylor Ellys0n, chairmah Of tho
Davis Monument Association. who an
nounccd that all who wore tho gray