The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1896-04-30
MEMORIAL DAY
Was a Grand Success Last
Saturday.
COL. j, ", ROBERTSON'S ADDRESS
Was an Eloquent and Magnificent Pro.
ductiOn. A Large Crowd
was Present.

The Confederate memorial exercises last
Saturday in Marietta was success in
every particular. The day was bright and
beautiful, and the people from town and
country turned out and honored the mem.
ory of the sleeping heroes In the city OF
the dead.
The procession formed at the court
house and marched out Atlanta street to
the Confederate cemetery. Col. w. r.
Power, CT the Governors staff, acted as
Marshal OF the Day. The colored Brass
Band of Marietta discoursed music. The
old Confederate veterans headed the pro>
cession, followed by the Marietta Rifles,
citizens, and carriages Several hundred
school children had already arrived at the
cemetery as we'll as vast crowd of citizens.
A special train from Atlanta brought O
large number also.
The exercises were opened by the school
children singing "Bouuie Blue Flag" or.
gan accompaniment by Mrs. C. P. Steph-
ems and eornet by Mr.. George ManDing,
led by Prof. j. M. York.
Prayer was offered by Rev. S. R. C.
Adams. followed by song, "Tenting to.
night on the old camp ground."
A beautiful address was charmingly de.
livered by Houston Mcintosh, a young
man Of fine oratorical gifts.
Capt. W. J. Hudson introduced the ora
tor OF the day. as follows:
Fellow.C;tizens and Comrades-The
wheels of time have made another revolu-
ton. We have passed another mile stone
on the path of lie, another epoch In the
history of our country is marked. Again
we have assembled on this sacred hill to
pay tribute to the memory OF our beloved
comrades, who gave their lives to the cause
ior.which We labored and loved.
Thirty>one years have come and gone
since kind Providence smiled upon this
beloved Southland when the herald OF
peace was proclaimed, the rivers OF blood
that had deluged our hills and valleys
ceased to flow, the wounds that had been
inflicted upon our once glorious common>
wealth were placed under the protection OF
the Great Physician to be healed. We
have passed through the era of recon.
struction-I need not dwell upon its hor>
rors-sufice it to say that the hands that
first unfurled the Southern banner and
carried it aloft to so many glorious victo-
rios. were the same hands to lift it out of
almost apparent gulf:of despair, and place
on record the patent fact that though our
cause was lost, history day by day vin6i-
Gates our fealty to truth. placing us in the
proud position to claiming before all ma
lions that We gained victory even though
it had to be rescued from defeat
My dear old comrades, although the
hand OF time has left IFS imprint on our
faces and the frosts OF age encircles our
brows, we have the proud consolation of
being the most honored and unique relicts
of the great struggle that bathed our land
IN blood, to which we can refer with a
calm and blissful pride that it was our lot
10 have lived and coltended for the glori>
GUS crown of Southern manhood and
Southern chivalry, was only able to place
upon Our patriotic efforts in behalf of our
country's cause. greet you today, com>
rades as the golden links that bind the
old South to the new. aud pray that our
assurance of blest Immortality.
| will not address myself to tie young
who are present on this occasion, but would
gently whisper in your ears that there is
feast to be presented to you to-day by
one who is capable of unfolding to view
the hopes and beauties OF the present and
all the bright promises of the future.
will introduce man whose fame is known
ha kNIA ~
where knowledge is cleaned from the
mighty printing press man whom to
know is to learn more of the great pro.
gress OF this age man whoae presence is
a benedictiou to the old and the young,
and the longer we may know him and
hear him; the greater will be our love and
admiration OF the man, one of Gods no>
blemen, 1t is now my pleasure and privi>
lege, greatly enjoyed, TO present Hon. Jas.
W. Robertson, who will address you.
ADDRESS OF COL J. W. ROBERTSON.
Ladies of the Memorial Association
and Fellow Citizens Before entering
upon the discharge of the duty to which
I have been assigned on this occasion,
permit me to return, in this public man
ner, my thanks to the members of the
mdIieLta MciHOIldi hbSOCAAsOH lot knc
honor conferred by their invitation to
take part in the exercises of this day,
and to assure them it is highly appre-
ciated.
Ny friends, as . Georgian 1 am proud
in being able to say that to Mrs. Mary A.
williams, the widow Of Colonel Charles
Williams, the Colonel of the LIST Georgia
Regulars daughter of Georgia-be.
longs the honor of first suggesting that a
certain day be set apart each year as Me-
mortal Day, on which the people of the
South, by public exercises, should do
honor to the memories of those of their
kinsmen and comrades who died in ODE
dience to the call of patriotic duty. 1t
is also matter of pride that to Georgia s
women belongs the credit of first acting
ON tho r,,nnoct;nn nnd inannnratinn q