New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-20
VETERANS or THE GRAY DINE.
GATHERING OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SOL.
DIERs AND THEIR GUESTS.
MARION J. vERDERYs RESPONSE TO THE TOAST
THE tx CONFEDERATE DIR GREER. J. b.


WILKINSON AND OTHERS ALSO SPEAK.
The seventh annual banquet OF the Confederate
Veteran Camp OF Ncw-York was held last hs"t II.
the st. Denis Hotel There were over TWO huhoreo
and nfty veterans and guests present. ana the
large hall was decorated with flags and banners
bearing the coats-of-arms OF the Southern States
and w-YOrk. Colonel a. q. Dickinson co"-
mander OF the camp. presided. Among those P'en-
ent were Controller Ashbel =. Fitch, ex-GoVerhor
Hugh s. Thompson. General Howard 'a'lo''
Major J. NJ Edwards, Judge Van IIoescn. ex-Sur-
rogate Ransom, Marion q. Verdery, hugh H. 'oe'
John Ingram Recorder Goff, Colonel A. IL.
Chisoim, Professor Thomas II. Price Chief OF
Police Conlin J. G. Latham. General Arson u
McCook Richard Henry Savage, DR.. D. ~. Parker
c. c. Baldwin Judge Martin I. mcmahon zen
eral c. II. r. Coils. Rodney >. Dennis Z. u WIZ
son. Hugh X. Garden, Major T. T.. sloane Ao'"-
tant Robert p Lyon. Captain George IL. wyatt
NJ the Old Guard: Charles Broadway Rouss Ed
ward Owen Major II. &. Cushing George -
cIausen Howard Saunders. W. j. Mckeivey' co"-
mander of L. s. Grant Post. and W. T. fedoy'
commander Of Alexander Hamilton Post.
In accordance with custom, the n'S' .es''",
toast Of the evening was General Robert r. Lee,
IT., ,amorv ,s always specially honored at this
dinner 1t was responded to by Comraoe o.
Wilkinson who briefly but gracefully dweit upo"
tho abiding love that every Confeoera'e 'e''"
felt for the departed commander ""o'e ~'
they had gathered TO honor
In a speech full of eloquence and charm OF ian.
guage Marion j. Verdery respondeu u '"' ''"'
of .'The Eek Confederate" He said:
ri were called upon to eptomize my tribute ~
the ex-Confederate soldier, | would poriowI Sav
sentence from my friena renenly on the subject
.;The ex-Confederate soldier faithiui 70 Hearty
ye1 Lacking years deprive OF the priv
@ speaking to the toast 9u as OF not BORN earlier
than was is not my fault. but my tate ;oaar am
not Confederate veteran b1t oh, Sn'y but the
survival OF him who fit not. n.aushtsr2 P bIood
to speak to the aHai heart is in the sub
jec count myself happy pay tribute nSry c go
dbandsd legion of honer saxe whose
tory was the triumph OF an none s anS forti-
whose final defsa, dev1on pea ssey Of
peoples. Great appiause) ..,.
The ex-Confederate soldier should be PROUD o. ms
past satisfied with his present ana hopeiu' u ma
future He has proven himseh d ".'o ~ y. ~
nobeman in peace and an honor at all times u '"e
land NJ his birth His record during the war was
that OF supreme courage and his record since 'ie'
has been that of heroic patience LAYING ,tonsd his
shield and buckler at next to his heart
and returned home begin life anew me Il, %,oodv
he had fought 6arns s ba TIr as the which
confronted him. and how he has fougns oSd, ,s nd
and the reesta biishment OF his people He turned
his face homeward after the surrendiets N,,ed tho
brave spirit ana mant member Of Georgia
regiment who said to comrades when he go' ms
eharcn plough up my ground field and make
a crop and If the Yankees bother me any more
will whip 'em again" daughter and applause,
The " eS-Confederate standing to-day In unim-
peachable loyalty to our ndissouble mon anu ,be
strength and glory of Republic Is also the nero
Of past for which he has neither shame nor regr MORE
hut which he holds as a haowed memory Hivte
precious than his brthrght and as sacred as Ias
honor That recalls to him mighty and n
tense that his whole land seemed then one vast
altar on which ~ the fer he faith that was
in them AS a soldier the ex-Confederate needs no
the War Itself and his behavior in battle gave him
the glory of renown ana an indSpu'a''e '''e u
Since the war he has acquitted himself as c ,,l:
with all the credit which MS credit as soa e,
has made the devastation Of his native aln give
place newborn hrf and r5 Se H %d a fed.
that drank the blood OF her sons Tch again WIN ine
beauty o. rqf s a way the to the front in every
professional calling In short he II touay l1rs ,n
well afford TO muster in dress parade before all the
world and count on unstnted praise az" ~ In
his place in American history. He has iilumned It's
pages and enriched Is theme 90 IMPRESS himself
upon material and nteect9a " tS ol
the day as to be ord d.d ss eno S
win be forever safe in the keeping OF all VINO honor
ne'er be forgot. until the splendid shafts which TO-.
Iav rise Heavenword in his honor crumble to dust;
AZ Arlington on that memorable Decoration Day.
when the countless graves or the boys wno "oe .ne
wbs the graves of the unknown Confederate dead
down behind the hin were Forgotten th wS Sea the
world was asleep great storm came our OF ,ne
and the wna aesS Of o" o
graves. bore them away to the graves OF the uii-
A No Sonfedcrate soldier Is buried out Of mind. for
even those who sleep in the OF tennessee
or in the s wpq arsy Fssh 50 swesy said
Though 10 shaft OF rslid marble rears Its white ana
Telling the valley Of the virtues OF the dead
Yet lily is their tombstone and dewdr0p' pure ana
Is he epi;aph arge writes in the stiffness OF the
The ex-Confederate soldier is the exponent OF that
short-llved government OF which great-near'ed
Engllshman said:
No nation rose white and fair
None fell so pure OF crime
When I study the heavens by night and contem..
plate the brilliancy OF Jupiter; Mars saturn ana
the a' matchess record OF peerless Lee. our In
trepid Johnston our redoubtab'e Forrest: ana our
Gallant Longsireet: and when the bright nasning
meteors blaze their tracks OF burning beauty across
the rmamen se1 at tksn and Sbert syaney
Johnston. But all these do not complete the glory
the might bur has IT'S sy rn IN 1ne o%ard hs
Milky Way, and in them see the cohorts OF Confed-
soldiers whose deeds Of daring gave new istre
made impershable impress on the heart and mind
OF the world. (Much cheering)
Then iii your glasses. III! them up TO the brim.
Well drink a deep bumper In honor OF him.
or dear Johnny Reb, In his jacket OF gray,
Standing guard DER thoughts OF a bygone day.
o. River OF Years thou hast drowned that day.
They deep -fowing current has borne II away;
Rnt thy banks still bloom with memories bright,
And our toast Is to them and TO Johnny tonight
lang continued applause and cheers.)
Captain William Henry White. Joseph Howard
,r and the Rev. DR.. David II. Greer also spoke.
EY-PRESTDENT HARRISON IN WASHINGTON
TO ARGUE A CASE BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT
HE DECLINES TO DISCUSS CURRENT TOPICS.
Washington Jan. 19-Ex-President Benjamin
Harrison. accompanied by ex-Attorney-General
Miller arrived here at O'clock this evening. They