The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-06-28
GORDON IS STILL COMMANDER
he Was Unanimously Reelected by
the Veterans.

Nashville. June 23.-The morning trains
today brought several thousand people 70
the city TO attend the annual reunion of
the United Confederate Veterans. The
weather is very pleasant and the visitors
are being handsomely entertained.
\ business meeting was held at the taber-
nacio in the morning. at which reports
were presented and General john y. Cor
don delivered an address reviewing his al
ministratlOn.
Wher. the business meeting in the taber~
nacie today was called to order by General
John b. Gordon prayer was offered by
Rev. D. G. Kelly, OF Columbia, Tenn.
General Gordon then delivered mis- adj
dress, prefaSins it with an announcement
of his intention TO resign as general COM
mandns.
mt. president and Comrades: Permit me
with lew words To return the commission
with which You have hunored me Tor eight
years, and by unanimous vote. ~ TN IN the
next Few hours you Will elect my successor.
W hen TINS duty is performed 10y you
shall gladly take my place 10y those I'M
titled heroes vino 80 grandiy bore the bat
ties brunt IN the stern Work OF war. such
step voluntarily taken ought not to be
considered a strange condcscehsion bN
amy man 10 me IL IS a privilege" IL was
as Il private that ! enlisted as soldier ON
the first indication of approaching war. IL
is true that the Partially OF my comrades,
which has followed me nom thaS hour 10
this. sild not permit me to serve IN that
honorable and Sslf-Sacriiiting position.
But. Mr. President. through all the Nicis-
STUDIES of war. amidst its lights and us
shadows, its gi0rits and its gloom, l never
1851 sisht OF LOT one noGr OF my OollSd-
uohS 10 the private soldiers. FROM hrSt 70
last. in all those years of alternate vic
tory ami defeat, OF nope ana despair, my
heart was ever paying its spontaneous
tributes 20 the matchlcss fOrtitude OF that
intrepid band. who. shoeloSs, half clad ana
hungry marched on foot suffered on
picket AMI hrayely dctod the battles car
mage from the beginning 30 the end Of
that struggle without one murmur of dis
content. Sir. if ] had the power | would
erect TO the privata soldier The most
splendid memorial that gratitude could
suggest genius could plan or money build
but am too poor for that;
gift OF speech would leave upon
record a tribute worthy of them, and such
as my own convictions ana emotions
prompt; but my words are TOO feeble for
tha:. There is one thing. however, which
l can do. ! can lay at their feet the COM
missions which they won for me in war
and the houors with which they have
crowned my life in peace. / can promptly
as ] shah proudly. take my place in their
now thlnntd ana rapidly dlsSOlVing ranks
I'm conclusion, my comrades, let me hope
that the wise conservatism, the spirit Of
macu1uiu.ity whic't is always the bright
cst g"m ia the crown of courage. VIII mark
your career in the future as they have in
the past ON another memorable occasion
when speaking as southern representative,
] said. in substance. lct us all hope that
the day is not distant when every section
win recognize the monumental truth that
tious guaranteeing the same monuments
Of liberty; that every drop Of blood shed
was the price freely paid by the soldier for
his inherited beliefs and cherished con-
vtctiols: that every uniform worn by the
brave-whcther its color was blue or CLAY
every sheet of flame from the ranks and
rifles Of both; every cannon shot that shook
ChicFamauSa' hills and Numbered
around the heights Of Gettysburg: every
patriotic prayer or sigh waited heaveuwarsl
from the north or south: every thrOb of
f1h in II IN X N-f4TN
burning tear on WOman's cheek; every ten
der ministration 10y her loving hands AT
the dying soldiers side-all. all We're con-
tributions for the up-building of American
manhood. for the future defense of Amer
lean freedom.
When General Gordon had concluded his
address a motion that General Joseph
wheeler be requested to nominate General
Gordon for reelection was made and car
ricd. General stephen -. Lee. who had
been called To the chair. declared the nomi-
nations closed and General Gordon was
unanimously reelected.
At the business meeting this afternoon
If was voted 10 meet in Atlanta next year
The afternoon session was hell for the
purpose of winding up the business mat
tors before the association. The unani-
NOUS refusal of the as ISOLATION to allow
General J. y. Gordon to retire rs com
nander-fn-chief had put an end to posi-
bic difficulties and acknowledgements and paved
the way for a speedy disposition of the
remaining business.
The Veterans Reject Victoria.
A resolution commendatorv of the reign
of Queen Victoria was voted down, and
the resolution of praise for the queens
Jubilee was defeated.
The principal reports were by the commit
tee on history and the memorial associa-
ton. The history committee. in substance,
rt ported in favor of the plan now pursued
In inviting many writer's into the field of