The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-23
OLD SOLDIERS MEET
Annual Reunion of Confederate Veterans
at the Nashville Exposition.
GREAT SPEECH BY JUDGE REAGAN
why tho Houfh Fought = difference
with the Norih Gonla Not Bc Sct
tteh or "n'iscd-G0rtion vEfIl
be Reelected dConnnmdcr.tl.Giic CT
ana Will Serve.
Nashville, Tenn, June 90. 1897.

Nashville, Tenn, June 90. 1897.
Many special trains arrived to-dov
with eN-Confederate soldiers and friends
Muo came FOR the purpose or attend
iis Sne annual reunion OF the Conrcdc-
rate veterans. The regular trains were
run III sections, In order TO accommodate
ne ne very heaVy demand FOR transporla-
Ion. Rain fell during the morning. but
Inc weather cleared somewhat toward
noon. The cX-Confcderatc soldiers snent
Inc morning in attending the reunion y {
the tabernacle and meeting old COM
rades.
Prominent among those on the plat
form were Gen. Stephen =. Lee, OF Mis-
ssiissippi; Judge j. II. Reagan, or Texas,
the only surviving member Of Iefrer-
son Davis Cabinet: Col. a. S. Colyar
and Or. Thomas Menees. OF Nashville.
and Hon. j. d. G. Atkins, SURVIVING.
members OF the Confederate Congress;
Zion. Marcus j. Wright, Of WASHINGTON
Gen. Simon B. Buckner. OF kentucky,
Col. henry G. Myers. Colonel Lake, Colo
ne! Helm. OF Memphis: Gen. L. Z. Skies.
OIL Mlssissippi; M Colonel Howard, Of Gcor-
gia; General Moorman, OF New Orleans;
Col. Braxter Smith. OF Nashville; Gen.
tennessee; DR. William Jones' chaplain
OF me United Confederate Veterans;
Gen. Clement Evans. Of Georgia, and
Gen; Joseph Wheeler. OF Alabama. Rob
err -: Lee, Jr., grandson OF Gen. Rob
eIt -. Lee, also occupied q prominent
pace on the platform, and son of
General Hood was present Both of
tnese young men were shown marked
attention by the veterans Cen John 3.
1ordon arrived during the morning and
was given an enthusiastic reception.
me assemblage was called TO order
oy General Gordon. and prayer was Of
fered by DR.. Jones. the chaplain. Gov
ernor Taylor delivered an address OF
welcome In behalf Of the State; Judge
Eerrls spoke for the county, and Bishor
rltzgerald. who represented Mayor Nc.
Carthy, spoke for the city
Captain j. b. O'Brien, chairman of the
Executive Committee, made some an
nouncements and In behalf Of the com
mittee welcomed the visitors. General
Gordon spoke briefly.
Judge Reagan then delivered the fol-
lowing address:
JUDGE REAG,AN'S SPEECH.
Compatriots, Ladies' and Gentlemcn:-
i'hls great assemblnge and this interest
ing occasion calls UP many memories OF
great events. It brings into review the
able and earnest discussions which pre-
ceded the year 1861, on the great ques-
tons which led up to the war between
the states: the separation of the mem
bers Of the Thlrty-sixth Congress; the
action Of the Southern States in passing
~A'S " o'ihlSS3 VI ocCSSSlOUt the OTR1nl-
zatlon or the government Of the Confed-
crate States OF America; the commence
ment Of hostilities at Charleston harbor:
the call for volunteers by President Lin
coin: the enthusiasm with which men on
both sides volunteered to enter the great
struggle; the separation Of husbands anC
Iather5 from wives and mothers OF
brothers from sisters, and or lovers from
their SWeetheartS. with eyes bedeWe(
with tears and hearts throbbing with
patriotism, to enter the camps Of In.
struction, make the long marches and
engage IN the fierce conflicts OF battle
1t brings into review the assembling o1
mighty armies. their toiIsome marches
the sickness and suffering in camps, the
thousands OF Sklrmishes and battles
participated in by hundreds of thous.
ands Of brave MEN. the sufferings OF the
wounded. and the great number who fel
on each side as martyrs to their patriotic
devotion to the causes they believed &c
be right and just. In the greatest wal
or modern timeS-a war in which hun
dreds Of thousands of brave men los,
their lives. and which left to the future
vast army Of mourning widows and
children and sorrowinS relatives and
friends, and which caused the sacrifice
OF billions Of dollars worth Of property.
And 1t calls up our remembrance OF the
great labor and sacrifices Of our noble
women in caring for the children and
aged at nome, and in preparing and
sending to the armies clothes and food
for their loved ones, and in ministering
to the sick and wounded In the hospitals.
Upon the foregoing facts the inquiry
arises: Why all this strife and suffering
and death between people OF the same
country, the same race and In a general
way OF the same political and religious
opinions?
My answer is that It was an inherit
ance from the governments OF Europe
and from our ancestors, which raised p
question involving too much of the social
and Industrial structure OF society, and
too much Of property values, to admit
Of adjustment in the ordinary methods
Of negotiation and compromise. And its
decision was therefore submitted to the
arbitramcnt OF war.
I say 1t was an inheritance because
The authorities, including the crowned
heads Of Great Britain, France and
Spain, and the Dutch merchants, plant
ed African slavery in al! the American
colonies. And in their times they and
the priesthood justified this on the
ground that It was a transfer OF the
African from q condition Of barbarism
and cannibalsm to a country where they
would be Instructed In the arts Of civ
ilized life, and in the knowledge Of the
Christian religion. The institution OF
African slavery thus found its way into
all OF the thirteen American colonies,
OF the Declare ton Of American Indepen-
dence in 1776. And African slavery ex-
lsted In all but "ono Of these colonies at