Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-12-16

tule Course a Brilliant Success
The Patriotic Speech Ere
quently and Literally Applaudec
Largest Paid Audience Earl
ham Has Ever SEN.
The mere announcement of the com
/ ing of General John b. Gordon, thai
distinguishes and brave outhern sol
/ der and statesman, TO Richmond
meant treat to all that would be able
| to hear him lecture. And In 40 sense
were the expectations OF the large and
cultared audience that greeted him
last evening at Earlham disappointed.
General Gordon was introduced
shortly after by Senator Shiveley IN
few appropriate remarks, and held
the undivided attention of his audi
ence for nearly two hours, bling fire.
quentiy interrupted by liberal APP
plause for his patriotic hits.
The lecturer IS at present the only
surviving officer of his rank of the
confederate army, and is the chief Of
fieer of the Association of Confederate
Veterans, an organisation to them
what our Grand Army of the Republic
is TO us. He was born In Georgia IN
1882, and in 1861 entered the confed-
crate army as captain, and rapidly
rose to the command of one wing of
General Lees army, General Long
street. commanding the other.
After the war he took a
prominent place among the progress
sive men of the south aud was three
times elected United States Senator
and twice governor Of his state.
Gen. Gordon wears on his face an
ugly scar made by Union minnie-ball,
one of his eight wounds, all badges OF
his heroism.
AS for his lecture, a mere synopsis
can but betray the trend of the lecture.
To fully appreciate 1t would require
even more than q careful reading of
the manuscript. 1t would need his
distinguished soldierly bearing, his
sympathetic, full-rounded voice, and
his matchless personality.
While he was slightly handicapped
by an injury to one arm which required
it to be carried in a sling, his ges-
lures were graceful and strong. He
stated at the outset that 1t wss not his
purpose to describe battles or isolated
events, but TO tell of the makeup and
character, not of the Confederate and
Union, for they had ceased to exist,
but Of the American soldier" all
are brothers and our common heroes.
Dewey's grand victory and the thirty
five years of peace had eliminated all
sectional being.
While the speaker necessarily spoke
often of his own command. the deeds
were always those of his men and his
personal modesty and elimination of
self was in marked contrast to his
glowing flights of oratory in praise of
his brother officers of both the south
and the north-Lse, Grant, LonRstreet,
Sherman, Sronewall Jacksoa-his
ideal-or Sheridan.
But his true eloquence was displayed
in his praise to the devotion and I'M
swerving loyalty of the noble women
of either side who gave up wealth and
even comforts for their cause; who
gave up brothers, sweethearts, fathers
and sons unselfshly and unflinchingly.
While in his own inlmitable way he
gave a few 'roasts" on the tattling
girl and the traditional tear of women
to mice and other insects" it was
but to show the true grandeur of her
bravery.
The American flag-will those who
heard this address soon forget the de-
votion unto death of the soldier to this
symbol of libertyf Will they ever
doubt their own duty to it, or that the
southern soldiers are now ready to live
and die for itf
At the close General Gordon as COM
mander-in-chief of the confederate
veterans, asked that while he might
cherish the memories of that lost cause
he still be not doubted as to his loyal
ty.
In closing he paid glorious tribute
to Grant, plain unaffected modest and
heroic General Grant. And fully de-
scribed that unsurpassed scene during
the surrender of Lees army and the
courteous action of privates on either
side. The close of his speech marked
an outburst of prolonged applause and
the old soldiers present pressed for
ward to press the hand of their once
enemy, now friend.
Fur rugs and baby robes at Nolte &
kemper's.