The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-04
WILL NOT EFFECT WHITES
AND WILL BE HELD CONSTITU
TIoNAL BY THE COURTS.
ED. W. POD TO The OLD VETERANS
The Contrast of Manassas and Manila. i,50U
People AssambI. at Selma to Do
Honor 10 Those Who Wor.
the Gray.


Selma, y. c., August 3.-(Staf Core
spondence THE old veterans of John
ston county, drawer men than whom
never faced cannon, had a glorious time
OF it at the reunion here today. Fifteen
hundred people were present to do honor
to the gray and it was a joyous occasion,
with only the sadness that came of mem
cries of those others who Wore the OLD
uniform, but have since answered the
soldiers last reveille. There is in all
the world no grasp of the hand like the
grasp of the old Confederate veteran,
and it came to me today as / watched
comrade greet comrade.
Col. T. NJ. Argo, of Raleigh, Gen.
Julian S. Carr, of Durham, and Mr.. Ed.
w. Pou, of Snithfeld, were the orators
selected for the occasion. Gen. Cara
was kept away by business. but Col.
Argo and Mr.. Pou We're present. At
11:30 Mr. j. Ill. Parker, mayor of Selma,
and one of the brayest of the brave.
sounded his bugle as in the days of old,
and the crowd assembled, the old sol
diers falling in in front of Capt. Mobiles
TeSlUeHtes anu luCHCC ~ tit
grounds where the stand was erected.
In a brief and touching speech, Mayor
Parker welcomed the old veterans to
Selma, and gave them the keys OF the
town." The exercises were then opened
with prayer by Chaplain Bradley. Col.
e. J. Holt. of Smithfeld, reviewed the
progress of the association since it was
organized four years ago, and told of
Nm. W N nf nuas hnf 1xraS
preparing a record of the company and
regiment, giving its complete history. A
collection was taken, and a good sum
realized to defray the expenses of the
work Col. Holt then introduced ED
Pou. as his home folks call him. Mr..
Pou's speech was in every way worthy
of the occasion, and of tins eloquent son
8 of Johnston county. Mr.. Pou said in
part:
SPEECH OF MIR. POU.
s9The annual reunion of the Confeder-
ate Veterans is always an interesting oc
casicn. The memories of the past come
rushing down upon us like mighty tor
rent. Millions of men in deadly conflict
thousands going down in honor to the
grave; dozen battles greater than Aus
terItz or Marengo who can grapple
with such a subject?
Recent events have served to quicken
these memories This very day our ma
ton is involved in war. Behold the re-
turn of the conquering hero, FLYING ban
ners and Ginning bells ard booming can
non greet him while thousands vie to do
him honor. 1t is all conquest and glory
and the intoxication of martial display.
The one lis war of conquest; the
other was Il war in the defence of home
The hero of today is fighting TO conquer
a weak and defenceless people who for
/ years have been struggling and dying
just as the patriots of &c struggled and
died to secure for you and for me the
blessings of local selegovernment.
Eighteen months ago you We're de-
nouncing Spain for making war upon
these very people. Did you then believe
that today our soldiers would be shoot
ing them down? Why do we make war
upon them? What wrong have they done
us? Is it crime to long for freedomi
Are human beings, children of the God
we worship, to be shot down because
they do not desire to become subjects of
our Government? What evidence have
we ever had that these people are will
ing to live under our dominion?
And yet those who engage in this
cruel warfare are to be greeted with
shouts and kisses, and every little skirm-
ish is to be magnifed into great vic
tory" for American arms while here and
there from tie pulpit even we hear Gods
blessings invoked upon the part we take
III tnis nauseating scene
What was Manila by the side Of Ma
nassas? What was Santiago by the
side of Seven Pines? Let us not be mis-
understood. There is surely no word of
reproach. for the soldier who simply
obeys the command of his sovereign the
Government, but one day there will be
terrible reckoning with the instigators of
all this horrible business.
"a nation cannot, with impunity. COM
m. sin and crime any more than an in
dividual, and one day a wTonged. out
ragged and deceived people will place the
responsibility where it rightfully belongs
But as for You, my countrymen. you
may pass the evening of your lives in
the proud consciousness that YOU engag-
ed in no such warfare. You have al
ready lived to see the justice of your
cause admitted by impartial and en-
lightened mankind. Your courage and
devotion have never been DISPUTED by
your enemies. Your loyalty to your gov
eminent is now admitted by ALL
We are told land it is not yet denied
that a Confederate cavalry general raj
lied our retreating soldiers and saved
the day at Santiago.
let these annual reunions continue
Preserve history. Transmit to posterity
the honorable deeds Of you and your
brethren. This is your sacred duty. II
is a melancholy truth that before many
decades shall pass these annual meetings
will be no more Call the roll today.
Only a few are here to answer now.
Year by year shorter grows the roll call
When the last one of your number
shall cross over the river to rest under
the shade of the tree of life, God grant
that upon the other shore he shall greet
everyone of his comrades marching in
unbroken column under the command of
the Great Captain, with footsteps keep