The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-12


of the South excel in othei-. IL has been
said that tenacity OF purpose. thrift and
perseverance predomlnaied in the Nortn-
err character. This may probably be so,
but II Is also true that other characteristic
are more noticeable among the people of
the South"
General Wheeler declared that the MILF
tary history OF the Southern people has
been prominent feature IN history from
the first settlement of this country. lie
cited Washington and the other So,ithern
commanders OF the revolution. Winfield
Scott anu Anurew Jackson and the otnor
heroes OF the war OF 1872 the Southern
generals who won fame In the war With
Mexico. ana then passing to the war be-
tween the States he said:
THE battie-scarred veterans, who. dur
ing four years OF bloody warfare dazzled
the world with the splendor OF their hero
ism. are last passing away. The few who
remain gather annually TO renew the
friendship. which. formed among such
scenes. Is the warmest and most enduring
No greater heroes were in the legons led
by Alexander. Hannibal Charlemagpe or
Napoleon. for your achievements. exceiled
all theirs.
'ln the great battles OF the civil war
You contended with men OF endurance,
forttude ana courage. men with tlAs same
birthright OF freedom. imbued with the
same spirit of liberty, men who were as
ccnscientlously contending for what they
deemed the right OF the Federal govern.
ment as YOU for what you Just as firmly
held to be your rights.
While our civil war was, l may truth
fully assert the most sanguinary record
ed in history. 1t was also the most re-
markable. AS In II there was no element
OF personal hostility, and the soldiers. as
individuals. could not In the nature of
things have entertained feelings OF hatred
for each other. They fought not from re-
venge, not from malice. not from desire
TO shed blood not from ambition. but
simply because they felt that there lay
the path Of duty.
1t was war fought to settle questions
that for more than half A century had
been matters OF the most earnest. and |
might say bitter, contentious, Increasing
in Intensity until an appeal to the god OF
battle was rendered inevitable. so that no
arpitrament save that OF the sword was
possible. When the South yielded IT was
10 numbers, battallons, artillery, to the
unlimited resources Of the Federal govern
ment
The armies Of the South laid down
their arms, but not one iota of their belief
in the truth and Justice OF their cause did
they surrender With energy and deter
minstion they met the new problems con-
fronting them
Above the carnage, above the wall of
WIDOWS and the cry Of orphans above the
desolated homes, above the fields over
grown with new forests, there arose a new
civilization and a new union one niche In
whose temple holds figure whose name
snail be honored throughout the ages. Lee
whose matchless sklll whose soldierlv
spirit, whose wonderful endurance. was
only equaled by The grandeur Of soIl
which accepting the Fat OF war. lived out
10 its run close the noblest life recorded
Fnr
terity F'
AS between the soldiers on either side
there was no real eDmity Mutual ADM
ration Tor each others prowess is the sen-
tlment of all brave men and with adml-
ration respect naturally increases
ne llfetime Of a generation has soft
ened tho memories Of that conflict. and
side by side both North and Souta have
foe. wa eiep
:, we meet here TO cherish and intensity
the memory OF the great struggle in which
you were actors, Your devotion 70 duty
your courage in battle and your unmliy,
muring endurance was your heritage frop,
your ancestors" ~
GENERAL Wheeler touched upon the aues-
tion OF expansion by declaring that south
ern soldiers and Southern statesmen had
ever taken prominent part in ali move
territory VI Vui
History for all time" he said ",vtl,
record that II was under Southern nrrsi-
uents lhat we have wrested from tho wild
lhulans the greater part OF the 500 ass
square miles which lay between our thin
u MIS- ol settlement on the ocean and the
,,.as,sNppl river and under Southern
presidents that we have added to this d.
man an area nine times as great as the
present area of tho origirai - ~ 'ue
States s' '"itSSn
While the various negotiations were he
ing mad and our dc-fuions were being on
"a. IA ssu' audlng to the glory OF the country.
enleny through the influence of the So,ttb
ern element most bitter opposition was de-
'eioped IN other parts of the Union
1. is matter OF which the Sou.berp
.tteople may Wen take pride, that during an
~. me great progress and advancement of
osi country including the armed contest
OF last year, and which | am clad 10 sa,,
now appears to be happily ended M co. co.
. .ion OF our land has been more devoted n
.ue cause or our country and TO unholding
ne nonor and prestige than the peonIe nf
the southern States f'N "
. re crossed amid much applause and tho
orchestra played "Amerlca" Wv
Then occurred one OF The mos. 81,
turesque incidents of the session. Wv
uenerai Gordon arose and walked m
.ne IRON, OF the stage followed by Gen
srai wade Hampton, escorted by CnionaI
ltiulInes and Major Barker, the tcrmer /
bearing beautiful silk flag one sida :,
winch was the battle flag of the c6nSeS
eracy and the reverse the state Go
soulh carolina. In a few well chosen
words Colonel Holmes presented The han.
ner 10 GENERAL Hampton as the gift ~
,ne Daughters or the Confederaey ~
sThdrleston to the United Confederate
Iurnlng. General Hampton presented tbe
mas 10 General Gordon, who accented n
with a graceful little address. Here ne an
a. al occasions when he appears, General
hampton was greeted with tremendoms
In presenting the flag General Hamnton |
sshgntd as commander OF the army az
northern Virginia, saying he would serve
IN the ranks as private He gave as - /
reason that his declining years ana phvs
sioal weakness rendered him unable -
give 70 the office the attention and enerey
u demands. Many of the veterans wcrc
visibly affected and for an instant ahso~
lufe silence prevailed Then. as If nv |
common Impetus, the audience rose and |
cheer-d Justify. Bowling his thanks Cen
eral HAMPTON stepped back and soon AZ
terward left the rostrufn.
General Gordon then announced that tho
business OF the convention would he susS
pended for the Winnie Davis memorial
exercises.
In opening the exercises General Gordon