The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-22
WELCOME vETERANsi

The city is smart with red and white
emhiematie of coura sc and purity-the CO..
ors Of the Confedcracy Thousands Of ham
ners and streamers bearing the Southern
cross wave a welcome to the gathering
remnant of that gallant army which, with
unmatchable courage ard devotion, upheld
the Stars and Bars through long and
bloody years against overwhelming odds.
And the welcome of the 1ags Is repeated
and multiplied by the citizens, in whose
hearts there is genuine pleasure at the op-
portunity which they now enjoy of enter
tanning Georgia's Confederate Veterans
ana impressing upon them that although
about the limit of an average lifetime has
elapsed since they bore arms in defense
OF Southern hearths and homes, the public
gratitude is no less keen now than 1t was
in former years. Savannah will never cease
to remember with tenderest emotions the
herosm and sacrifices of the men who
wore the grey. Indeed, she could not do
80 without forgetting and thus dlshonorlng
a great host of her own gallant sons, who
offered their all save honor upon the altar
of their country. Savannah, always a MI
itaTy city, gave TO the Confederacy more
men and more money than any other city
in Georgia; all of which gifts were made
with a free heart, since the city and sec
ton were convinced absolutely of the
righteousness OF the Southern cause, and
were ready with lives and property to
maintain principle.
- The shattered, decmated, fast disap-
pearing remainder of Georgla's quota to
the Confederate arms wiR assemble here
in annual reunion for three days It
should be the pleasure as It is the duty
OF every citizen to make these three days
memorable in the lives of all veterans in
attendance. Nothing is too good for the
old soldiers should be the motto, and they
should be made to feel that the sentiment
is sincerely felt by their hosts and
friends The privilege of enter a ming these
old heroes is one which should be made
the most of, since in the natural course of
events 1t cannot he enjoyed much longer.
Voices that once in msty strength made
the rebel yell" note of terror TO the
enemy are now shaky and weak; eyes that
flashed and gTowed in the fierce delight Of
a fight with a foeman worthy of ones steel
are now dim and uncertain; limbs that
could and did carry their owners for weeks
upon the scantlest of rations without fail
ing or faltering are now in the lean and
slippered" age and are not able to 90 far
without resting; heads once held proudly
erect as the foe was faced are now bent
forward and are whitening for the grave
Each year sees the ranks of the surviving
veterans greatly reduced. and the ranks
of the mighty army over the river cor
respondingfy increased. Shall we not.
while we have them with us, make the
most of them? We believe the public vote
on the question would be unanimously,
"ayew
We have no hesitancy, therefore. in as
suming to speak for the public of savan-
nah when we say to the veterans, 'Wel-
come and thrice welcome! The city is
wide-open to you! We are proud Of you,
and are honored in having you with us.
And we hope that you will enjoy the re-
union as much as we shalfr'