The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-11
THE CONFEDERATE VETS
Meet For Their Ninth Annual Con-
vention in Charleston.
PRESIDENTS ATLANTA SPEECH

Men who Wore the Gray In the War
Between the States-General Gordon
Hugs Mrs. stonewall Jackson.
Charleston, S. c., May 11.-Almost
the first official act Of the ninth an
nual reunion Of the United Confederate
Veterans, which began it's sessions yes
terday, was an attempt by General
Stephen D. Lee, of Mississippi, to Sc
cure an Endorsement of President Nc
Kinley's suggestion made in his recent
Atlanta speech that the care of the
graves of the Confederate dead should
be undertaken by the federal govern
ment. Action on the resolution, how
ever, was frustrated by motion to
refer to the committee on resolutions.
AS this committee Is yet to be ap-
pointed 1t is not probable that the
matter will be taken up today, and the
ultimate fate of the resolution is prob
lematical.
A conservative count places the num-
Der of visitors at between $4,000 and
10000. The attendance from the south
at large is not so great as in former
years, but the South Carolinans and
veterans from adjacent states make up
the deficiency, while southern enthusi-
assn is at flood.
The business sessions of the reunion
was called to order by General c. l..
Walker, commanding the South Caro-
lima division, in the auditorium erected
for the occasion by the city of Charles
ton. Its enormous floor space was
Nd do !, 10 ",
gain admittance to the building.
When General John B. Gordon, the
mander-in-chief, appeared upon
the stage he was greeted with thunders
Of applause. The bands struck up
Dixie" and the veterans cheered and
cheered again. In calling the as
semblage to order General Walker
spoke of Charleston's invitation to the
veterans to meet at the birthplace of
secession, and said that the gavel he
was using was that which, in 1860, had
been used to call to order the secession
convention.
The chairs used by the officers yes
terday and the table of the presiding
officer were the same as used on that
memorable occasion.
After prayer by Chaplain General
Jones, welcoming addresses by Lieu
tenant Governor insolvency and May
or Smith, General Gordon was es-
corted to the front of the stage. His
appearance was the signal for storm
of applause. Cheers and shrill yells
for the commander in chief mingled
with the crash of bands, and hats,
handkerchiefs and flags were waved
frantically When order was finally
secured the old Confederate chief was
presented by General Walker and de-
livered an eloquent address. He spoke
with all the vlgor, eIoquence and grace
which have won for him a reputation
as an orator.
After the applause had subsidized
General Gordon led Mrs. StonewaIl
Jackson to the front of the stage AMI
she was enthusiastically applauded.
AS he presented Mrs jackson, and in
the first lull General Gordon said:
II will shake her hands for you all,
and in an instant he added: Il will
do more than that; | am going to hug
her for YOU and with that he did what
he said he was going to do, which met
the hearty approval of the vast throng,
The parade of the veterans occurred
yesterday afternoon. They marched
through a dense crowd of cheering
people. Led by Generals Gordon and
Wade Hampton, long line of grizzled
men who had followed these leaders
and other captains of the Confederate
armies through four years of hard
ship and battle marched sturdily under
the blazing southern sun to the in
spring strains of Dixie" THE Bon.
ME Blue Flag and the irrevelant, but
irrepressibe "There'l Be Hot Time
in the Old Town Tonight" Including
kindred organizations and guests there
we're about 5000 persons in line, prob
ably 5000 of them veterans.
The appearance OF General
Wheeler was considerable dsap-
pointment, He reached the city early,
| but did not participate in the parade
The parade was dismissed at the
! auditorium, where the memorial exer-
| cises were held. This being South
Carolina memorial day, the occasion
was one of double significance The
| services were very impressive and the
| auditorium was again filled to its ca
| pacity.
Last night at the auditorium an in
| teresting ceremony took place in the
| presentation of flags to General Moor
| man. adjutant general of the assoca-
ton. from each of the southern states.
| An immense crowd was present, and
the occasion was made rather a serial
one. General Norman was the chief
mover in the organization of the Con-
federate Veterans and formed the first
| camp in New Orleans. The flags were
! presented by the young lady sponsors
| from the states and brief addresses
| were made for each by an officer.
! The campaign for the place of hold
ing the next reunion is on, and the
| delegations from the candidate cities
are hard at work. 4 These are Louis
| and New Orleans, of which the first
| named is said to be the favorite. The
| Kentucky town was a strong candidate
for the present reunion.
|