The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-12
WILD WELCOME
10 GEN. WHEELER
Continued From First Page.

the former bearing a beautiful silk
flag. one side of which was the battle
flag of the Confederacy and the re-
verse the State flag of South Carolina.
Colonel Holmes presented the banner
to General Wade HAMPTON as the gift
Of the Daughters of the Confederacy
of Charleston. to the United Confed-
crate Veterans.
Turning, General Hampton present
ed the flag to General Gordon. who
accepted it with graceful little add
dress. Here as on all occasions when
he appears. General Hampton was
greeted with tremendous applause.
In presenting the flag General Hamp-
ton also resi- gned as Commander of
the Army of Northern Virginia. say
ing he would serve in the ranks as a
private. He gave as a reason that his
declining years and physical weak
ness rendered him unable to give to
the office the attention and energy
it demands. Many of the veterans
were yisibly affected at the Generals
words. and for an instant absolute
silence prevailed. Then as. if by com
mon impulse. they rose and cheered
Justify. Bowing his thanks. General
Hampton stepped back and soon af-
terward left the rostrum.
General Gordon then announced that
the business of the convention would
be suspended for the Winnie Davis
Memorial exercises. BY this time
nearly all of the sponsors had arrived
and with the presence Of hundreds
of ladies in the boxes and on the floor
the great auditorium presented a
gay scene. For the time being he en-
thusiasm that had marked the session
gave way to AN impressive silence as
the old veterans listened to eloquent
tributes to the memory of the Dau9h-
ter OF the COnfederacy. In opening
the exercises General Gordon sail.
My comrades. we approach Il So
lemnity which will awaken in ev"rv
heart the sweetest, tenderest recollec-
tons that have stirred us for many
days. We are about to give ourselves
the melancholy pleasure of again
honoring sweet woman whose mem
DRY will always live in every Confe'l-
crate household"
He then asked Bishop Capers to de-
liver a prayer, and when the Bishop
concluded General Gordon introduced
the orator of the occasion. Colonel
Bennett II. Young, of Louisville. Col
onel Young's eulogy was a master
piece of tender eloquence and many
persons in the audience were visibiv
affected as he dwelt upon the place
which Miss Davis held in the hear ;
and homes of the Southland The
Louisiana Glee Club then sang "Nerr-
err. My God TO Thee and at the CON
clusion of the hymn General Lee
arose and said that for many years
Mrs. Davis had been unable. owing 20
i'll health, to attend the re-
unions of the association, but
that on this occasion she
was represented by Miss Waller,
of Mississippi. As General Lee bowed
toward her Miss Waller arose IN her
box and received the salute of the au-
dience. This closed the exercises and
moment or so later Mr.. II. A. Lock
wood. of Mobile, Ala. arose and
moved that the convention express lis
deep appreciation Of those ''chival!ic
| and tender people of the Nort5 who
had mnistered with tender care TO
the last hours of the Daughter OF the
Confederacy."
General Gordon put the motion and
the affirmative response was so hearty
| that he did not ask for a negative
vote.
aior William M. Robbins, the Con
federate member of the Getty% burG
National Park Commission and eN-
Congressman from Louisiana. offered
the following resolution, which was
referred:
"Whereas, the Government of the
United States has undertaken and IS
pushing forward the work of pernia-
nently marking the lines and posi-
| tons of the troops of both the con
| tending armies on several great bat
tlefields of the Civil War. among them
Gettysburg. Chickamauga. Shiloh,
Nicksburg and others. with the de
sign of making these battlefields per
manent memorials of the prowess o.
| American soldiers, without respect
of section;
"Resolved, That we as Confederate
veterans, sympathize with and com
mend this patriotic purpose Of the
Government and will lend our influ-
ence and aid towards its full rcasila-
| ton.
"Resolsrd. That we trust the peu-
pie of the Southern States VIII take
early and effective steps to erect upon
these battletields suitable monuments
| in honor of our glorious heroes IN
! gray who fought ana dled 1of Will
! they believed to be right.
"Resolved, That we rejoice with our
brethren throughout the Union that
| the sectional discord of other lays
is ended and that we are reunited
people with one country and one flag
The report of the Jefferson Davis
Monument Committee, which was sub
mitted today indorses the suggestion
that the task of the completion 81
the monument be turned over to the
| Daughters of the Confederacy. The
report shows that the committee EoW
has on hand $19,S92. 1t urges an ac-
tive and aggressive movement for the
completion of the proposed monument
at Richmond and states that the com
mittee has concluded from the Ill
success which its efforts have met
with. that the cooperation of tie
women of the South is absolutely
necessary if the project is to be CON
summated.
Under suspension of the rules the
Monument Associations report was
adopted The report of the Credcn-
tials Cor mittee also was adopted
after a brief discussion over the rep