The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-05-18
vEDNEsDAY'S SESSION.

vEDHESDAYS SESSION.
Cu,nLrsrov, $. c., Special. Tie
United Confederate Veterans Assoca.
ton met in this city Wednesday, May |
10th. Immense throngs Of people |
poured ia from all sections Of the coun-
try until this city, tho birthplace Of /,
secession, was filed to ovelilowing with
heroes Of the Lest Canse and those
who came TO witr ess the imposing cere
monles Of their annual reunion.
Ideal weather conditions favored the
veterans Of the gray and their thou
sands Of friends who are crowding this
hospJtablo little Southern city. A bril-
limit sun was tempered by n cool breeze
from the ocean and fair skies held no
presage of rain to mar the interesting
programme of amusoments. A conser-
vatlye estimate placed the number &C
visitors at between $4,000 and 30,O 900.
The attendance from the South at large
is not so general as in the recent years,
but the South Caroiniaus and veterans
from adjacent States makes up the do
dcency, while Southern enthusiasm is
at top flood. Everywhere tho bare Of
bands and the strains of Bonnie Blue
Flag mixed with "Dixie" aud other
airs so dear to the Southland, while
cheering crowds greeted every repeti-
tioa of the tunes. The best of order
prevailed, aud over oil was the air of
genial sociability which marks the an
nual gatherings of the association.
The business session of the reunion
was called to order by General G. 1.
Walker, commanding the South Caro-
lima division, in the handsome audi
torium erected for tho occasion by the
city of Charleston. It's enormous floor
space was crowded and thousands were
unable to gpin admittance to the build
ing When General John B. Gordon,
the commander in chief, appeared upon
the stage, ho was greeted with thunders
of applause. The band struck up
Dixie" and the veterans cheered and
cheered again. In calling the assem-
blage to order, General Walker spoke
of Charleston's invitation to the veter
ans to meet at the birthplace @
secession, and said that the gavel III
was using was that with which, IL
1860, the secession convention WI
called to order. The chairs used by th'
officers and the table of the presidin!
officer were the same AZ used or
that memorable occasion. DR.. j
William Jones, chaplain general, ther
invoked the Divine blessing upon tn
convention.
Major Smyth, OF Charleston, extend
ed to the visitors o welcome. Genera
Gordon was then escorted to the from
of the stage and his appearance was th
signal for storm Of applause. Cheer
aud shrill yells for the commande:-i in
chief mingled with the crash OF til
band, aud hats, handkerchiefs and flag
were waved frautically. When ctde
was finally restored the old Confeder
ate cbieitain was presented by Genera
Walker, and lie delivered an eloquer
address. He spoke with all the vigol
eloquence and grace which have wo
for him a national reputation US an OF
stor. General Gordsn SAID:
Governor, Gentlemen of tae Con
mittee, NV Fellow Countrymen
South Carolina The flood of emotion
which stirs the senslbIlities of thes
veterans to-day is their loving answt
to your gracious greeting. These em'
tons will speak to you In language fl
more impressive and eloquent than an
words | could utter. The ringin
shouts from these thousands OF Comics
crate throats are veritable echoes OF II
inspiring resolutions of welcome unal
imously adopted by your General A
sembly. While those resolutions ha'
cheered and thrilled every Southei
soldiers heart, they were not needt
TO tell us OF the reception that awaitt
us i'll South Carolina. Her whole hi
tory aud that of her CONNER cial car
tai were the promise and guarantee
this magnificent reality. For mo
than two hundred years. made mem
rable by heroic struggles in war al
brilliant achievements In peace, Il
names Of South Carolina aud Of Charlie
ton have been the synonyms OF hosl
tality, Of chivalry and OF valor.
What else could we expect OF pc
pie in whose veins are commlngled t
blood of the proud English Cavalier
the blood of those devoted and res
lutte men, who protested against t
immoralities and grinding exactions
the Stuarts; the blood of the stalws
Dissenters and of tho heroic Higblan
ers Of Scotland and of the sturdy del
ocratc Presbyterians of Ireland; t
blood Of those defenders OF freed'
who came to your shores from
mountain battlements of Swltzerlar
and lastly. but no less pure and secr'
the blood of the high.souled Huguen
OF France, whose martyrs, by glo
ous fidelity, even unto death, b,
made sweeter and richer the record
human devotion to conscience and
erty.
mo resolution, repeat, by VIII
this great Commonwealth extends
''loving welcome" were needed to
sure these remnants of the South's
mortal armies that the 'freedom OF
State" was theirs, aud that every be
within her borders was o soldi'
shrine. We had but to remember
South Carolina was the nursery OF
r0es, O. we'll as of statesmen and OF
triots--that no one State. except
she be endowed with sn almost bou
less sfuencs Of greatness, nns!d 10