The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-05-12
Thousands of Them Gath
cred in Charleston.
OLD MEMORIES ARE RECALLED.
An Attempt to Secure an Endorsement
of President McKinIey's Suggestion
that the Graves of Confederate Dead
should BE Undertaken by the Federal
Government.


annual reunion of the United Con-
federate Veterans which began it's
session to day, was an attempt by
Gen. Stephen d. Lee, of Mississippi,
20 secure an Endorsement of Presi-
dent McKinley's suggestion, made
in his recent Atlanta speech, that
the care of the graves of COnfed crate
dead should be undertaken by the
Federal Government. Action on
the resolution was frustrated by
motion to refer it to the Committee
on Resolutions.
AS this committee is yet to be APP
pointed, it is not probable that the
matter will be taken up tomorrow
and the ultimate fate of the resolu-
tion is problematical.
The motion to refer originated with
DIR. ]. VIM. Jones, of Virginia, and
met with some opposition.
DR.. Harris. of Florida, said that
from the very nature of the resolu-
tions he did not think they should
be referred. 1t would be as we'll to
take a direct vote on them right at
the time.
T. II. Busbee, of North Carolina,
thought the resolutions should be
referred. 1t would do no harm to
refer and no disrespect was intend
ed.
After this it was decided without
further discussion that the resolu-
tions be referred to the Committee
on Resolutions.
1t is believed the matter will
eventually cause some discussion,
as there is decided faction in favor
of Gen. Lees sentiments, while the
opposition is very strong. The ref
erence to committee may result in
amending the resolution so that
while thanking the President and
acknowledging his action as grace
full one, it will declare that the care
of its dead is duty of the South.
Ideal weather conditions favor the
veterans of the gray and their thou
sands of friends who are crowding
this hospitable Southern city. A
conservative estimate places the
number Of visitors at between $4,000
and $4,000. The attendance from
the South at large is not so general
as in former years, but the South
Carolinians and veterans from ada
cent States make up the deficiency,
while Southern enthusiasm is at top
floor. Everywhere the blare of
bands and the strains of Bonnie
Blue Flag" mingled with "Dixie"
and other airs dear to tho Southland
are heard, while cheering crowds
greet every repetition of the tunes
The best Of order prevails and over
all is the air of general sociability
and hospitality.
The opening session of the order
was called to order this morning by
Gen. G. l. Walker, commanding the
First South Carolina Division, in
the handsome auditorium erected
for the occasion by the city of Char
lesion. Its enormous space was
crowded and thousands were unable
to gain admittance to the building
Wien Gen. John b. Gordon, the
COMMANDMENT Chief, appeared upor
the stage he was greeted with thun'
ders of applause. The band STRUCK
} up Dixie" and the veterans cheer
ed and cheered again.
DIR. J. VIM. Jones, the Chaplain
General, invoked the divine bless
ing upon the convention. He ask &c
it of the "God of our common
country" and prayed that all Con
federates may be true to the princi
Piles "of constitutional freedom, fo
which our fathers fought" and tina
"these principles might be handed
down to our children and children
children
Mayor Smyth, of Charleston, ex
tended to the visitors welcome.
Gordon's Eloquence.
Gen. Gordon was then escorted t.
the front of the stage and his appear
ance was the signal for a storm o
applause. Cheers and shrill yell
for the Commander-in-Ch mingle,
with the crash of the band, and h ats
handkerchiefs and flags were wavet
frantically.
When order was finally restored
the old Confederate chieftain wa
presented by Gen. Walker and de
livered an eloquent address. II
spoke with all the vigOr, elOquence
and grace which have won for hin
national reputation as a orator.
JacksOns Widow.
At the conclusion of his speech
Gen. Gordon led Mrs. Stonewal
Jackson to the front of the stage ant
she was enthusiastically applauded
AS he presented Mrs. Jackson, Gen
Gordon said: ~ will shake he
hands for you all, and in an instan
3 he added, mo, will do more tina
? that; 1 am going to hug her for you,
! and with that he said be was gOin
to do what met the hearty approva
l of the vast throng.
The parade of the veterans oc
Cured this afternoon and the
marched drought dense crowd O
l cheering people. Led by Gems
! Gordon and Wade Hampton, a lon
line of the grizzled men who ha
followed these leaders and the Othe
, Captains of the Confederate armie
{ through four years of hardship an
I battle, marched sturdily under tn
blazing sun to the inspiring strain
of Dixie and the "Bonnie Blu
3 Flag
i At intervals along the line tn
flutter of a war-worn and shot-tJr
: battlefiag called forth cheers, Will
7 many heads were barred as the fraye
e emblems of dead cause gleame
over some organization whose nam
is a household word to the South.
The parade was dismissed at th
Auditorium, where the memoir,
exercises were held.