Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-01-20

theuc and related scenes be bad Wit
messed of the unsel6sh devotion of
southern soldiers which evoked deaf
ening applause. In one instance, he
said, he had met an old man 10 Texas
who had lost both arms in the southern
army, but who was driving hack for a
living. He managed to wrap the reins
about the stubs of his arms and so
earn an honest living. When the speak
er, in manner of pleasantly, suggest
ed to him that had be been 30 manned
while serving in the federal army be
would be receiving u handsome pension,
the old fellow appeared somewhat in
suited, and said, II want no pension,
and if | did | have no country to give
me one. | went forth as Confederate
soldier and lost aud that is all there is
of it," Mr.. Burke said the old man
was but type of the Confederate sol
der of to-day. He did not believe
there was one in Texas who would &C.
cept pension. The speaker in his re-
marks alluded to the bill which had
been prepared in Congress to pension
ex-Confederate soldiers, and he regard
ed it as gu act OF misguided kindness,
10 say nothing any more harsh. An ex
Confederate was always an Independent
individual. Mr.. Burke then paid a
glowing tribute to General Lee, and de
nounced the bare thought OF southern
youth being taught in school from his
tories which termed ex-Confederate
soldiers TRAITORS" No one who march
ed forth in the ranks of the Southern
army had any apologies to make for
their course; 1t had been a source OF
pride 10 them at the time and was now
g hallowed memory. Everything, he
said, should be done to keep green the
memory OF Robert Z Lee, more espec
tally in Alexandria, as be was the cty's
! neighbor. He closed with a beautiful
picture of that model man and grea
| military leader, aod proposed q toast
to his memory which was drunk stand
ing. Vehement applause followed when
Mr.. Burke took his seat.
Hon. Jos. w. Bailey, Of Texa-, was
ennouDced as the next speaker, and he
arose amid deafening applause. Alter
it had ceased be began in slow and
measured language, but in few minutee'
time warmed up and became eloquent
and palmetto in his illusions to the Con-
federate soldier, his great leader and
The cherished memories of the lost cause.
Unlike the speakers who had preceded
MIN, he could recount no personal
scenes of the foIr years conflict, as be
Was during those years a member o.
the Light infantry" However, had he
been old enough he would have
been one of the followers OF the for.
tunes OF the Confederacy, as was his
} father, and no matter how long his life
I should be prolonged there would never
be time when be would have auy
apologies to urge for his course. The
speaker said he had heard shallow
! minded people suggest that it would be
better to disbsnd all societies organized
| Tor the purpose OF perpetuating the
memories OF the Southern Contederacy
and cease holding reunions, an idea he
Denounced, and referred 10 President
! Mckinley's sentiments concerning Con-
federate soldiers graves. Mr.. Bailey
said keeping green the graves Of thos
VINO bad died 10 defense OF the cause
was commensurate ia every way and be
would rejoice to see every cemetery
beautiful, but while the mounds might
be neglected, as they contain but the
! bones of those we revere, the memories
connected with their deeds are i'm
mortal aud will be cherished as the
years roll by from generation to genera
ton. Their memories were sacred and
can cever be forgotten, and the speakt r
would rather see the graves overgrown
with weeds than to realize that the
"reminiscences of the four years confict
were on the waue. Mr.. Bailey grew
fervid in abiding to books used in
some sections of the country which
teach the younger generation that all
who wore the gray were traitors, and
Was especially severe on any writer
VINO would presume to impregnate the
minds OF his children with the notion
that their grandfather was guilty Of
treason. The speaker was as loyal a.
eny man and would OBEY his coun-
try's commands heartily, but while
he honored the flag of the United
States he would never cease to veueI.
ate that carried by the Confederate sol
diers from 1861 to 1865. We would all
fight for the union now and rejoice in
the united States, but in order to do
so it was by no means necessary to
| abandon our sacred memories of otheI
days That might be the idea of a ID
matte, who imagines that in order to be
loyal to the country it is necessary to
revle everybody and everything con-
nected with the Southern cause. Sucd
characters bad occasionally appeared
in Congress, but they sooH mad people
tired and had been relegated 10 private
life. After drawing beautiful and
touching picture of the honest. noble
hearted, patriotic Southern soldier-bis
leaving hi; home and fortunes behind 10
find all obliteratad on his return
be showed how he Immediately began
the work of recuperatioD, and touched
by his own genius, without the ala OF
foreigners or pensions. had forged
ahead until be had reached pinnaclc
higher than the Que he had enjoyed
heretofore, and the eud Is not yet
He closed with q mosl beautiful nnc
touching tribute to the General. Sat
the close OF the conflict" said Mr.. Bal
ley, when his nsme alone would have
brought him fortune. be refused ell
overtures OF barter, and instead of ccin-
ing his reputation into sordid gold, b.
quietly retired to the shades OF Lsxing
ton to teach southern youth the true
and exalted principles Of manhood
There never had been such an exemp
lar.n Mr.Bailey said he bad in his home
fire picture OF General Lee. a good