The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-12
acquired from Mexico, and later to Andrew
johnson and the acquisition of Alaska.
,Pafufa Tn, Il of

acquired from Mexico, and later to Andrew
johnson and the acquisition of Alaska.
Points to jefferson
"1f there be any who contend that we
should not permit the island of Cuba to
become a part of the United States, and
it's people, If they desire it, to enjoy all the
| rights of American citizenship have only
| to point to tho official declarations of our
| great statesmen commencing with Thomas
! Jefferson and running through almost the
entire period of the first half of the cen
fury. During all that period our honored
statesmen and presidents from Jefferson to
Buchanan, laid down in their messages and
state documents, the imperative necessity
of making the Pearl of the Antilles part
of the United States"
In concluding his address General Wheel
e u paid an eloquent tribute to the women
of the south and the part they bore in the
war and the dark years that followed,
saying:
Although many of those blessed women
are still with us, many more have long
since gone to their reward, but they have
rocked in cradles the principles, minds and
characters which are to control the future
of their beloved land. The thought Which
1 wish to impress upon the minds of the
generation to whom we must soon intrust
sacred charge, for the confederate SOL
dier's race Is nearly run. and the injunc-
ton which / would leave with your sons
and daughters-for the daughters have the
nobler part, and l know they will faithfully
perform it's this:
"See TO it that the women of the confed-
eracy have, in their posterity, a monument
more lasting than any that could be built
of stone.'
Picturesque Scene
Then occurred one of the most p1c,ur-
esque incidents OF the session. General
| Gordon arose and walked to the front of
the stage, followed by General Wade
Hampton escorted by Colonel Holmes and
Major Barker, the former bearing beau
tiful silk flag one side of which was the
battlefag of the confederacy and the re-
verse the state flag of South Carolina. In
a few weM-chosen words, Colonel Holmes
presented the banner to General Hamp-
ton as the gift of the Daughters of the
Confederacy of Charleston to the United
Confederate Veterans.
Turning, General Hampton presented the
flag to General Gordon, who accepted 1t
with a graceful little address. Here as on
all other occasions when he appears, Gen
eral Hampton was greeted with tremend-
Gus applause. In presenting the flag, Gen.
eral Hampton resigned as commander of
the Army of Northern Virginia, saying he
would serve in the ranks as private. He
gave as reason that his declining years
and physicl weakness rendered him unable
to give sufficient time to the work.
Many veterans were visibly affected and
for an instant absolute silence prevailed.
Then as if by common impulse, they rose
and cheered Justify. Bowling his thanks,
General Hampton stepped back and soon
afterward left in the rostrum.
Tribute to Mrs. Davis
In opening the exercises, General Cor
don said:
my comrades, we approach a solemn
ity which will awaken in every heart the
sweetest, tenderest recolections that have
stirred us for many days. We are about to
give ourselves the melancholy pleasure OF
again honoring a sweet woman, whose
memory will always live in every confed-
crate household
He then asked Bishop Capers to deliver
a prayer, and when the bishop concluded
General Gordon introduced the orator of
the occasion, Colonel Bennett Fl. Young of
Louisville Ky. Colonel Youngs eulogy
was a masterpiece of tender eloquence
and many persons in the Auditorium were
Visbly affected.
The Louisiana Glee club then sang
Nearer, My God, To Thee" and at the
conclusion of the hymn General Lee arose
and said for many yean' Mrs. Davis had
been unable owing to il, nealth, to attend
the reunions 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
AUDIENCE. IHlS ciOSeu the exercises, ana a
moment or so later Mr.. II. "A. Lockwood,
Mobile, Ala arose and moved that the con-
yention express its deep appreciation of
those "chivalric and tender people of the
north who had ministered with tender care
to the last hours of the Daughter of the
Contederacy."
General Gordon put the motion and the
affirmative response was so hearty that he
did not ask for negative vote.
Government Work Endorsed
Major William NJ. Robbins, the confed-
crate member of the Gettysburg National
Park commission and ex-congressman from
Louisiana, offered the following resolution
which was referred:
whereas, The government of the United
States has undertaken and is pushing for
ward the work of permanently marking the
lines and positions of the troops of both the
contending armies on several great bat
tlefelds of the Civil war among them Get
tysburg, Chckamauga, Shiloh, Vicksburg
an dothers with the des gn of making these
battlefields permanent memorials of the
prowess of American soldiers without re-
spect of section.
''Resolved, That We as Confederate vet
Grams, sympathizc with and commend the
patriotic purpose Of the government, and
it's full realization
"Resolved, That We ;ius, the people of
the southern states will take carly and eff
fcctve steps to erect upon these battle
fields suitable monuments in honor of our
glor ous heroes In gray. who fought and
died for what they believed to be right.
"Tosoivcd, That we rejoice with our
brethren throughout the union that the Sec
tlonal diseord Of other days is ended and