The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-24
THE ATLANTA REUNION
GENERAL SHAW TOUCHES A TENDER
SPOT IN SOUTHERN HEARTS
BLOT OUT MEMORY OF THE PAST
Is His Advice to the Veterans of the
South-In His Address lie Deplores
Generations of the south the Events
of the Civil War General Gordon
Make Fitting Reply To This I.ropo-
sftion.

Atlanta, Ga. July Ca genuine
Georgia barbecue this afternoon closed
the eunion in this city Of the blue and
the gray. Although it was given ou
al its inception that the reunion was
for the benefit Of those only who par
ticipated in the battles around Atlanta
and the city's invited guests. veterans
from all parts of the south were pres
ent, swelling the crowds TO large pro-
portion.
General John b. Gordon. commander
in chief Of the United Confederate Vet
eralis, disobeying his physicians or
ders, was present with the other dis
tinsuished guests and sat side by sid
with General Albert d. Shaw, COM
mander-in-chief Of the Grand Army
Of the Republic. All the invited guests
made speeches, but the second on the
programme, that OF Genera Shaw. did
not please General Gordon and for a
time reconciliation was forgotten.
General Shaw's speech was for the
most part conciliatory in tone and was
we'll received, yet his reference to the
name in which all memories of
the great struggle should be blotted
out in the families of the south was
received with the favor hoped for.
In his speech he uttered these words
and they went deeply into General
Gordon'S heart:
What l am anxious to see is the
disappearance of all unworthy remind-
ers of the terrible conflict, and all Gull
ture of present unity n righteousness
over all he union There can now be
but one ideal of American citizenship,
one Stars and Stripes, one bulwark of
future nationl glory and one line OF
patriotic teachings for all n by all.
In this view the keeping alive of SEC
tional teachings as to the justice and
rights of the cause of the south, in n
hearts of the children, is all out of or
der, unwiSe, unjust n utterly oppos-
ed 10 the bond by which the great
chieftain Lee SOlemnly bound the cause
of the south in his finai surrender. 1
deeply deplore all agencies of this sort,
because in honor and in chivalric
American manhood and womanhood
nothing of this nature should be taught
or tolerated for an instant"
At the close of General Shaw's
speech, General Gordon came forward.
He spoke briefly before and his APP
pearance again caused considerable
surprise. The enthusiasm quieted in
stantly. General Gordon said he could
not teach his children that he fought
for what was wrong. He entered bat
tie for what me believed was right. and
only the judgment day and God Him
self will ever decide who was right"
Let us cherish the memories" con-
tinued General Gordon, and history
will record and heave judge, that
both sides were right in fighting for
what they believed was right. Let US
settle once and for all this question on
a basis commensurate with the man
hood of the sides engaged in the great
struggle; let us settle on a basis of
that immaculate truth that both sides
We're fighting for the constitution OF
their forefathers."
General Shaw responded gracefully
to the generals exceptions. He stated
that he had prepared his speech with
care and much of the matter was gain
ed from speeches made by General
Gordon in the north.
"Our children should be taught
said General Shaw, 1.-THE true glory
and sublimity of our one country; their
fathers win teach them this. Let them
be so alike, the children of the north
and of the south, that no difference will
be perceptible."
The incident closed with three cheers
for the blu and the gray.
The speakers of the day were Gen
| eral Albert D.. Shaw, General John b:
| Gordon, Governor James A. Mount. OF
Indiana, Hon. w. c. P. Breckenridge.
| General J.. c.. breckenridge, Genera
| A. P. Stewart. of Chattanooga, and
| genera O. 0. Howard.