The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-05-29
ELEGgBT SPEECHES
Which Added to the Attractive Program
Of Friday and Saturday Last.

We reproduce. verbatim, the speech
Of His Excellency. Governor j. Hoge
Tyler at the Court house here on Fri
day last, in his welcome to the guests
the part of the State
%On the walls Of one Of the rooms IN
the Executive Department at Richmond
hangs picture entitled; In the Hands
Of the Enemy. representing a Oonfed
crate soldier, wounded at Gettysburg
and having his wounds tenderly cared
tQr In q Federal home by a Federal sol
dier, VINO, lisegeh suffering himself
from a severe wound, and iUrsetting
any Of the bitterness and animosity
which the war engendered, is intensely
occupied in relieving his distressed fell
low being. In the performance Of this
generous deed Of humanity and brother
ly love the Federal soldier sets about
the task with all the love and tender
ness that the gifted artist could portray.
To the eyes Of many visitors to the
Capitol this picture has been pleasing,
and especially so TO every veteran OF
the Civil war who has seen it. The
artist could not have arranged q more
interesting group. There is the wound
ed Confederate soldier seated in an old
rocking chair, with his head tenderly
resting upon pillow, his wounded leg
upon a padded stool. and the Federal SOL
dier-who. perhaps, In the fierce and
deadly charge at Gettysburg, had rushed
against him face to face, keeping step 30
the music of wars wild and terrible
alarums, bent alone upon winning the
mastery Of the day, and holding back
the brave charge of the soldiers Of the
Oonfederacy- is bending oil his energy
and skill to relieve the sufferiDgs Of him
against whom but q short while before
he had been valiantly contending In
one of the most hotly contested and
terrific battles wAged in all the ages Of
the world. At the side Of the wounded
soldier is the good old mother Of the
house. hold giving him nourishment, 4,
and with the assistance Of others In the
room whose faces are lit up with benev.
olence and human kindness. is endeav-
oring by gentle conversation to persuade
him not to think Of his pain and suffer
ing but Of the loved ones left at home
who will rejoice at the coming of the
day when he may be able to return to
them.
To-day, as that picture comes before
my mind and eye, the thought
occurs: what q subject would this
occasion be for Sene great artist
who could catch the situatioa in all its
details, and pat in enduring shape this
happy representation Of joyous con
summation of a reunited country, In
which there is generous mingling
upon the old battlefield Of Fredericks-
burg OF those who wore the blue under
the magnanimous Grant, aud those who
wore the gray under the peerless Lee
l have read Of an old Germln legend
which tells us that long after q fierce
and deadly battle. in which the heroism
and bravery of the Teuton knew no
bound, the spirits Of the dead slain in
battle fought in the clouds, and the
sound Of their clashing arms echoed
back TO eartn to cheer the dropping
spirits Of the living and urge them
never despair.
You and I-soldiers of the North and
OF the Seuth-as we staDd upon this
historic battle. ground listen not for
such echoes from the sky above to urge
us to continued conflict. but rather do
we hail the soft. still echo Of that
voice which just before huShed
In death and as the warrior soul weary
OF conflict, and apxlous for all bitter
ness, all sorrow and tears 20 Do Wlpeo
away, exclaimed with his last expiring
gasp, "Let us have peace.
With prophetic vision Grant locked
toto the future which has brought
that contamination for which he 90
d,voutly wished and the realization OF
which we to-day commemorate Upon this
old battle ground with mingled Joy and
gladness
AS ynn stand upon this historic spot
and recall those days Of martial strife
In which many Of you we're participants
what food Of memories are awaken.
cd, and how the reoollsctions Of the