The age-herald., 1900-07-21
THE LOST CAUSE
 IS NOT FORGOTTEN
General Gordon Objected to Blot
 ting Out Memories,
AS SUGGESTED BY GEN. SHAW
The Confederate Commander Said That God Alone Could Finally Decide Who Was Right in the
 Great Civil Strife

Atlanta, Ga., July 20-A genuine Geor- gia barbecue this afternoon closed the re- union in this city of the blue and gray. Although it was given out at it's inception that the reunion was for the benefit only of those who participated in the battles around Atlanta and the city's invited guests veterans from all parts of the south were present, swelling the crowds to large proportions.
 General John B. Gordon, commander-in- chief of the United Confederate Veterans, disobeying his physicians orders, was pres ent with the other distinguished guests and
 sat side by side with General Albert D.
 Shaw, commander-in-chief of the Grand
 Army of the Republic. All the invited
 guests made speeches, but the second of
 the programme, that of General Shaw, did
 not please General Gordon, and for time reconciliation was forgotten. General Shaws speech was for the most part con- ciliatory in tone and was well received, yet his reference to the manner in which all memories of the great struggle should be
 plotted out in the families of the south
 was not received with the favor hoped for In his speech he uttered these words and they went deeply into General Gordon's heart:
 What I am anxious to see is the disap- pearance of all unworthy reminders of the terrible conflict, and the culture of present unity and righteousness over all the union. There can now be but one ideal of Ameri-
 can citizenship, one stars and stripes, one bulwark of future national glory and one line of patriotic teachings for all and by all. In this view the keeping alive of sectional teachings as to the justice and rights of the cause of the south in the hearts of the children is all out of order, unwise, unjust and utterly opposed to the bond by which the great chieftain Lee solemnly bound the cause of the south in his final surrender. l deeply deplore all agencies of this sort, because in honor and in chivalric American manhood and woman- hood nothing of this nature should be taught or tolerated for an instant" C neral Goid.n pied
 At the close of General Shaw's speech General Gordon came forward. He had spoken briefly before, and his appearance again caused considerable of a surprise. The enthusiasm quieted instantly Gen. erai Gordon said he could not teach his | children that he fought for what was wrong. He entered battle for what he be- heved was right, and "only the judgment 1 day and God himself will ever decide who was right.
 Let cherish the memories" contin- ued General Gordon, and history will re-
 cord and heaven judge that both sides
 were right in fighting for what they be-
 lieved was right Let us settle once and
 for all this question on basis commen-
 surate with the manhood of the sides en-
 gagged in the great struggle; let us settle it basis of that immaculate truth that
 both sides were fighting for the constitu-
 tion 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 material therein was gained from speeches made by General Gordon in the North.
 "Our children should be taught said General Shaw, ''the true glory and sub limity of one country; their fathers | will teach them this. Let them be so alike, | the children of the North and of the South, l that no difference will be perceptible." The incident closed with three cheers for the blue and the gray.
 The speakers of the day were General Albert D. Shaw General John B. Gordon, Governor James A. Mount of Indiana, Hon.
 w. c. P. Breckinridge, General J. c.
 Breckinridge, inspector general United
 States army; General A. P. Stewart of
 Chattanooga, and General O.. O. Howard.