New-York tribune., 1900-05-31
ADDRESSES IN LOUISVILLE BY GENERAL j. b
GORDON AND THE REV. DIR. B. NJ. PALMER

Louisville Ky May So-The reunion of the
United Confederate Veterans opened to-
day. 1t estimated that there were $1,000
strangers in Louisville. Hours before the time
set for the meeting to begin in Reunion Hall the
streets leading to the building blocked with
crowds trying to gain admission. and the detach-
ment of police stationed in front of the building
kept busy.
Major-General Poyntz. commanding the Kentucky
division of the Confederate Veterans, called the
reunion to order shortly after IL o'clock. After the
Doxology had been sung by the assembly which
packed the great hall the Rev j. William Jones,
chaplain in chief, made a short prayer, and then
General Poyntz introduced Mayor Weaver. who
welcomed the visitors TO the city. Then a
series of short welcoming addresses Colonel
Thomas W. Bullitt extending q greeting in behalf
of the members of the Board OF Trade the Rev.
Carter Helm Jones for the Commercial Club. At
tilla Cox for the Finance Committee of the re-
union and Judge Hazelrgg. of the Supreme Court
Of Kentucky. behalf of the Kentucky Division
of the Confederate Veterans. and General Simon
B. Buckner for the Confederates Of Kentucky.
Colonel Bennett H. Young of this city. chairman
of the Union Committee, presented the building to
the veterans
General John B. Gordon commander Of the
United Confederate Veterans. responded to the
address of Colonel Young, and received with
enthusiastic cheers. In accepting the building
from the committee. and in extending the thanks
of the veterans to the city of Louisville. said in
part:
Kentucky's life-a chapter which embraces the
history Of this Republic In the stupendous con-
hiet between the American States Kentucky's most
famous family and all classes of her people were
represented in both the Union and Confederate
viously given birth to both Jefferson Davis and
abraham Lincoln These two great sons, born
nurtured on. on the bosom OF this common mother,
find homes in different sections to grow up under
different institutions to become representatives Of
dents OF reRuPes % @ The one was 70 die
bad ong snd ay y sereed ere mel %nh ne
he had shed his blood Mexican soil. The other
n ike MANNER s S sa DQ Were
yided-some for the Union some for the Confeder-
from the pending confict-to render her passive
raiity in kentucky eXco1 Seuay Tafa as
had been and never will be Kentucky's role. Gov
might enact it, but no edcts nor nor statufes couId
eon R the 1Hs one @ b 6ber ST 4f e
their convictions guided them.
General Gordon's speech was received with great
applause. General Poyntz then presented the
Rev. DR.. B. NJ. Palmer, OF New Orleans who de-
livered the annual address. In part he said:
1 have traced the remote origin of the Confed-
crate war for purpose which is entirely conciIa-
pear contradictory II enables both parties in this
struggle 70 give full credit to each other for
patriotic motives, though under a mistaken view
of what that patriotism may have required 1t
why no WAS yentured to bring at
which could not afford to be ventilated before anv
stituton It explains hoW tt through @ n0b for
bearance on both sides always excepting the in
has been healed in the cGmpete reconciaton Of
convinced of the rghtfuness Of our cause can an
cept defeat without the blush of shame mantling
the cheek of single Confederate of us all and
while accepting the issues of the war as a de-
cree OF destiny. openly appeal to the verdict of
posterity for the final vindcation of our career
In In makinE this III & appeal veterans @ in your
before Of his
tory before which all the issues of the past cnn
tinue TO be tried. and which, in the view of many
sound thinkers, is rendering a proximate Judgment
in what is occurring before in the immediate
present. desire to say that is not ALWAYS the
mere outburst of human passion: but that when
projected on large scale and protracted through
a long period, and especially when occurrn, be-
tween members of the ame race it is the resIIt
of an anteeedent conflict of opinions. which, hav-
ing sought arbitration in vain. appeal finally to the
sword from the simple necessity of settling the
question of supremacy
ly impaired by the doubts to this that minute
fact. Contemporaneous history written in the inter
and future criticism may be sorely puzzled 10 dis
tinguish between the truth and its travesty: yet
in the aggregate result these by a strange smelt-
ing process, sitted as not material to the
issue. Invective and reproach will continue in the
who deserve only her applause. The faithful wit
nesses of the ruth will go in cloud and sorrow
protest But they will do it the Certain faith Of
a resurrection. As for their fame they can
lifetime Cons titutlonaI freedom has not come
forth from conflict of ages to be stfed now when
throes of regenerated States for regulated bern
the very law of its life. Both have strnprled
through corruption and decay a more com
plete realization.
At the conclusion of the address of DR.. Palmer
the meeting adjourned for the day. after appoint