The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-31
THE TENTH REUNION
Of the United Confederates Formally
Opened by General. Gordon.
THE REBEL YELL HEARD AGAIN
General Gortlon's Address Was Re-
ceiveG With Vociferous Applause.
He Called for .AuId Ian.
sync,'' Which Was Sung
With Vim by the
Wearcrs of the Gray.

LOUISVILLE, ky. May so.-surround-
ed by waving banners. bearing the merry
cross of the Confederacy, listening to the
cheers from the throats of $4,000 men
who wore the gray, and confronted by
the waving handkerchiefs OF hundreds
of ladies, General John 3. Gordon, COM
n1ander of the United Confederate Vet
erans, to-day formally opened the tenth
annual reunion of the order, which in
point of attendance is already the largest
ever held
All things conspred to make the occa-
sion a success, with the exception Of, the
weather, which was about as disagree
abb as it well could be- All through
the early hours of the morning the rain
came down in sheets.
For an hour previous to the time set
for the opening of the meeting the vet
erans and their friends made their way
in a steady stream to the hall, and by ll:20
O'Clock it was well filled. The band
struck up Dixie and then came the old
rebel YELL with a fire and vigor never
surpassed during the days of the war.
On the platform besides General Pointz.
were General B. Buckner, Rev. J. Will
liam Jones, Hon. J. II. Reagan, the only
surviving member of the Cabinet of JET
ferson Davis; General w. t. Cabell, Cen
eral ]. H. West Colonel Thomas w. Bul-
lit, Colonel 3. II. Young, Rev. Carter II.
Jones, DIR. &. NJ. Palmer and others.
VISITORS WELCOMED.
The Mayor, whose speech was received
with much applause, was followed by
Colonel Thomas T. Built, who welcomed
the visitors to Louisville in behalf of the
Board of Trade of the city.
Rev. Carter Jones extended the well
zl,- - ~ T>I,,I,
of thatzcity.
While he was in the midst of his ad-
dress the A P. Hill Camp, of Petersburg,
Va, came into the hall, headed by fife
ana drum caEgs stitch created such
noise that it was impossible for Mr.. Jones
to continue.
Other speeches were made by Colonel
Attila Cox, General Buckner and Colonel
Bennett H. Young.
AT the conclusion of his address, Colonel
Young turned to General Gordon and
handed him the keys of the building,
which had been erected for the reunion
General Gordon was visibly moved by
the reception he met WITH and for several
minutes sstood bowling his thanks. When
quiet and order was restored he spoke
as follows:
GENERAL, GoRDoN'S SPEECH:
General, Mr.. Mayor and Gentlemen OF
the Reception Committees:
No man is gifted enough and nc words
are strong enough to tell kentuckians
we feel it Shall l say for my comrades
foundly grateful? That would be: in the
presence of such demonstra ton, the
merest commonplace. the needless state
ment of a patent fact, Which you already
know or can plainly read in these mois-
tened eyes and quiverng lips. Shall | tell
you that we are amazed, that we We're ur-
prepared for such display, such eXuber-
ance of hospitality, such a warmth and
prodigality of welcome? | cannot say
that, for it would be untrue. We knew
beforehand what to expect Of this great
hearted people.
Your distinguished fellow-citizen, Col
onel Bennett Young, who was the selected
mouthpiece OF your delega tes had assured
US at Charleston, in words fervld and elo-
quent. that II We would come to Louis
vile, Kentuclly's homes and hearts, Ken
tuckv wealth, the products of her un-
rivaed pastures, her tenderest lambs and
latest beeves and the contents Of her
granaries. transmitted by Kentucky
mage into liquid corn and rye-that all
these should be ours, the support and
the solace, the meat and the drink of
these batte-worn men.
We have come to find not only that it
s true, but that the half had not been
UNIQUE PLACE.
The truth is, gentlemen, that your
State holds a place among her sisters
that is not only unique, but decidedly
picturesque.
She is sui generis As a Georgian, l
feel an unspeakable pride in my native
State, in her glorious past; and conf
IDENTIFY predict for her Il great and envta-
BILE future. Loyal as 1 believe
myself to be to all States and sections
as we'll as TO the great republic itself.
nevertheless declare my conviction that
Kentucky's history, taken as a whole,
rank ehaisieo Of n States. . . es What ST Story in
fiction, for example, can compare in ro-
mantle interest to that of kentucky's
three maidens captured and borne away
oy Indians, and rescued by their three
lovers after long and eager pursuit day
and night through dense canebrakes and
tangled jungles? What creation Of fancy
ever equaled in thrilling details the story
of Kentucky's brave matron, Mrs. Woods,
who barred her cabin door against howl
ing sayages, while the only one who
hands of her dauntless daughter, who,
with uplifted axe, struck him down and
chopped off his head as he was held to
the floor by the lame but heroic black
me permitted reference TO the long list
of other heroines OF kentucky's early
history, and TO her Daniel Boones. and
her Clarhs. and host of other stalwart
men and brave women who thus blazed
out the highway OF progress and OF
= = GREAT SONS.
Is it any wonder that the Kentucky Of
to-day boasts of the proud array of her
great sons of her Breckinridges, of her
Claws. and her Crittendens. her Helms
and her Hansons, her NIarshalis and her
Morgans, and her almost endless cata-
logue of soldiers and statesmen worthy
the highest inches In our republican Pan
E theon@ rs it any wonder that from such
q. field. sown with such seed. we should
sto-uav gather this harvest of generosity
and lavish tribute TO the heroic remnants
of the immortal Confederate armies?
In conclusion. permit me briefly to re-
call another chapter in kentucky's life:
a chapter which embraces the most mo-
mentous period OF her history or of the
history of this republic. During the stu
pendous conflict between the American
States. Kentucky's most famous families
and all classes of her people were repre-
sented in both the Union and Confederate
armies & In her marvellous fecundity she
had previously given birth to both JET
#ferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln