The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-31

! called c hoodlum. An. he may bs addicted to the drinking of whiskey he may be addicted to the morphine habit, but do you know, his history Look at him in isel--proud, the mem. Der of family that stands as high as any in this Southland, he steps forth lad of IS in the flush of his early manhood, strong with enthusiasm. he dons the Confederate uniform. see him as he kissed that weeping mother and sister. See him as he turns and looks into the ranks of the defender of his country. turning his back upon the comforts and luxurles of happy home and goes to meet the hardships of the
 march, the dangers of disease, and the
 terror and carnage of the battle field,
 see him as he faces undauntedly the
 very mouth of the cannon. as 1t
 belnches forth the flame of hell and
 the missiles of death. Anon he is lost
 to sight, now we see him again, borne
 on 6 litter from the field, mangled and
 bleeding to the hospital. See him as
 he suffers there, but at last. under the
 care of . surgeon, and the gentle
 touch of DiZie's Maidens, slowly he
 returns to life. Then see him as his
 life current begins to throb again, leap
 back to the front, eageriyStaking his
 gun, and again into the hell of battle.
 Again and again. he falls wounded. At
 last, the resources of the country ex-
 hausted. the Confederates have worn
 themselves out whipping the invaders
 during that long four years. The war
 Is over. and he with a remnant of the
 army. zee him as he returns to dcso-
 late country, a desolate home. property
 gone. home gone. health gone, and 1t
 may be that every now and then. he
 Is racked with pain. Morphine and
 whlskey his only case. and because he
 now and then driven to desperation by
 constant pain, seeks that relief, you
 call him a hoodlum. No don't do it.,
 wrecked upon the the altar of his coun-
 try. II occurs to me that he who could
 use that expression. as applied to
 the l:,wiiest Confederate soldier,
 he can find In this broad
 land. however disslpatsd he may
 be. that if he had been at the Crucifix- ion of the Savior. he would have been the one that would have reviled Him. he would have seen nothing of his glory and power in the past. and woul have been incapable of seeing and com pretending its efrulzance in the future. He that was called a hoodlum Is my brother. In 1861 enlisted for the war ip the Barbour Grays under that splendid gentleman and perfect cap- tain. Blackmon. serving twelve months as Q private and three years as a sur geon. and did my duty in that four yeaEs' service, and 1t is the proudest record of my life. Yes. am confed- great grandson of Revolutionary sires. and am not ashamed. gentlemen. that at one time during the Revolutionary war. the nose with the hangman's rope was about both their necks. This was in the native State of South Caro- lima. They had been active In the ser- vice of their country, and when they were captured by British soldiers their death was determined upon, but thanks to the ability of a good old preacher. who preached the same as some of our preachers to this day. praying a long time. the preacher met the procession going to the gGllows, and recognizing them. said those are my members. and I wish to talk and pray with them be- fore execution. The request was granted, the preacher talked and prayed but before he said amen, he being fla miliar with a plan for their rescue, the soldiers of the United States appeared and they were saved. Upon this ground. gentlemen of this Convention, as a Confederate soldier, and being the grandson and great grandson of these sires. shall demand my right to regis ter as a voter Talk about the soldier being hupiliated. to ask registration along this basis. No. it will be his pride. I can see my four we'll educat- ed. proud. buoyant boys, now grown young men, can see in my minds eye
 ftr AA taN~ pe office and demand to be registered. be- cause they are descendants of a sold Ter. can see their cheeks mantle with pride. There is no trouble about humi- Hating the soldier. The soldiers rec ord is the proudest record of his life. The younger men in this Convention cannot see the glory. the terror. and the trials and dangers of those by-gone days: but let me tell you, gentlemen. even the enemy's praise was wrung from them. Professor Andrews. the distinguished scholar and renowned educator. and captain of artillery in Grants army. in his lecture on the life of R. E. Lee. after giving the lines and plans of the battle at Coal Harbor, pausing, he exclaimed: Where can you find troops comparable to that thin gray line; search the pages of history, you can't find it," Years ago 1t was my pleasure to attend meeting of the Med ics; Association of the State of Aiaba- ma in the city of Mobile, We'll there the kind and generous big hearted city and profession gave the association an excursion to Point Clear. On the re- turn trip there was a banquet. On our return from Point Clear the face of the waters were disturbed by the breeze to that extent that the boat rocked some. After the banquet a-e gathered in group talking and en- toying the occsSion--there hal been lots of good things at the banquet beer. champagne and anything you wanted to drink. Doctors rarely ever take anything of that kind. but do oc-
 cSsionally. on excursions did not zee but one doctor under the influence of stimulantS and 1t came to him like stroke of lightning. in a moments time he was under it's influence. Re- member We were all standing and rocking the boat caused us freuuently to change our positions in order to keeb our equilibrium. All of a sudden
 he staggered hack and dropped his
 hat. got 1t up with A terrible etort and
 brought himself back into the circle of the group. OH says. "Well. gentlemen. have decided that about the best
 thing I can do is to keep the motion of the boat" I think that i,S our po- sition today. brother delegates. We are assembled here from all over the State as brothers. and now, when our labors shall be finished let us all as brothers join hands without doubting and carry our finished work before our masters the pAoule for Annrohation