The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-28
Leads all North Carolina Daies i'm News and CISsaor
REUNION OF CONFEDERATE
VETERANS AT MEMPHIS

a beautiful tribute to the city and
state in which this reunion is to be held
was bestowed by President Mckinley.
in his recent visit when he said: IT ann
glad to meet with the people of Mem
phis and of the state of Tennessee.
Their history is associated with the
greatest struggles and sacrifices of our.
country, and their valor has been con-I
spicuous on every battlefield of the re-
public. The commonwealth has lost
none of the zeal and patriotism which.
gave to it in the earlier days the name
of the Volunteer State"
On the occasion of the chief execu-I
tive's brief visit, less than three weeks
ago, he was received by the patriotic
people with great enthusiasm. A COM
pany of grizzled veterans in their old
uniforms acted as his guard of honor,
and on the banners stretched across the
street, amid profuse display of bunting,
he read, Mr.. President, the City Is
Yours" and Welcome to the Nation'sl
President" These sentiments voice the
nations proclamation of prosperity, In
which the south is sharing in abundant
measure. Her fields are filled with pro-
spective harvests as never before, and
mills than all the north and west COM
bined. The ten states of the former
Confederacy which these very veterans
soon to be assembled IN reunion fought
so strenuously to preserve autonomous
have more than doubled their popula-
tion in the period which has passed
since the war and now can boast near
ly fourth the nations total number
90 H., 1.g -. sa.s III a
business ability of the southern people
have been conclusively shown, and the
whole nation rejoices that the tide has,
turned and blessed this section with
Astounding prosperity.
1t is indeed an era of good feeling
when the boys in gray and those in
blue assemble in the same month, al
most on the same day, and dedicate
their noblest efforts to perpetuating the
sentiments of devotion to their departed
dead Sentiment rules the world,
whether it be the sentiment Of loyalty.
of patriotism or of affection. Meeting
on the common ground Of tender regard
for those who gave their lives for the
defense of their homes, yielding to the
noblest sentiment of all-devoton--its
due need, the participants are ennObled,
their lives refreshed and strengthened
by these reunions The little bands of
soldiers are decimated almost daily.
Year by year their ranks are thinned by
death, and it is with tender reverence
that the country regards these suryiV-
ors of a generation past. q
The days go by and the busy years are told;
The brown locks are sprinkled with gray,
But deep in hearts never, never growing old,
Lingcr memories we hallow Away.
Loved voices come in the stiffness Of the night;
We listen, their echoes to hear;
We wander back to campfres burning bright,
And the bugle rings out loud and clear
Our national government in cooper
ating to make this great event a sue
cess has established a branch postof-
flee, has sent a gunboat to participate
in the fetes on the Mississippi and, incl
dentally, on the occasion Of the presi-
dents visit on the 1st of May, opened
the great Pan american exposition at
Buffalo by a message Of congratulation
sent from the beautiful city on the bank
of the great Father of Waters.
Provisions on a vast scale have been
made to house and feed the many thou
sands expected to participate, and his
torical associations viii be awakened in
the grand finale by an exact reproduce
ton of the naval duel fought between
the Monitor and the Merrimac ending
with the final blowing up Of the latter
by a sunken mine amid an unprecedent-
ed display of fireworks.