The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-31
FIRST DAY OF THE ELEVENTH ANNUAL
CONVENTION.
TWO THOUSAND DELEGATES
Present when the Convention is Called
to Order-ProceedinRs Confined to
Addresses of Welcome and Replies
and Observation-Disclosures Lee and
Others Called on for Speeches-Rain
) Causes PosUponement ofthe Ladies'
Proposed Flower Parade Other Dell
egations Arriving.

Memphis. Tenn, May 2S.-Although
the hour for calling the convention of
the United Confederate Veterans to or
der was 10 o'clock a. m, according to
the programme, it was twenty minutes
later when General George w. Gordon,
of Memphis, raped his desk with a
gavel made Of wood taken from a tree
which shaded the favorite seat of JEFF
ferson Davis, ut Beauvoir.
The Rev. J. William Jones, OF Rich
mond Va, delivered the invocation and
at it's conclusion General Gordon intro
duced Governor McMillen.
Governor McMillen welcomed the del
egates in behalf of Tennessee. He COM
plimented the men Of the south on
their glorious record in the war and de-.
p1ored the fact that SO many Of the
glorious band had passed away. Cheer
after cheer greeted the governors re-
marks.
Mayor Williams. of the city of Mem
phis, was next introduced by General
Geo. w. ior6cn, to extend the welcome
of the city of Memphis
The greetings of the Memphis veter-
ans and executive committee of the cit
liens of Memphis were extended by
former United States Senator Turley.
- Senator Turley declared his pleasure
at the duty OF extending the greetings
of the citizens of Memphis. Among
these citizens, he said were many VINO
during the war had placed their SYM
pathy and resources against the cause
of the confederacy. To these citizens of
Memphis who had opposed the south
during the war much of the success of
the reunion was due. His announce
ment of Ihe part taken in the work by
with repeated cheers.
Chairman Gordon, then in a happy
speech brought forward Hon. Timothy
E. Cooper, of Mississippi, who extend
ed a welcome to the Daughters of the
conference.-the aaConfederated South
,ern Memorial Associations and to the
: representatives of the Jefferson Davis
Monument Association.
General Geo. w Gordon then spoke
briefly turning the hall over to Cen
eral John 3. Gordon, of Georgia, the
commander-in-ch of the United Con-
federate Veterans. for their use.
The mention of General Gordon's
name was greeted with cheer after
cheer as the tall form of the grand
commander was seen advancing from
the rear of the platform.
Bang, went the gavel in the hands of
General John 3. Gordon, but the cheers
went on, the veterans standing up,
swinging their hats and giving again
and again the yell of welcome.
please let US have quiet" rang the
clear, penetrating voice of General
Gordon piercing through the house,
and after a few more rounds of vocif-
erous welcome the delegates sat down.
i. At the conclusion of Gneral Gordon's
address General S. D. Lee presented an
oaken gavel whose head was made
from the wood of the steamer Star of
the West. at which was fired the first
shot. of the war as it attempted to carry
relief to Fort Sumter.
General George W. Gordon delivered
} a gavel from wood taken from a tree
growing the battlefield of Apo
mattox.
In a neat address General John e.
Gordon accepted both gavels. He then
presented in few happy words Colonel
Bennett II. Young, of Louisville, KY.
the orator of the day.
While Colonel Young was in the
midst of his address the form of Gen
eral FitZhugh Lee was seen as the
general plowed his way through the
crowd on his way to the platform. He
was greeted with warm cheers as he
stepped upon the platform. General
Gordon stepped forward, grasped his
hand warmly and turning round to the
delegates said Comrades I have only
to mention the name of Lee.
The cheers redoubled in force and
volume and General Lee was compelled
repeatedly to bow his acknowledge
ments Of the hearty greeting OF the old
Z comrades.
Colonel Young's oration was received
with hearty cheers.
oh
way to General Geo. w. Gordon, who
introduced Right Rev. Thomas F. Gail
or, of Memphis.
Bishop Gailor, who is a forceful and
pleasing speaker, took exceptions TO the
term rebellion as applied to the war
between the states and spoke earnestly
in favor of educating the children OF
the south so that they would clearly
comprehend the sacrifices and patriot
ism of their fathers. He made a strong
plea for that Justice to the motives &C
tuating the south during the war,
which. he asserted, had been denied
them by certain historians. The chill
dren OF the south, he declared, must
never be made to believe that their
fathers had done anything but what
they believed in their hearts to be right.
He closed with an eloquent tribute to
the patience and heroism shown by the
men of the south, which fully equaled,
he said, the gallanuy reVedieu oy tne
men upon the battlefield.
During the address OF the bishop,
General Joe Wheeler had quietly enter
ed the hall. AS soon as General Cor
don espied MIN, he raped vigorously for
order and said with a smile: Although
! / was a member of the infantry OF the
:, confederate army, I am not ashamed
of the cavalry" and grasp1ng the
hand of General Wheeler he said SIM
ply: Comrades Joseph Wheeler.
While the two famous leaders stood
hand-in-hand the cheers that had
greeted General Wheeler on his first