The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-14
wrIcoME THE HEROES.

heroic courage or suohhio o" than did those men in gray who are again visiting the Capitol where some of them witnessed the birth of new Nation. They were component parts Of an army which held the attention of the world, compelled the admiration of all civilized people and drew upon them the plaudits of soldiers of all nations.
 Some of the men who are with us today stood on the grounds which have since become classic and witnessed the first President of the new power as he took upon himself the heavy burden of guid- ing the new Republic amid the turmoils of such a mighty conflict as this con- tinent had not before witnessed. For the most part they were young men, many of them beardless boys, with breasts filled with hope and hearts beat ing with courage and burning with the fires of patriotism. They rocked not of danger nor thought of failure. If there rose before them any premonition of the struggle which confronted them they reviewed it with the high born courage of the true son of the South. fortified with the knowledge that they were talk ing upon themselves the weight of a peoples welfare and were going forth in defence of the sunny land of their birth. Some of these men wore the stars and bars which showed that they had already attained rank in the army of the newly born Republic, but many of the were privates in the ranks who for four years were to endure privations and hardships, and to mingle In the roar and carnage of battle on many a hotly contested field whcih was to become as classic as Marathon or Thermopylae. They came I from the humble walks of life, the repre- sentatives of the people, from the farm' the workshop and the counter but all fired by the same impulse, buoyed by the same hope and looking towards the future with the same bright anticipations of glorious success. Happily for them the future was hidden and to their eyes no vision of disaster and failure came to mar their joy. For them no "com- ing events cast their shadows oefore' and no croaking ravens told of day | when their loved flag would go down in final defeat and they would turn with | saddened hearts ard weary steps to ruined homes and shattered fortunes, while the flag which had led and guided them through scenes of carnage and glory would be furled forever. Only the bright side, the glory and pomp and pageantry of war was visible and the end was mercifully shut from their eyes.
 All that was more than two-score years ago, and today scattered remnants of that grand soldiery are here to visit us but how changed! Instead of the bound ing step of youth they come back witt the deiiberateness of age and years. In stead of youthful locks and smootf
 cheeks they return with hoary hairs
 and grizzled boards, and instead of look
 ing forward to fields of glory they glanc
 back to the buried past and speak O
 camp and field, of advance and retreat of triumph and defeat, and as comrad
 meets comrade and the half-forgottei
 scenes of those stirring times are con
 jured up they fight their battles owe
 and recall many an incident which the.
 thought had been buried.
 But none the less welcome are thes
 gray veterans to the people of this Mont
 gomery than were the young heroes t
 the people of that Montgomery whicl | many of them have not seen in fort.
 years. There will be seen here ant
 there a Montgomery man who saw then
 on that historic day of inauguration
 They will be welcomed by man,
 veterans, now residents of the city, wh
 have come from all portions of Alabam
 to make their homes here and who ar
 representatives of the various regiment
 and commands which went to make Il
 Alabamas unmatched soldiery, and the
 will meet men of our city who. in variou
 other States, held towards Heaven tn
 same glorious banner than which no fla ever hoated more proudly, waved nor
 grandly amid the smoke of battle o was furled with less discredit. And las s but not least they will be welcomed an cared for by the sons and daughters (
 those who made history and who would if necessary, emulate the heroic deeds ( their fathers and the sublime enduranc of their mothers.
 Montgomery is glad to show a war !. welcome to these grayhaired visitor: e Some of them are strangers within ou f gates, and some of them will never agai a see the dome of the old building on Cap u tol hill. Let them feel that they al I, among brothers and sisters. and that u
 same old Southern blood which warm' T to the young soldiers of the infant nati' 70 still nourishes hearts as true and fiov through veins as patriotic as did u .a blood of the Montgomerians of '61. o the old veterans cannot keep step to u /, stirring strains of Dixie" as careful f. and buoyantly as they did forty yea r ago let us all show them that the gra
 hairs of a Confederate veteran are 2 - welcome as were the waving locks
 the first days of the struggle.
 Montgomery opens her doors an "A throws wide her gates to the heroes
 the Lost Cause.
 m The Chinese exclusion law expires
 on NIav pext St -,rV fro