The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-05-01

of defeat without one stain of dishonur.
and for this reason, l am standing here
today III response to the high compli-
mcnt paid me by this association of
welcomingi in behalf of the Confederate
soldiers of Texas, not only their old
comrades who have como TO Join in the
celebration of the lost, but not forgot.
ten cause, but all others, no matter
from where they come, or whether
tbev re ;occ in the victory of the blue
or mourn over the defeat of the g1ay.
| welcome you in the name of the cltv
of Dallas to the warm hearts and hos
pitablc homes of its noble men and
splendid women, who are but typical
of all The generous qualities found
among the people of Texas, and 1 as
sure you that it is the wish of all the
people of this most splendid of our
young cities, that you may, one and
all, liDd kindred hearts and congcnial
souls, and be able to recall the days
spent with us as among the most
pleasant OF your lives. In welcoming
the old comrades Of our States, with
some OF whom for four long years we
shared the tolls of the midnight march.
the dangers Of the morning fight, can
do 80 with the assurance that the Con-
fcdcratc soldiers of Texas, both as citl.
zcns Of the State and of the great re-
public, have not proved false TO their
record in the past.
C 10 the Sons and Daughters of the
Confcdcracy, l extend to you double
welcome, for you are bone of our bone
ana flesh OF our flesh, and TO your hand
Is committed the task of hclping TO
vlndicatc the truth of history when we
arc gone and charge you today, Sons
and daughters, that you never grow
weary OF the trust committed to your
Keeping. Remember how long il took
the world to learn for what William,
the Silent, fought, for what Horn, Eu-
mont and thousands of others died, and
that there is surely sleeping in the
womb OF time the pen of some other
Motley which will dive through the
musty records Of the past as it tells the
true story of the rise and fall Of the
Southern Confcdcracy, and when it is
told it will live embalmcd in story and
in song until the English language
dies"
AT l.l5 p. m. COMMANDMENTS Chief
Gordon arrived. The manner of his
entrance into the vast auditorium was
dramatic. General Van Xandt had all
nounced that all hope of the presence
OF General Gordon had been abandoned.
and the meeting had been turned over
to General S. ID. Lee, commander of
the Army of the Tennessee.
General Lee was in The midst of his
speech, when number of voices and
stamping of feet were heard from the
rear OF the hall. The roar grew to
thundcrous proportions, and above it |
all could be heard the magic word
" Gordon ~ At that name The veterans
rose to their feet.
g will speak no mOrc,' said Gen
cral Lee, when the commander had as
ccndcd to the platform. "Our beloved |
commander can say to you words that
will please you more than those Of any
other man."
1t was no fault Of minc," said
General Gordon when tho applause
had subsidized, "that | was twenty hours
late. Maybe you boys can remember
II time when was not late"
General Gordon's speech vas as fol-
lows:
Governor, Mr.. Mayor, Gentlemen
OF Committees and My Fellow Coun.
trymen of Texas How shall tell
you what we think of Texas, Of her
great hearted people, her broad prairics
and still broader hospitality? but
poorly express the thought Of these
veterans when ! say that whether we
look at her geographically historically
or sentlmentalIy, Texas 10 about the
h Shn
raise cattle enough on her wild lands
to furnish all The canned beef for the
armies of Uncle Sam, John Bull and
the German empire, and still have fer
tile lands enough left, if planted in the
lcecy staple to make more bales of
cotton than are now produced by
America and Egypt combined or, if |
planted in grain crops, to feed every |
man, woman and child in the Union.
"With such a territory-amos equal |
to that Of the Original Thirteen States
which threw off the yoke of bondage
and wrcnchcd freedom from the great
est Of empires this great common
wealth holds today within its borders
Il population devoted to those same
lmpcrishabIc principlos-a population
which, il the occasion should come,
would wage another seven years war |
III defense of this inherited republic,
It's flag, its laws and its regulated lib
critics.
"In the few moments in which pro- |
prlcty permits me to speak, dare not
trust myself to make more than the
briefest allusiOn to Texas history. |
cannot survey even the confines of
that vast field, made SO rich and so in
spring by the great deeds of her mar.
lial sons. Indulge me just long
enough to say that from her birth,
through all her costly experiences as Il
struggling republic, and through sub
sequcnt wars, the sons of Texas,
whenever summoned to the sacrifice,
have poured out their blood freely on
Libcrty's affairs. From Goliad and
San Jaclnto, from Buena Vista and
Ccrro Gordo, from Chicamauga's hills
and the sh,vered rocks Of the Round