The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-04-30
Eighty Thousand Men Sleeping III the
City ofTcnts. Twelve ThouS-
and Breakfast at One Time.
Opening Exercises.

Opening Exercises.
Dallas, Texas. is crowded with Old
Confederate heroes and their friends
1t was estimated Tuesday night that
there was $4,000 visitors in the CITY.
From early morning unit! late II
night the streets were thruhGeC. ana
it is said over 10000 people visited
the camp of the old veterans IN the
fair grounds. While thousands OF
visitors did not leave the business Sec
tion of the city, Camp Johnston, two
miles distant, where the opening eNer-
cises were held, was crowded TO the
limit. Delegation after delegation
from the four corners Of the country
reported and were assigned to their
divisions in the vast city OF tents.
The great mess shed, seating l2.QOC:
was opened at 10 o'clock. An army
Of cooks and walters worked like bea,
vers. while the veterans, with a hun
ger born Of night in the open. dic
their best in an able manner to keep
the cooks busy.
DIDN'T WAIT FOR COMMANDER.
The convention was compelled to
open with Gen. Gordon, the comman-
der in chief absent. Hon. John NJ.
Allen. the orator OF the day, was not
present when the convention began.
Gov. Sayers and Hon. 6. 3. Gerald,
however, appeared at the last moment
and were vociferouly cheered. Among
those on the stage were Judge John
H. Reagan the only surviving mem
Der of the Davis cabinet: W. L. Gabell:
Gen. Stephen D. Lee, cousin OF r.
E. Lee: Gov. Heard, of Louisiana:
Mayor Capdeville Of New Orleans:
Col. Lee Crandall, who was on Stone
wall Jackson's staff: Miss Lucy Lee
Hill of Chicago, the sponsor IN Chief,
and Miss Virginia Paddock Of Fort
Worth, Tex, the chief maid OF honor.
When the convention opened the
veterans, many Of them comparing the
bounteouS plenty of their breakfasts
with the starvation they were cften
called upon to endure during the war,
were in high good humor. The build
ing, seating 5000 people, was filed
to the topmoSt row, soon after the
convention was called to order by Gen.
K. NJ. Fan Zandt, president Of the
Texas Reunion association. From
pillar and post hung bunting and
flags and pictures of old Confederate
chieftainS. The crowds were COM
posed not alone of veterans, but OF
their sons and wives and daughters.
Maids Of honor and sponsors, some
notably those from LouiSiana-in
brass buttons and Confederate gray,
but the majority in cool white-lent
an air of ornamentation to the scene.
Following the opening Of the meeting
by Gen. Van Zandt, Chaplain Young
of Texas delivered touching inToca-
tion. Gen. Joseph D. Savers, on be-
half Of the State of Texas, then wei
coined the visitors to the State. He
was followed by Ben. E. Cabell, mayor
Of Dallas, who gave the veterans the
freedom of the city, speaking as fol-
lows:
THE WELCOME TO DALLAS.
Hon. Commander and Members of
the United Confederate Veterans AS
ISOLATION: Words possess not the
power to express the welcome we
would extend to you. Within our
borders dwell the children OF your
selves and of your comrades in arms.
Taught by the glorious examples fur
niShed in your unparalleled record OF
courage and patriotism, we individu-
ally vie with each other in our devo-
tion to your heroic association. Actu-
ated by a love akin to idolatry with
one voice we bade you come, and from
the youngest tot to the aged member
Of every household feelings Of pleasur-
able anticipation have gone out to
every nook and corner Of Dixie land.
Since your coming was announced
in our midst there is not threshold
here where aught but glad welcome
awaits you. Proud Of the historic re-
cord bequeathed to US by you our ap-
probation and devotion to your most
noble band by opening our homes, our
arms and our hearts foryour incoming.
We would have you feel that though
you have many Of you travelled far,
you are yet very near and in the very
midst Of the strongest affections OF
the Sunlit land Of the south. | beg 10
assure you that nowhere in the land
that challenges the admiration of the
would for its devotion TO your beloved
association can be found hearts more
Loyalty devoted than those whose
guests you are today.
We are grateful for this opportunity
to show our children our unchanged
and Interchangeable devotion to the he
roes whose deeds of valor fill the
brightest pages OF our countrys MS
tory. Personally it is the proudest
day Of my life as the representative Of
our enterprising city in the name Of
every citizen to bid you joyous vel
come. We beg that you will under
stand that we take holiday to do
your bidding. That our most earnest
and anxious wish is to act the welcome
of our hearts which is more loving than
our tongue can tell.
To the Daughters of the Confederacy
and the Sons Of Confederates we wish
to give assurance that without them
this grand aSSemblage would be in
complete. The veterans regard you as
an inseparable part Of their associa-
tion and could not satisfactorily hold
their reunions without your presence.
Your attendance is a glad manifesto OF
your appreciation of the glorious herit-
age acquired by your fathers through
undaunted courage and unblemished
patriotism. We bid you thrice well
come and ask your cordial participation
in all and everything prepared for this
great occasion. To all other visitors
coming into our midst to encourage
and join in the glad shouts of lasting
love and devotion for the aged veter-
ans, who N the morning Of their lives.
furnished to the world the grandest
examples Of heroic devotion to the
principles recorded in the worlds his
tory, we Did you cordial welcome. To
al that make IN this GRAND aSSemhI=