The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-05-29
OLD VETS STIRRED,
General Gordon Almost Mobbed by
Enthusiastic Comrades.
NEW ORLEANS FLOODED AGAIN.
This Time 1t is Flood of Soui IL
ern orntory. The old CHIEF
tain Kissed by Tcxas
Maiden.

|
Maiden.
The thirteenth annual reunion uf |
the United Confederate Veterans was
opened in the great auditorium ut the
fair grounds in New Orleans OH Tues
day OF last week. The weather was
perfect and all the arrangements by
the local entertainment committees
the most successful. There were
thousands OF vrterln soldiers, hun
dredS OF beautiful women and ;lbnvc
and around on every hand Il prlfusion
of lluttering flags and waving strcan-
ers. There was martial music with
out limit and enthusiasm unboundcd.
Over the beauty and success Of the
day there was but single shadow,
and that promises to disappear before
the morning. This was the illness Of
Gen. Gordon, the commanders in-chicf
OF the organization. He was not we'll
when he left his hotel for the audi
/, tOrium and has not been in his usual
4 health for several days. His strength
4 was not in reality sufficient for the
ordeal to which he subjected himself
and before the close Of tile opening
session he was greatly wcaried man.
Nothing but his grim fighting spirit
carried him through the day without
something akin to collapse lie was
not able to attend the afternoon SeS
sion at the auditorium, and remained
quietly in his room at the hotel, re
ceiving no visitors. His condition is
In no manner serious, but it is pos
Slblc that he may not be able to pre-
side at all the sessions ut the auClto-
rum between now and Friday noon.
He expects, however, to be present
Thursday.
When the hour for opening the
convention arrived the platform was
crowded with fair women and men
whose names arc household words
throughout the south. Gen. Gordon
was delayed somewhat in reaching the
grounds and his entrance into the hall
was an ovation. Cheer after cheer
rang through the building us lie came
rapidly down the aislcS leaning On the
arm Of Adjt. Gen. Micklr. lie was
surrounded instantly by group of
friends us lie reached the rostrun and
for time was unable to reach his
chair. No sooner was. he seated than
fair young woman, Miss Tarlton of
Waco, Tex, approached and bending
down kissed the general. He sprang
quickly to his feet to acknowledge the
- 1nnor-- ..stls sarnin,ated bows. Gen. j !.
Is. Ievert, com n1ander OF Jne Louis
lana division of the confederate vet
Grams. called the assembly to order
and introduced the chapla n general,
Rev. j. William Jones, who delivered
an eloquent Invocation. Then, in sue
cessl0n came speeches of welcome ~
the veterans from Paul Capdcvielfc,
mayor OF New Orleans; Logs Char
bounet, who spoke for. the lIt;tl or
ganization or the Sons Of Tctcrans:
Mrs. William j. Bchan, yeprcscnting
the Confederate Sulltllstn Memorial
association, and cow. w. !card,
. who spoke OF the people Of tho State
,of Louisiana. .Afjer few opening
words Of wclcomcthc governor said:
0Ov. HEARD.
'''VctcrnDS, The outcome Of the
struggic that you carried on for four
long years against the most powerful
forces and armaments that the world
mas yet seen, in no manner or sense
can obscure the glory and fame that
you won for Dixics land. With a
total enlistment Of 600, 900 you con
'frontcd 2,SO0,OOO. or these in round
numbers 500, 900 we're of foreign birth
and had Europe been in formal alli-
;ance with the north, it could scarcely
nave been expected TO send more
than this number OF its organized
soldicry for It's quota in such a coali-
'tlon. Considering the 200 600 negro
soldiers, the 500 900 foreign soldiers
and the =, 100000 native \ mcricans.
III Is not eXtravanRant to say that the
'oO0, ,OOO ConfedcratcS confronted
coalition or America, Europe and
Africa. When we consider these in
disputable facts we cannot but have
'commisscration for The person who
would seek to dctract from the un-
parallclcd resistance made by the
armies in gray, Lby impugning the
motives by which they we're in1pcllcd
TO make this truly legendary defense
OF their homes and constitutional
rlgnts as they construed these rights
10 oe. Inc governor concluded his
address by repeating the welcome Of
tnc people OF Louisiana Il. R.
8tt ttiNiuCUoCiliiioO VI NCW DTlclnS, chair
man Of the local executive committee.
In charge OF all the arrangements for
the reunion then made most happy
address.
GEN. GORDON'S sPEECM.
AS Gen. Gordon rose to reply he
syGS enthusiastically chccrcd.
Gen. John Il. Gordon said in part:
TO my thought 1t is most fitting
that this proud and patriotic organiza-
tion shor Id meet again nthis historic
city which gave it birth The meet
ing of such men as you welcome today,
whose past deeds will remain forever
an inspiration to American yalor and
to future sacrifices for constitutional
freedom, is an auspicious event in the
cOuntrY's history, whenever and whcr
ever 1T may occur; but how peculiarly
inspiring is this reunion in Louisiana.
on this Tooth anniversary or her birth
into governmental alliance with
American States. a Roman eye would
have discovered in a meeting of such
men, at such time, an omen OF good
to the cause of liberty; and, Amcri-