Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-04-28
A THRONG is HERE
IN HONOR OF GRAY.
Memorial Day in Americas
a Great Event.
GREAT THRoNes AT CEMETERY
Occasion More Generally Observed
Than Ever Before Splendid Grafton
by Hon George M. Napier-A Per-
feet Occasion,

On no previous occasion in Americas
was grander tribute ever paid the he.
roes of the Lost Cause than on Sunday
afternoon, Goth, when thousands of
citizens of town and county assembled
at Oakgrove Cemetery to lay garlands
upon the graves of the valiant slain
and listen to words of matchless elo-
quence wherein was recited their deeds
OF dauntIess courage and the grand
cause they defended from Moultrie TO
Appomattox.
Americas has, for nearly forty years,
witnessed such solemn occasions, but
none other approached this one, in
which a whole city joined.
When the pageant, civic and military,
arrived at the cemetery the assemblage
numbered thousands. Hundreds OF
veterans and visitors from the country
were there as well, while the entire
town had turned out en- mass.
The usual Impressive service of song
the orator of the day, Hon. George NJ.
Napier, of Monroe, Ga was gracefully
introduced by Col. f. A. Hooper. A
young man eloquent, Col. Napier told
again the story of the Confederauv and
of the heroism of race courageous, a
people of undaunted courage and of an
army the like of which the world had
never seen and will see no more.
His words, of choicest rhetoric and
burning with the enthusiasm and clio
quence that this subject only can in
spire, caught the vast Multitude and
held it spelIbound to the end of his
address.
The address dealt mainly with the
illustrious record ofthe private Confed
crate soldier, reference being made to
Lee, Davis and others as types of the
men in the ranks back of them, whose
bravery, constancy and devotion made
their position possible.
1t was remarkable record that il
had taken 22,O00.O00. with government
organization, armies and navies superb
ly prepared to begin with, and with the
power of wealth and credit, 10 subdue
100000, nearly half of whom were
slaves; that it required 1850, 600 sold
iers four long, bloody years to defeat
600, 600.
And when hungry war had devoured
the fat ribs Of peace, the soldier con-
tended with conditions more frightful
than the shock of battle-devastation
desolatiop, ruin and revolution in the
laws and customs of his citizenship.
The proud heritage of being the sons
and daughters of athese men was set
forth. An extended tribute was pad
to the women of the south for their de-
votion and sacrifices, and merited
praise was bestowed upon the wartime
slaves for their good conduct in pro-
tecting the families and property Of
their absent owners.
An unusual feature of the address WIS
q discussion, with plausible argument.
as to what the confederacy might have
become if it had triumphed.
He counseled that the example of
Lee and the southern survivors OF the
struggle, IN devoting themselves to
healing the wounds of war and IN edu-
eating the youth of the south to take
their places as foremost citizens of the
republic, be followed by all. The 10y
atty of the south to the reunited coun-
try had well been proved.
Col, Napier was roundly congratuIa-
ted upon his magnificent address,
scores of veterans as we'll as the ladies
pressing his hand in thanks for the
part he had thus taken in our memorial
exer cises.
There were sixty-four veterans in
the line of march, while the military
presented a fine display with full
ranks. Every Confederate grave was
covered with flowers. three volleys
were fred over the grassy sward where
the heroes slept, and thus passed an
other Memorial day.