The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-20
Thirteenth Annual Re- union OfCOn federate
 Veterans. STRAIN IS TOO MUCH
 FOR GENERAL GORDON His Fighting Spirit, However, Refuses to Yield. Mrs. Stonewall Jackson Introduced to the Old Soldiers and Pande- monium Breaks Loose.
 Judge Reagan Delivers
 Short Address.

New Orleans May 19.-Today at noon the thirteenth annual -eunioa of the United Confederate Veterans was opened in the great auditorium at the Far Grounds.
 The weather was perfect and all the arrangements by the local entertainment committee were most successful. Ihere were thousands of veteran soldiers, han- dreds of beautiful won n and above and around on every hand pro fusion of 1uttering flags and waving streamers. There was martial music without limit and enthusiasm unbounded Over the bsauty and success of the day there was but a single shadow and that promises 10 disappear oef ore the morning
 This was the illness of General Gordon the Commander in Chief ',f the organi- zation. He was not well when he left his hotel for the auditorium and had not been in his usual health for several days His strength was not m reality sufficient for the ordeal to which he subjected him. self, and before the close of the opening session he was a greatly wearied man. Nothing but his grim lighting spirit car ried him through the day without some thing akin to a collapse.
 Gordon's Illness Not Serious.
 He was not able to attend the afternoon session at the auditorium and remained III ms IOOIH dt lHe nOtSi, IcGGN- in no visitors. His condition is in no manner serious, but 1t is possible that he may not be able 10 preside at all the ses- sions at the audit ori nm between now and Friday noon. He expects, however, to be present tomorrow.
 When the hour for opening the con- vention arrived the platform was crowd ed with fair women and men whose names are household words throughout ha W. hala Uad somewhat in reaching the grounds and his entrance into the hall was an ova- tion. Cheer after cheer rang through the building as he came rapidly down the aisle leaning on the arm.~of Adjutant- General Mickle. He was surrounded in- stantly by a group of friends as he reach ed the rostrum and for time was unable to reach his chair No sooner was he seated than a fair young woman Miss Tarleton of Waco, Texas approached and bending down, kissed the General. He sprang quickly to his feet to acknowledge the honor with repeated bows. ,ss
 Gen. J. P. Levert, commander of the Louisiana Division of the Confederate Veterans, called the assembly to order and introduced the Chaplain General, Rev J. William Jones, who delivered an elo- quent invocation. Then in succession came speeches of welcome to the Veter- ans from Hon. Paul Capdevielle, Mayor or New Orleans; Loys Charbounet who spoke for local organizations of the Sons of Veterans; Mrs. William J. Behan, rep resenting the Confederated Southern Me- morial Association, and Governor w. W. Heard, who spoke for the people of the State of Louisiana. After a few opening words Of welcome, the Governor said:
 The Speech of Heard.
 ''Veterans-The outcome of the struggle nn for frt, against the most powerful forces and armaments that the world has yet seen in no manner or sense can obscure the glory and fame that you won for Dixie & land. With total enlistment of 6OO.OO you confronted 2SOO,O00 Of these in round numbers 50O,00O were of foreign birth and had Europe been in formal alliance with the North 1t could scarcely have been expected to send more than this number of its organized soldiery for Its quota in such a coalition Consider ing the 100000 negro soldiers, the 800. .O0O foreign soldiers. and the 2l00.0OO native Americans, 1t is not extravagant to say that the 6O0,000 Confederates confronted a coalition Of America. Europe and Africa
 When we consider these indisputa ble Iacts we cannot but have commisera tion for the person who would seem to detract from the unparalleled resistance made bv the armies in gray. by impugning the mo- toives by which they were impelIed to make this truly legendary defense of their homes and constitutional rights as they construed these rights to be-"
 The Governor concluded his address hv repeating the welcome of the people of Louisiana.
 E, B. kruttschnitt of New Orleans chairman of the Local Executive Commit tee in charge of all the arrangements for the reunion, made a most happy address and concluded by rendering through Gen eral Gordon as their commander in chief of the auditorium which had been con- structed for their use. As General Gordon Pose to reply he was enthusiastically cheered. His address was as follows:
 General Gordon's Speech.
 General Gordon said: 'Governor, Mir. Mayor and Gentlemen
 of the Committee, My Fellow Country
 men:
 No words that I can utter will ad-- equately express the pleasure which ex- perience in responding today, in the name of my comrades, to this character istic welcome extended by New Orleans and Louisiana; for the second time with in decade To my thought it is most fitting that this proud and patriotic or ganization should again meet in this historic city which gave it birth. The meeting of such men as you welcome to- day, whose past deeds will remain for ever an inspiration to American valor and to future sacrifices for constitutional freedom, Is suspicious event in the countrys history whenever and wherever 1t may occur but how peculiarly inspir- ing Is this reunion in Louisiana. nud this one hundredth anniversary of her new birth into governmental alliance with American States. A Roman eye would have discovered in a meeting of such men. at such a time, an omen of good to the cause of liberty; and. American eyes should see in 1t nothing but good to Aha uhnla rennhlic It musf of nAcessifY