The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-06-17

country and but one flag.
You came back to take up your
old work, to build a new civilization,
TO redeem a land hat had almost ma
i1clousiy been given to the negro. In
less than ~thirty-five years, unaided by
anything except a fertile land and
energy, you have attained commercial
for the south. The south has
already snatched from New England
the hitherto unchallenged record of
cotton manufacturing. The south is
destined to- become the garden spot
in his fair land. (Appfause.)
We welcome you to the warm nos
pitality and sunshine of the south,
and if that Is not warm enough, well
come you to some of our good homes"
(Applause and cheers.)
Remarkable Demonstration Greets
General Lee.
After Colnel A. S. Williams. mayr
Of Nashville, had extended the city's
welcome, General Gordon brought
forward General Stephen D. Lee, as
the permanent presiding officer and
commander-in-chief. General Lees
appearance was the signal for a re-
markable outburst of enthusiasm.
Cheer after cheer greeted him. Hats,
canes, handkerchiefs and coats went
into the air in all parts Of the audi
torium, and the gallery added it's vo-
c%iferous voice to the demonstration.
The-band took up the spirit of the oc-
%casion, n General Lee was kept
bowling from side to side for several
minutes.
He said:
1T is impossible for me to respond
to the kindly and cordial welcome SO
wore the gray, without thinking of
the great soldier and orator upon
whom this duty would have fallen, if
he had not been taken from US. 1t
was in historic Nashville, seven
years ago, that his eloquent voice
gave utterance to the gratitude of
our hearts to the citizens of this
beautiful city for the hospitality for
which they are famous, and which
today has laid us under new obliga-
lions. 1t was here that he placed in
your hands his commission as your
chieftan, and sought to retire into
private station. With an outburst
of loyal devotion, resiStleSS is the
whirlwind, you again called him to
be your leader, and gave him the
commission of your unmeasured
love and confidence. He was true
to your service to the last. His no
bic voice is hushed forever. He has
answered the great roll call. He has
conquered the las enemy He has
joined his great commander in the
white hosts of peace. The armies
of the ~Confederacy have marched to
flames eternal camping ground, and
We who meet today are only the be-
lated stragglers of that mighty host
who have entered into their immor-
tally.
The living are brave and noble,
But h cad were the bravest Of
of all,
AS 1 listened to the eloquent and
comforting addresses of welcome, it
was impossible for me not to remem-
Der an occasion now nearly forty
years past, when some Of us yearned
to enjoy the hospitality Of Nashville.
Many of her citizens would at that
time have been glad to see us, but
not half as much SO as we would
have been to see them. Between us
and these hospitable homes there
stretched a wall of fire, and instead
of your cordial greetings we heard
the thunder Of guns.
This time, however, We have kept
our engagements better, n your
good will has made us more than
conQuerors. We have entered into
this city of great men and great men,
cries. We have beheld your educa-
ton institutions, sending light and
hope into the remotest corners of our
beloved land. We nave made pill
grimages to the graves of your mighty
dead. We have been refreshed by
your hospitality.
1.-The Confederate soldier does not
forget hat from the bosom of this
old commonwealth came a hundred
and fifteen thousand men to follow
the banners of Lee and Johnston, and
that more than ~thirty-one thousand
were enlisted in the armies of the
Union. TeHnesseans believe with
their blood. They did not count the
cost when the great question of state
or nation had to be settled with
drawn swords. They spent the last
drop of blood, the last mite of treas
ure, for the defense of Tennessee,
their mother and their sovereign.
we, the witnesses of that great
sacrifice. a never cease to honor
Tennessee for the blood cf her sons.
for the tears and prayers of her
daughters, for the indomitable spir-
it which rebuilt the ruined homes,
which sowed the blasted fields, which
has wrenched prosperity from field
and mountain, and has made this
wonderful land once more a thing
of beauty and a pride to every south
ern heart. You have don well, men
and women of Tennessee. With
peaceful hands you lave won back
more than your fathers lost.
Il wonder sometimes whether.
when the great balances OF the uni
verse are poised, and the great judg-
ments of the Ancient of Days are
rendered, whether even when the
last human history Is written of the
war between the states, and the slow
verdict of remote prosperity is TAX
en-, the cause we loved will seem as
lost az it once seemed to us. It may
be hat in the providence OF God and
the development of humanity these
fearful sacrifices were necessary for
the highest good of this nation and
of the world. Truly in human exper-
fence, without the shedding of
blood there is no redemption. Rath-
Ell let us believe that the world is
richer and better, purer and greater
for the tragic story OF forty years
ago, and hat the shed blood has
brought blessing, honor, glory ana
power, incorruptible treasures of
which a brave and noble people can
never be despoiled.