Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-15
For Late Gen. John B,
Gordon Are Spoken
At Reunion Of United Confeder-
ate Veterans at Nashville.
Fourteenth Annual Convention Called
to Order by Gen. Geo. Warren-Ad-
dresses by Lieut.. Cen. s. D. Ice and
Or. p. II. Mekinn, Orator Of Day.

Nashville Tenn, June s14.-Under
every condition tending to successful
reunion. Nashville, today, officially well
coined the United Confederate Veter-
ans and their friends, constituting 6,
host conservatively estimated at 3d.
900 people.
The exercises took place in the
Tabernacle and every bit OF space wds
taken long before the Veterans wore
called to order by General George w.
Gordon of Memphis, commander Of the
Tennessee division. IT was the first
convention in the history of the organ
ization in which the Sons of Veterans
sat with their fathers and the first of
ID annual meetings at which the dis
tinguished cavalry officer, John B. Cor
don, did not preside.
A few steps to the rear of Gen. Ste
phcn d. Lee, who occupied the chair,
sat Gen. Gordon's widow and two
daughters, Mrs. Burton Smith of At
lanta, and Mrs. Orion Bishop Brown
of Maine. To the right and to the left
of them were seated many of the chief
figures of the Confederacy and a
charming array of beautiful division
ana department sponsors
On the stage were Gen. Stephen DI
Lee, the acting COMMUNICATIVE chief, OF
Charleston; Gen. William ID. Jones,
Richmond, and Gen. C. II. Teabult,
chief surgeon, c. S. A.; Gen. w. F..
Mickle, New Orleans; Adjt. Gen. w. S.
Cabell, commanding the Trans Misss-
sippi division; Gen. A. j. West, At
lanta, commanding the North Georgia
Brigade; Gen. C. Irne Walker, COM
manding the department of Virginia,
and Gen. Clement A. Evans. Atlanta
who succeeded Gen. Stephen D. Lee as
commander of the department of
Tennessee.
After Gen. Gordon had called the
veterans to order, Chaplain Jones de-
livcred the invocation and Gov. ]. b.
Frazier welcomed the delegates, Gov.
Frazier said in part:
when that grand, that patriotic.
that noble Christian soldier, Gen.
Robert L. Lee. surrendered at Apo
n;attOx, he spoke with a heart too full
for deceit in that no Southern mother
swore her son to bitterness; she swore
him to love and honor. All accepted
the finality. When you saw furlcd for
the last time the Stars and Bars you
lad followed for four years. you scaled
n solemn pledge that from that day on
YOU would know but one country and
but one flag.
You came back to take up your old
work, to build new civilization, to re-
deem land that had almost malicious
ly been given to the negro. In less
than 35 years. unaided by any thing ex-
cept u fertile land and energy, you
have attained commercial freedom 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 this fair
land" (Applause).
After Col. A. S. Williams, mayor of
Nashville, had extended the city's well
Gen. Stephen d. Lee as the permanent
presiding officer and communicable
chief. Gen. Lees appearance was the
signal for wild outburst of enthus-
iusm. He said:
II wonder sometimes whether, when
the great balances OF the universe are
poised and the great Judgment Of the
ancient Of days are rendered whether
even when the last human history is
written Of the war between the states
and slow verdict Of remote posterity
Is taken, the cause we loved will seem
as lost as 1t once seemed to us. Maybe
that the Providence of God and the
development of humanity, the fearful
sacrifices were necessary for the high
est good Of this nation and of the
world. Rather let us believe that the
world Is richer and better. purer and
greater. for the tragic story OF 40 years
ago and that the shed blood has
bough: blessing, honor glory and pow
or, incorruptible treasures of which a
brave and noble people can never be
dsspoiled.
1T is a source OF joy to every one Of