The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1904-01-15
BLUE AND GRAY VETERANS
EulOgize the Great Gordon at
Special Meeting on Monday.

special called meeting at the council
chamber on Monday afternoon to
take action on the death of Gen,
John B. Gordon, late Lieutenant
General of the Confederacy.
There were present w. II. Cyrus,
Captain; Joseph Price, First Lieu
tenant; J. f. Marshall, Adiutant;
VIM. Ivers, Quartermaster; j. d.
Points, H. Y. Snow, M. |. Coke, n
o. Davis, j. M. Powers, J. G. Yer
trees, J r. Cone and A. E. Wilson.
J. w. Ellis, late Co. H. 18th Geor-
gia Infantry and d. S. Hedges, Co.
E. 9th Ohio Infantry were elected
honorary members of the association
Besides the veterans there were
many prominent citizens present
among whom were S. j. 'Hilburn, j.
N. Blackwell, Il. w. Ralph, DIR H. r.
Estes, J. A. Bair, Geo. f. Gay and
+. II. Hafer.
Commander Cyrus stated the OBJ
iect of the meeting and COnrade M.
|. Coke presented resolutions of re-
spect and coincidence on the death of
General Gordon, prefacing these
with Il feeling address. Judge Coke
said:
"CoMRADES-It is always sad to
be called out on the occasion of the
death of one of the heroes of our
great civil war. And 1t is especially
sad and sorrowful when the deceased
veteran for whom we are called upon
to mourn was the head of the great
organization of the United COnfeder-
ate Veterans, and who held place
in the hearts of eX-Union soldiers
second only to the esteem in which
they hold their own great generals.
General John B. Gordon who res
ponded to the final roll-call at lO:O5
on last Saturday night was no ordi-
nary man, but one of the most dis
tinguished Confederate leaders. In
war his career will compare favOra-
bly, with that of the foremost Ameri-
can soldiers; as Il statesman lie
welded an influence that was felt
for good in the nation as well as in
his own section and State; as an ora
tor his famous lecture 1.-The last days
of the Confederacy" if he had writ
ten or spoken nothing else, would
have made him immortal and have
written his name high up among the
orators of his times.
perhaps no other man in the
South, save the immortal Grady, did
so much to bring about the complete
reconciliation between the North
and the South that now exists, and
which enables the Blue and the
Gray to join hand and hand i'll pay
ing tribute, and make common cause
of giving honor to the memory of II
dead comrade as we are doing to-
day.
"rhe memory of the dead hero,
statesman and orator whose remains
will pass through the city Tomorrow
in transit to their last resting place
at his late home in Georgia, belongs
not to single state, not to a single
section, but to the great American
roll Of honor. He was brave and
generous American soldier, pro-
found and enlightened American
statesman and IL brilliant and talent
ed American orator. What more
can or need be said of hlm until
Americans cease to honor and revere
the memory of their distinguished
dead, the name-ef General John b.
Gordon will occupy all eXaulted
place in the annals of his country
and in the hearts of all his country
men."
Judge Coke was followed by Com
rades Powers, Points and Vertrees
who also made feeling remarks.
The resolutions were then read to
the association by the adjutant and
adopted by rising vote, followed
with the official salute to the dead.
The following are the resolutions:
Whereas, General John B. Gordon,
cOmmander-in-ch of the United
Confederate Veterans, passed away
at l0:05 on Saturday night, January
9th, 1904, at Biscayne, and
Whereas, it is the province of the
Palatka Veteran Association of the
Blue and Gray to promote fraternal
feelings among the eX-soldiers of the
Confederate and the Union armies of
the late war between the states, and
to pay proper tribute to our comrades
as one by one they join the silent
ranks of the dead, and
Whereas, it is due to the noble ef-
forts of such men as General Gordon
that the sectional bitterness engen-
dered by the war has been replaced
by feelings that recognize the Blue
and Gray as one united body of vet
eran American soldiers, and making
such an organization us ours possible
Therefore be it resolved
lst. That this association, while
deeply deploring the death, of our
common comrade, Major General
John b. Gordon, bows with humble
submission to the providence that
has removed him from his worldly
sphere of usefulness, made an ire
parable vacancy in the ranks of the
Confederate veterans over whom he
presided so long, so faithfully and so
satisfactorily to his comrades.
I'd. That Ill his brief illness and
sudden death we are again reminded
of the rapidity with which the ranks
of the veteran armies of the late war
between the states are being depict
ed, and that we are soon to follow
him into the dark beyond to join the
ranks of the great majority that has
gone before.
3rd. That we entertain the most
sincere sympathy for, and extend to
his bereavcd family our most pro.
found coincidence.
4th. That the local papers be re-
quested TO publish these resolutions.
Frank Clark Here.
Hon. Frank Clark of Lake City,
candidate for rnnprnss Snpnt Tnns-