The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-16
Mobile Entertains Sur yivOrs Of the Lost
 Cause. GEN. STEPHEN D. LEE
 IS IN ATTENDANCE Gen. George P. Harrison Pre- sides Over the De-
 Alterations. seas of vetsrns, With Thomas M. Owen cemmandins, Also in ses- sion--Earnest Addresses of welcome and Ero-
 auent Responses.
Advertiser Bureau.
 Mobile. Nov. 1f

Advertiser Bureau.
 ,.ss Mobile, Nov. 15.
 Mobile is in her glory today. The Gulf City is host to the greatest gath ering of Veterans ever assembled with in her gates since the fall of the Con- feceraey. It Is Confederate Veterans Day and the Vets own the city. They are here in vast numbers, they are here from the Tennessee Valley, from the iron and coal ribbed sections of the mineral district. from the Buckshot prsiries to the west and the wiregrass to the east: from the Black Belt and the pine belt and many are here from Louisiana, Mississippi. Florida and even the Lone Star State.
 Sons of Veterans, sponsors, maids, r1atrons. women and children of the Confederacy are in the grand old city and all are more than gladly welcom- ed. The city is in holiday attire for sure, and the old soldiers are every- where receiving attention of men who even came to the fair Southland from the bleak North and West and made their homes here since the war, are extending the warm hand of welcome to the battle-scarred vets
 Gen. stephen D. Lee. the Command er-in-Chief, was the recipient of a hearty welcome on all sides during the morning and afternoon, and Is tonight the hero of heroes. General Harrison Sraciously giving way to his command ing officer.
 The scene in Mobile Theatre at 10 o'clock. when the reunion opened, was a gorgeous spectacle, one long to be remembered by those at home and abroad. Fair women. brave men, young girls, young men. but, best of all. the war flags of the brigades and com nfAe Atrff 1rNaP lea A made tl1es speetaele more grand. On the stage set the venerable Command- er-in-Chief, the Commander of Ala baIna Division, coy M; cunning- Semmes, host of generals and stan officers. and sponsors and maids of honor. In the boxes were other maids of honor and the sponsors. with dele cations from the Daughters of the Con federacy. In the parquct, dress circle, in the pit and aisles were. men in gray, women in holiday attire and civilians gathered to honor the visitors. r,,
 Adjutant- General Harvey E. Jones called the meeting to order and then the drum and fife corps of Camp Semmes. comprising Messrs. Judge and Raheld. drummers, Little Percy Hamil- ton, 10 years of age, snare drummer; Joseph and John Fairbanks of New Orleans. fifers and Sergeants L.. F: Moore and Edward Gaines of Fort Morgan. buglers. They gave the as sembly cali in great style, the Vets cheering all the While.
 Chaplain delivered a sublime prayer, dwelling pathetically on those who had gone to answer Roll Call' at the great
 Governor Russell M. Cunningham was next introduced and spoke as follows.
 Governor Cunningham Speaks.
 The respect, honor and reverence due the soldier is measured by the justice of his cause. the valor with which ne defended it and the results which fol- lowed. Estimated by these criteria- the. Confederate soldier Is due all the honor. respect and consideration that can possibly be given him. It seems that war has been a large and essential part of the worlds history. On the one hand in $efense or country ana home and pr H.iples; and on the other, aggression in the interest of domain. wealth or principle. The war between the States was a necessity On the side of the Confectionery was that fun damental principle of self-government which found its expression In States sovereignty, which carried with 1t the right to regulate all it's internal affairs and institutions and in addition to this, equal right with all other States and citizens of the republic in establishing homes in the common territory of a common country, with the right to the protection of life, liberty and property.
 Indeed, the Confederate was acting in accordance with the Constitution of the United States. with the laws of Its Congress and in the inherent principle of equal and exact justice, handed down from our fore-fathers. On the other hand was an ethical principle, the product of the evolution of ages, which had resulted in the abolition of slavery almost throughout the world. Tn the Northern section of our country, evolution of this principle was not in- hibited or restrained by industrial or personal interest, It had full sway to develop Into mighty issue, which dis regarded the Constitution and laws of the country. Associated with this prin- ciple was the perhaps more dominant one of the sovereignty of the United States as a whole over any particular State. On the side of the Confederate soldier was the Constitution. laws and traditions of our country. On the other side was the 'so-called higher law" first enunciated by Seward in the United States Senate. If. then. the defense of his home, his principles, his institutions and the privileges and pre- negatives guaranteed by the Constitu- ton were right and just. then no cause was ever more just than that of the Confederate soldier.
 As to the valor with which he de- tended It. 1t Is unequalled in the worlds history. General Wheeler says Tt belonged to the American Republic. founded and defended by Freedoms warrior. men who united in themselves the highest military genius and the loftiest patriotism, the most daring courage with the gentlest courtesy, the most obstinate endurance with the ut most sacrifice; the genius of Caeser with the courage and purity of a Bayard." This eulogy applies to Federal as we'll as to Confederates, but when numbers, resources and equip ment are considered 1t is doubly appli- cable to the Confederate soldier.
 Benjamin Hill saId of General R. E. Lee that The was a foe without hate, a soldier without cruelty, a victor with out oppression and a victim without murmuring. Tn public office he was without vice; in private life without wrong; a Christian without hypocrisy; friend without treachery; neighbor without Feproach. a man without guile rFe rryffh hE