The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-28

wheeler.
 There are occasions of public enthu. siasm when even foes fire unshotted cartridges as salutes of honor in their admiration of personal favor There are other occasions of public sorrow when flags that had flashed mutual defiance fall to half-mast in token of mutual mourning. There are yet more lustrous the same lineage and land forget the hostile steps already trod on bloody ground, and having learned the law Of f gether to make make si their restored rest red union a commonwealth indeed and their coun- try's grandeur in peace an. example of true, national greatness for all the
 Such Is the sentiment of this memo lrial inspired by the life and death or General al, Wheeler; Peopie are Tss here ere warriors are here representing. the l United Confederate Veterans and the Grand Army of the Republic. Both Of the gray"-the gray with which Na- l ture impartially honors their venera- ble heads. But both have risen from the red ground of strife. and are lock- | ing up together into the same sky of | blue wishing that the Angel of Peace would come and put an end to all war I am very sure that l may speak of General Wheeler's life and It's mean | ings with friendly freedom under all the impulses of the present highly sug- gestive national moment
 General Wheeler was true type of | the patriotic soldier of our free nation, whose sword is never drawn except at the call of duty, and always. sheathed when that duty has been discharged, I Ills military services were mainly in the Confederate army and can be | learned only in the history of the Con- federate war. His subsequent services | gave him signal reputation, and they set new but not richer brilliants in the crown of his Confederate fame. | | aFd fC xuh IA oar fa hrAQn sweep of views. convictions and acts as | being so impressively characteristic or | the Confederate soidiery and people | that 1t is worthy of national freview. In | such study of the life of this illustri cus man. the valuable fact will be found that whatever Wheeler was so were his | to them Let us see this matter to- | gether eye to eye. Wheeler began hls military service honorably and In ac- | by Robert Lee. He won great dis. | tfnction rapidly, and meantime retained l hishonor. Ills sword Is stainless likc that of Lee. He fought with persis- | ceased to live, and when war on the | fetd of arms was over he did not at | tempt to transfer It's question to the l forum pf civil sectional strife.
 It will be noted that his acquiescence in the terms of surrender was without 1 reserve. and yet, he made unvarying | affirmation of his fidelity to the main principle for which he had fought. Con- | sistent likewise with all his profound | convictions were the incidents of his l after-life. Without moment of in- tervening anarchy he resumed the du- ties of citizenship and was thoroughly | allegiant to the reunited country His allegiance was practical He depre- | cated agitations that fed sectional an- | imosity and advocated all measures that | would promote a sincerely welded union With the hand that had sheath ed his bright sword, and with a great heart whose throbs expelled the mere passions of war, he grasped the memo 1 ries and the principle of his cause, be- | lieving that they could not fail and turned his energies into the ways of peaceful endeavor to restore his South e-n land.
 The Battle for Cuba.
 In course of time foreign monarchy adyentured war with the United States l to hold fair Cuba in the thrall of longer | obpression; and this was his opportun- ity to appeal for service at the front l with the armies of his country. There | Fame agaln soon found her favorite son or the firing line, and heard him give the word to charge; and next she l saw him flushed with victory that set | Cuba free and made his country great. And then again. as of yore, she knight ed him hero of the day and called upon | his wiling nation to give hey honors | to this Confederate soldier.
 I submit to the generous thought or all our countrymen that In these facts of his life Wheeler simply illustrated in a grand way the characteristics of Confederate soldiers and the Southern people. Their sensibilities were cut to the quick by any distrust of their fidel- | challenge of their complete loyalty to the Government. Their deeds have re- deemed their words at the golden value of honor's sacred pledge. As 1t was with Wheeler, so it was, and so 1t Is with all his people.
 The South is well satisfied with the sound patriotism of it's old ideas, with the purity of its sentiment, with the general course of its record, and with It's heroes living and dead It Is also as well satisfied with the Union. the Constitution, the flag, the army and navy, and with the present power and glory of our country. The attempt to reconcile the South Is waste Of phil anthropy. It reconciled itself nearly Iforty years ago with very little help and now halls all reciprocal reconcilia- tion, let 1t come as 1t will
 The Southern people of these United States are quickly and warmly respon- sive to generous consideration. They appreciate the national demonstration of regard for General Wheeler Their Their old captured battle flags were restored to tho States They are deeply affected by the. purpose of the Government to graves They appreciate the giving oi facilities for completing the rosters oi Confederate armies: They welcome | heaTIllX the needs of their rivers and harbors they have manifested with enthusiastic Southern cordiality their delight at the visits of the Presidents of their coun- q try; they expect increasing sympathy | of their countrymen for them In deal ing with their peculiar local problems and they participate in every demon stration that can secure by strong fra. ternal pressure that solidarity of the people of the United States which will
 leave no line or plan of cleavage any where.
 I conclude with the declaration that
 the South recognizes its share of re-
 sponsibility for the good government of
 the Union. It was never so much in
 earnest in effort as now to have "a | perfect Union, to establish justice, ln-
 sure domestic tranquility provide for
 the common defense, promote the gen l eral welfare and secure the blessings of | liberty for ourselves and our posteri- tx" The South would have the entire
 land to be all South from Canada to
 the Gulf of Mexico, all Nortn trom tne M
 Gulf to the Lakes, and all the States
 and territories to be one rich realm
 of liberty, fraternity and equal pros-
 perity from ocean to ocean.
 Corporal" James Tanner spoke for
 the Grand Army organization, whose
 commander-in-c chief he is. His wei
 come was exceeded only by the enthu-
 Speech of Tanner.
 Corporal Tanner paYd a high compli-
 ment to the courage and ability of General Wheeler as shown on many battle fields in the civil war as a Con federate leader and in the Spanish wal as an American commander. He ex- pressed hope that a monument to Gen | eral Wheeler's memory would be erec- l ted as is proposed. saying: