The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-05-02
ELOQUENT WORDS
OF General Stephen D. Lee to
His Old Comrades.
THRILLING SPEECH

UpenlDS Of NSuu!uN a. N>" vi
leans. Words that Wrung Cheers
of Pride and Grief From
Battle.Scarred Soldiers
Following is the address OF Gen.
Stephen D. Lee, comnander-in-chiet
Of the United Confederate Veterans,
at the New Orleans reunion, last week
in reply to welcoming addresses. Gsn.
Lee said:
THE United Confederate Veterans
are again met in the city OF the2f
origin. We are once more the guests
Of those patriotic and energetic men
into whose lsbors we have entN req:
and to wh. % the thanks CT al surVl7-
ING Confederates re due. Again ana
again, We have returned to taste Of
the ine1haustible bounty OF your nos
pitslity; to be refreshed by the patrl
otism and enthusiasm Of this generous
and beautiful city.
The flags CT France and Of Spain,
Of the Onion and OF the Confederacy
have foated over the soil upon wh:c1
we stand, but always over brave ner
and lovely women, loyal to the hesS
they knew, faithful alike to the living
and to the dead; civilization trans,
planted Ike a Fars flower OF France,
b ossoning In the new world, and
bearing exquisite fruit. The Confeo'
crate cannot fo!gsE the city OF the
gallant snd accom- plisned Bsauregard,
the brave and unfortunate Hood, tbs
city where jefferson Davis lived to
walk and which horored him in his
death with s1 outpcuriEg OF loya:I5
and grief which did honor to the
Southern heart. Here is Metai-ie,
where Albert Sy yoney Johnston speaks
in imperlShsble bronzs, and the mon
ument to the Army Of Northern Flr'
einia, rises tall and white, like the
soul OF it's great chieftsin.
I'VE love you, Louisiana, where
the stern blood OF the Ang!o-Sa1on has
been touched with the grace and the
genius OF France. Here amid the very
chivalry OF patriotism there Is vel
come for sn who prize noble aid gen
erous deeds, and, most Of all, vel.
come for him who loved his country
best sn6 bore her cross OF pain-the
Confederate soldier. We, who grisvsd
for this unhappy city in the hour OF
its capture and huAillation, rejoice
in it's ide today, standing second
only to New York among American
ports Of export; your mighty river,
filed with the ships Of al nations,
your historic streets alive with the
commerce OF the world. We behold
with satisfaction great railroad sys-
TENS struggling to enter your estes
and the merchants CT a thousand
cities listening for the murnurs Of
your markets. We wait the coming
OF the day when the waters oi the A.
lantic sud Pacific shall mingle to-
eether. ano On both alike shall float
the commerce Of this imperial city;
when the sons OF those who struggled
in vain fol Southern supremacy shall
here behold q peaceful victory, more
magnificent than those Of their great
armies, g commercial supremacy more
splendid than theif nCblest visions
and here beside the Father OF Waters
shall be realized the capital Of their
dreams.
1--WE have lost dear friends and
comrades since we met together, none
more beloved and more honored than
the soldier who was recently laid to
rest st Arlington. Joe Wheeler won
bis spurs by true and honorable ser
vice. He was superb cavalry leader
and earned cn many hard fought
field the right to lead where brave
men follow. When the heart Of our
common country yea1ned to express TO
her Confederate sons that their wei
come home was complete to Wheeler
it Was given to show, on cur behalf,
that every star On the flag was now
dear, to US and that We were ready to
follow it to the very Isles Of the Sea- ;
It was Southern hands that set star
after star In that blue field Of glory
and il any more stars are ever planted
there it will be strange il Southern
er is not found assisting at the opera
tion.
Comrades, there is one thing con.
nitted to our care as peculiar trust
the memory Of the Confederate SOL
dier. So Tar as lies in our power we
have striven that history may not
lack the evidence OF MS purity OF nc
tive, his fortitude, bis heroisn. l,
for one, do rot fear that just:ca, how
ever long delayed, will Lot ultimately
be done TO one Ct the erandesa bodies
OF men who ever battlsd for indepeo-
dence, or triun nphirg over defeat,
bound up the bleeding wounds Of their
country.
There are three things peculiarly
left fcr our concern. Oae OF these is
the erection OF public monuments to
our Confederate dead, TO cur leaders,
but, above all, to those private soldi-
ers, who made our leaders immortal,
We must not overcssk poSterity by ex-
pecting those VINO come after US to
build monuments to heroes whom
their own generation were unwilling
to commemorate. The South has
reached a position OF material pros
rerity, which jlstiHes both State and
private benefcence to honor the faith
tul dead.
I'm all human lot there has. moth
Ing better been found for man than to
die for his country. Il there be any
virtue, II there be any praise, this
fate is to be preferred above all others.
We feel it is well with those who have