The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-27
VOLUNTEERS HOLD
ANNUAL MEMORIAL
SaIuteS Fired Over Graves of
Deceased Members
CHARLES E. RICE SPEAKS
History of the Company, Which Served
Through the spanish-American
War Is Reviewed, and
Tribute Paid.
CHARLES E. RICE SPEAKS

The Phil Finch Memorial the annual
memorial exercises of the Jefferson Vol
unteers, was held yesterday afternoon at
Oak Hill cemetery, Charles Edgar Rice
/ delivering the annual address.
The services are held annually in honor
of the members of Company G. Alabama
| National Guard, who have passed away,
some of whom died during the Spanish
American war.
The services over the graves were sim
pie. Music, prayer, the annual address,
salute and taps the most touching of
all the bugle calls, constituted the pro-
gramme Only the members of the Vol
unteers and some of their friends were
present for the occasion.
Wreaths were placed on the graves of
the deceased members of the company,
who are buried in Oak Hill cemetery.
The Rev. DIR. L. 8. Handley invoked de-
vine blessing, after which Mr.. Rice deliv-
cred his address. which Is as follows:
Speech of Rice.
Captain Miller, Comrades and Friends:
We are assembled In memory of our
departed comrades. l am sure that If
| could command the language, even of the
ancient Greeks, "a language unriValed in
sweetness, capable of expressing the most
| delicate shades of meaning, the strong
! est thought, the ioftiest sentiment" /
could neither do Justice to this occasion
nor my own feelings.
From the days of our boyhood We have
| been taught to honor the memory Of
| those who serve their country. The sons
| Of the men who wore the Grey have tend
ed with loving care the graves of the
heroic dead, who wore the Blue. Today
the sons of the Blue and Grey meet, not
to recount heroic deeds OF battle, but in
honor of the patriotism of the Volunteers
of '9S,
When the President of the United
States called for volunteers a million men
Offered their services. The men of the
United States forgot there was north
or south, and remembered only that they
were American citizens. Among the first
to offer their services to the President
were the Jefferson Volunteers. The num-
bered 100 strong, instructed and inspired
by that most efficient drlllmaster, that
patriotic soldier, that gentleman whom
we love, Captain Hughes B. Kennedy, the
Jefferson Volunteers soon took first rank
In Colonel TIigdon's regiment. While they
did not leave their native land, who will
say Iney were less imam those
soldiers who followed Alabama's great
Wheeler at Santiago. Does any man
doubt the sons of the men who made the
fields of our southland historic led as
they were. by that noble Virginian, that
fearless Confederate cavalryman, General
Fitz. Lee, who learned the art of war
In the University of Battle, under the i'm
mortal Robert r.. Lee can any one doubt
that the ~ VS. would have been less
heroic than their fathers We're in the COS.
They were not sent to the field of action
but were ready at a moments notice.
'.They serve who only stand and wait"
Twelve Crossed River.
Twelve of our noble band have crossed
the river, one of whom died in serv-
Ice.
What sacred memories cluster about the
name of Finch Perkins. Baxter, Braclx-
nell, Bragdon, Duke, Daily, Evans, john
son, Jpler, Magness and Tutwler Their
| names are the golden links that bind the
past to the present In my Imagination
/ see them now in camp and at drill. |
| live again those days when our hearts
were bound to each other by cords that
| time cannot sever. They responded to
every call of duty and patriotism; they
served their country faithfully, and have
| gone to their reward
We remember them all and will ever
/ 1ONe lHeit put 1 dlil sure llt JtlltlSOli
| Volunteers have kept the memory of no
one green so long, so wildly and so low
! ngly as that of Philip Nicely Finch,
From among those who loved him to the
| last | have been selected TO pay a tribute
to his memory IT'S easy to speak of our
1ove for him, but difficult to do Justice to
| his character. Human emotion in all ages
has been the same, The bereaved heart
| speaks of its pain, but cannot express 1t.
/ -. 1.l.t ~ Gov
bear to pay its tribute of love to a COM
rade who falls at his post, a comrade
who did his duty to the last and went to
his final sleep like one who lies down
to pleasant dreams.
Philip Nicely Finch was a man of con-
| victions, a man of character, His courage
was of that type which dares to do the
right, that type of which Mr.. Bryan spoke
when he said "Haye faith in the wisdom
of doing the right" He looked upon We
racity and honesty as the root of all that
is sublime in character. His simple trust
| in these cardinal virtues simplifed all
| questions and left him free to be governed
| by the great principles of right This
was the basis of his courage in the dis
charge of every duty. With him 'truth''
was "better than falsehood, honesty bet
ter than policy, courage better than cow
ardice" Today we bear testimony to his
/ manly NlTlueSt " ~ lllt Mhpae tibWhihB
glory was unfalterng courage and I'M
| Improbable integrity From the days of
| his childhood to this hour he has not been
charged with a reproaeh. We love him
whose life has been blessed with the mys-
terious tide which bears upon its current
nations, empires, and peoples into the
| great ocean of eternity, for he lived with
out fear and died without dishonor.
1.-The elements so mixed In him that
nature might stand IN and say to all the
world This Is man.
An Honest Man.
Philip Nicely Finch coveted the rich
level modestly and sought the approval of
his own conscience; his opinions were
| coined in the mint of an honest purpose,
he acted upon the principles of truth and
honor, and was known by the aristocracy
of his upright manhood. He stood firm
| like the forest oak, like the granite cliff
| against which the mad sea dashes itself
| to pieces like the mountains that lift their
| calm faces toward the silent stars. Truth
| fulness integrity and goodness form the
| essence of his manly character. His man.
hood was imperial, his soul clothed 1t
with a grandeur that rags could not have
| reduced to heggary. What stronger
breast-plate than a soul untainted," His
crown was in his heart. FOR duty was the
greatest word In the lexicon of his life
and twin brother of right,
1.-THE sweetest lives are those to duty
wed,