The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-31
Richmond 7hronged With People From Every Section of the Country
SONS OF VETERANS
PRAISE NOBLE WOMEN
Sponsors and Maids Of Honor Introduced to Vete
rans---Rev. Mr.. Foster Makes Brilliant Address,.
Sponsors Must Take Part in Reunions.

Richmond for their many favors and to
the citizens generally for their hos
pitable entertainment Every son OF a
veteran thanked the people. said he. for
the magnificent reception accorded. He
culogized Washington and Jefferson
and virginia's great sons OF other days.
and Lee. Jackson, and the men OF more
recent history who had added lustre
20 the name OF the Mother State.
He quoted the testimony of foes to
establish the genius of Lee and at
tributed his final defeat to his decim-
ated legions. Mr.. Scuddcr commended
alike the Puritan and the Cavalier. and
declared that both had contributed to
the mighty and indissoluble Union Of
to-day and to the nation which was
moulding the governments OF the earth.
Commander Owen, in introducing
Rev. John S. Foster, who presented the
sponsors and maids. stated that while
reunions are primarily for the honor
and glory of the veterans. he thought
the audience would agree that re-
union without the ladies would be a
failure.
Gem of tho Evening.
MIR. Owen then presented Mr.. Foster.
who delivered the address of tn. oc-
casion, leaving little for the follow
ing speaker to add In eulogy of South
ern womanhood. IF the contribution
of the South to this Union were With
drawn the brightest glories of this
republic would disappear" said the
speaker. The brightest page In the VOL
ume Of her achievements was that
which recorded the deeds and the pri-
vations and sacrifice Of her daugh-
tiers.
The men who wore the gray would
be less than human II they were not
proud OF that glorious record. The
Souls OF Southern men enshrine a glo-
rious womanhood. whose fidelity was
their inspiration and solace. when
the flower forgets the sunshine and
the mariner the star that guides him,
then. and not till then. will the men
OF the South cease to honor you"
with this beginning the speaker re-
viewed the service Of woman In the
nome stripped of it's men. in the school
where the youth of the land were IN
structed and in the hospital where the
wounded were nursed. He eulogized
the sponsors and maids as worthy sue.
cessors OF such mothers, and declared
that II the occasion arose they would
render as heroic and unse'fsh service.
The place of woman as sister, sweet
heart, wife and mother would be fill
ed by the women of to-day as 1t had
peeh by the women of forty years ago.
Replied for Sponsors.
Commander Owen introduced Mr.. w
y Hart. of New Orleans. to respond on
behalf OF the visitors. and especially
Tor the young ladies. He expressed his
appreciation of the honor of speaking
OF. behalf of this galaxy of maids and
sponsors, and warmly defended tho
custom of gaming them In future re.
unions, declaring that TIL. failure O.
General Lee to appoint any was due to
an error of the Daughters of the Con-
federacy, which he hoped would be
rectifed before another convention.
at the next reunion we are going tc
nave SO manE~that 1t will so shine with
sponsors that this reunion, even with
all this array of beauty here assem-
bide, VIII sink into insignifcance'
Mir Hart indorsed all that Mr.. Foste,
mad said. and commended him for say
ing It, He declared that the womer
Of the South did as much for the cause
as the tabled pelican, which shed its
blood to nourish its young 1t wa:
glory to be Confederate son, he said
but 1t was a greater glory to be 6
ICcnfederate mother.
He declared that the prominence O.
the present generation Of Southern
men In the affairs of the nation ant
their high standing was a testimonial
OF the faithful discharge by the womer
of the Confederacy of the trust com.
mitted to them as mothers. He con
tended that the young ladies' there as
| sembled would do as much as die
their mothers If the occasion arose
Finally he recognized the work OF tn.
women in the rearing of monuments
| and exhorted them to continue thi,
| laudable work.
SecessiOnixts But Not Rebels.
| AT the conclusion of the address al
| old veteran spoke in Endorsement o
what Mr.. Hart said as to sponsors.
| Mr.. Owen in closing the convention
| made q brief address. reviewing the i'm
| portant and valuable work of the Son
in preserving and collecting the histor,
| Of the South
He declared with impassioned fer
vor that the Confederates were seces
sionIsts, but rebels never.
| Before the adjournment Commando
Owen, announced the members of the
credentials committee as follows: Wad
dey Thompson. of Alabama; j. E. Pen
nybacker, of Washington. D. c.; Jane:
P. Tarvin, Of Kentucky: II. M. Gil. O.
louisiana: ]. Mercer Garnett. of Mary
land: +. e.. Dreher. of Missouri, II. B
| Collier, of Tennessee; John T. Wig
gings, of Texas: A, D. Smith, Jr., o
West Virginia; Paul w. Garrett, O.
Virginia: Il. NorAeet of North Caro-
lima. and DR.. w. II. Scudder, of Mis-
sissippi.
The convention then adjourned.
Morning Session.
It was 1915 o'clock before Com
mander z. B. Thomasson raped til