The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-10

tox, it is true that you had your Gettys- burg it is equally as true that you had your first and second Manassas 1t is equally as true that you had your Fred ericksburg, Charlottesville, the Wilder ness, the Crater at Petersburg, and still true that you had your Chickamauga, and so l could go on, but will be content to commend these stories and glorles to you, and around your camp fires, around your memories, around the memories of those who succeed you, may they cling and twne and grow, for certainly in the words of Horace you can truly say, ''Exegi Monumentum acre perenius regalique situ pyrimidum altius."
 Tt is true, as I say, that Napoleon had his Waterloo, yet today's history says that the fair land of France, the farmers thereof, are the freest, happiest and rich est in the world. They conquered the Waterloo, and it is easy to predict that the great landscape of time will witness the undiminished beauties of the lilies of France and the beauties of the tri-color. Napoleon was brought back from St. Helena to the most triumphal burial ever given man. It is true that the South had its Gettysburg, but you old soldiers, scat tered throughout the Southland have con- quered Gettysburg. Every monument on that historic field, and I am told there are hundreds of them, no matter in whose name erected. mark forever your glorles, and 1 wish to say to you that the pension list of the federal army is the highest rec ord of your bravery and efficiency l said the highest, 1t is surpassed only by one, and that is the condition of the South to- day. While you marched away from Gettysburg and Appomattox in the ut most depression and came back to homes of the utmost poverty and paid war taxes beyond compare, you maintained the con Quering spirit of a white man, you car ried that spirit wherever you went, and 1t is the power of this nation today, no matter what part of it you live in. It is tile glory of not only the Southland, but of the entire nation.
 Inspiration of Dixie.
 ''I have travelled these broad states oVer' and no matter how far North, how far East. how far West, your old war song, Tn Dixie land I will take my stand, to live and die in Dixie no matter where oi under what conditions played or sung, excites the emotions and stlrs the heart to shout.
 sThere have been 43 years since Appo- mattox-the South has been physically re- stored To accomplish this you have had to wear the overalls of the farm, factory and business. Too little time has been riyen to education and to political econ orny. The nation which knew and grew in your political power and influence De- fore 1860 has missed you, and there IS abroad in the land today a dangerous disease-I will call it that of the dollar, the tainted dollar-this disease has always blighted the peoples rule and safety ana made centralized government both pos sible and dangerous. It well becomes you as of old to encourage the manufacture of that serum of pure politics, pure pa triotlsm, pure love of country which VII. inocuate the body polite and bring It back to sound and safe conditions ms great task is before the people today. You have sown the seed and we pray that sufficiency fell in fertile ground to furnish harvest sufficient for our great nation.
 You are here III our midst we welcome you My home Is on the south hills, every door is open to you. Our state IS all around about you, l offer you the keys ot same If anyone dare lay ruthless hands or you send for me. This state is yours accept to the fullest its joy and gladness
 "I will burden you with message of love, as each of you cross over the river and meet the dauntless Stephen D. Lee tell him that we love him still In Dixie. : Gen. Bush of Camp Hardee. Gen. J. w. Bush of Camp Hardee wei comed the veterans behalf of the locd NStViduS. lIc Sdlu.
 "Others have told you of the beautle, Of this great city and wonderful distric, and it's manifold resources. 1t is my pleasing duty to extend to you from tho Confederate Veterans warm-harted, cor dial welcome We are glad that you hay; come by the thousands, and the tens ol thousands. We greet you with opal rearts overfiowing with love and venera ] tion; and in saying this l speak not onl. l for the Veterans, but for the Sons all, l Daughters, and for all the brave anf | generous people of Birmingham; whethe | they are here from the north or tht south, the east or the west, Europe, Asia | or Africa.
 | Here, we are all united in our heart. | and hands in extending to you the free | dom of this city of magic growth. Vt ! honor you for your gray hair, your ben | forms for your feeble strength and you | totterng footsteps We honor you fol l the grand and glorious achievements ant | heroic deeds, which challenge the ad l mira tion of the world.
 Under Two Flags.
 You present a unique figure in thu l worlds history-you have lived under ths 1 flag of two nations-you are the rem | nant representatives of nation, who's, l boundaries are marked with bayonets. | 1 flashed into the family of nations lik, | q meteor; 1t vanished from the famil,