The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-10
made an earnest appeal to his com rades. He said:
Gen. Cabell Speaks.


 Governor Mr. Mayor, Comrades and My Fellow Citizens--It is my official
 duty and high privilege to respond on behalf of my comrades to this mag nificent welcome and tender of hospi- tal1ty by this young and progressive city in the great state of Alabama. What greater tribute could I pay those glorious men and women, than to say that their hospitality is worthy of the great state of Alabama, whose noble sons and daughters are to be found in every state and territory of this great southland of ours? Her noble sons in this struggle for constitutional liberty were to be found always at the front and the graves of the brave sons of Alabama are to be found on every battlefield from Gettysburg to the Gulf or Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the western part of Kansas. Wherever the flag of the Confederacy-wh her battle flag waved you would find Alabamians-yo will find them now In every southern and western state making good citizens, and in many of our southern and western states and territories filling the most important offices In the gift of their people. How then could you expect warmer wei come than this noble Alabamian could give you? How can | find words to II
 or greatful hearts to this royal re- ception?
 What Are They Here For? what means this great gathering of what Is left of the great column of gray mat could be seen in the smoke of battle Following the plumes of Davis. Lee, Beauregard, the two Johnstons Gordon,
 stephen D. Lee Wheeler Longstreet. A.
 r. Hill, Price, Marmeduke, Shelby, Early,
 Hood, Forrest and Stonewall Jackson, as well as other great leaders? Why are they here? What have they come for? They are not here for self interest: they are not here for gain. They are to meet
 their old comrades, who stood shoulder to shoulder with them on more than a hundred battlefelds. They are here to take their old comrades by the hand, re- Few old acquaintances and to rejoice with each other in the glories of the past an1 also to mingle their tears for the ab-
 sence of those who have crossed the river | to the great beyond.
 Turn Back.
 Now, my old comrades, while we are | enjoying all of the pleasures incident to | the renewal of old friendships, let IFS 1 pause moment. Let memory go back | to those days when nothing was to be heard but the roar of cannon and tho rattle of musketry; yes, let your mem | ories go back and if possible recall the | comrades who answered the first bugle | call and stood by your side; yes, call l the roll, call the roll. Do they answer? l Can you tell where they are? No one | answers, but the spirit of the brave men | will whisper to you and tell you that T | am sleeping on the battlefield in my up- | marked grave, wrapped in my old gray blanket" at Gettysburg, at Sharpsburg, | at fredericksburg, at the Wilderness, f1.Il II0~ ~1x1 Petersburg, all through North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and to the Rocky Mountains. No stone marks the grave of these brave men. No monuments. But each soldier when dying could say. 1 have erected a monument in the hearts of the southern people more durable than bronze or stone, that neither the storm of hate nor oppression can ever destroy CT cause to crumble.
 Tribute to Lee.
 My old comrades my heart is sad and full of sorrow. A few weeks ago I had expected another and not myself, would speak to you today and greet you but the reaper death, with its sharp and cruel scythe, entered the harvest field where the young and the old with timbal and harp with song and dance. with glad hearts, getting ready to gather the golden grain, cut down one of our noblest and best. Our great commander, Gen. Stephen D. Lee, is dead He was cut down. cut down as he was preparing to enjoy all the pleasures of this golden harvest. Oh, death, why could you not have found another and left him to meet with his old comrades on this happy occasion! He has fallen asleep in the arms of his Saviour No sound can awaken him.
 The cocks shril clarion nor the echo-