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


 about one-half of our army was under the sod. History furnishes no other such record. We can recall. with pride. the patiotism and pure motives that inspired us, and how we fought over almost every foot of southern soil, in over POGO great battles. We can also recall the humilia- tion and suffering to which we were sub jected after the war, by a forced sub mission to carpet bag and scallaway rule But we bore it all with patience and dignity until, with divine approval. we regained control of our own local govern ments and now, once more, are in the house of our fathers and again honor the flag of our reunited country.
 "As the official head of the Alabama division. Confederate veterans. I greet you; with joyful heart and open arms l bid you welcome here today. This great city, whose guards we are. Is proud to have you here. All Alabama re- joices to know that you are with us to- day. We are all glad to see you.
 Make yourselves comfortable, take the best seats you find, put your feet on the mantlepiece and spit in the fireplace if you want to do so. Be at home. You are in Dixie land"
 Mayor Ward Introduced.
 Mayor George B. Ward was introduced. In short but pointed talk he made the visitors more than welcome. He said: MT. Commander and Veterans: Once again has this city gathered together the brave survivors of the most glorious war in all history. As we greet you staunch defenders of the Confectionery our hearts run over with love and tender ness, and we send word to all the world that we are proud to be your host.
 Birmingham, the youngest and strong est daughter of our beloved southland, is ever anxious to proclaim and show it's loyalty to her glorious traditions and to her illustrious men.
 This city was not part of the south in those stormy days of war, but it is a part of it now, and proudly do we join in the preservation of all that is precious to the hearts and minds of the southern people.
 MT. Commander, there is something peculiar about the south. It Is not our laws, it is not our institutions, nor yet our material wealth alone that makes the south stand forth magnificent and unique among all the peoples of the earth.
 "It is the spirit of chivalry, the purity of race, the power of noble men-ever ready to respond to her call, it matters not whether it be to walk worthily Tn the paths of peace or prove thunderbolts on the fields of war
 MT Commander, though peace, gentle
  fitness and prosperity. yet we should ever strive to keep burning in the souls of the generations as they come and go to that same indomtable spirit which in- spired the southern man and southern woman in the terrible struggles of the sixties
 And now on behalf of the people of Birmingham to these old heroes, I can only say, we would magnify your deeds if we could; that being beyond the power of man, we can only cherish and tell them over and over again as best we can. We would reward and attend you as befits the heroes that you are, if we could; that being possible to angle hands alone, we can only give you all we have, our hearts and homes, our love and care, and say God bless the day that gives us the privilege of proving that Birming ham is yours"
 At this point Governor Conner reached the stand. He was greeted with rounds of applause. and his address was the cause of much enthusiasm. He said:
 Gov. Conner Speaks.
 Soldiers of the south. I welcome you to Birmingham. I welcome you to Ala bama Our young city born since the war is unbattled scared; this valley and mountain has never, known strife, the noise of battle shout, the boom of cannon or crack of rife has never made wounds or disturbed the course of our serenity Business strife. business competition. and the fire and smoke around about us has been that of mercantile. factory and fur mace.
 While many of our citizens have shared with you the rigors of war, the pains of wounds and the death of life, many except for story know nothing of that great strife in which you earned the well deserved name of heroes The wor- ship of the brave is only commensurated with that of the enduring; these two great qualifications you exemplified in the most remarkable degree. and it Is these, the latter not less than the for mer which makes this great engathering, this great meeting. The campfire has been prepared at the bivouac you can recite over again in the most living man ner those events In your lives, those events which, except from your memory. would become simple chronicles of the times; pages of history for all time. it IS true and yet unlit by the sparkle of the individuality which your recital will give.
 "Birrningham. unscathed by war, yet full of sympathy extends to you that in tenseness of welcome, that sincerity of love and affection, that intense desire that while in our midst you shall have
 
 and in the name of this. the largest city of Alabama I welcome you. The mayor will later give you the keys to the city, and while he, too, is unscarred by war or marriage, yet I have no doubt he can well tell you the love story as unques- tionably he is old enough to be well prac- ticed in the whisperlngs of the beautiful things of life and the carrying of senti- ment from heart to heart.
 AIoh, n1aye a rc hives
 My office as chief executive is al the capital city, Montgomery In the capitol we have a room devoted to archives and history most of it to the preservation of Alabama's part in the great civic strife. In those archives we carry as a treasure A Confederate battle flag, with the orig inaI staff gone. evidently shot away. the staff being replaced by a limb torn from a tree and the silken folds of the bars and stars tied thereto and floating un- scathed as carried aloft in the crush of ba title We have there samples of 10.a0o bikes ordered made by the state, which pike consists of long blade attached 10 a long wooden staff ordered made by the state to arm the first troops; we also have samples of primeval muskets. guns and mortars, showing to what extremity the Confederacy was placed for firearms unti they were adequately supplied by the Federal troops: in fact, so well rec opnized was this source of supply that one soldier in surrendering at Appomat- tox handed over his gun to the Federal Commander with the statement that he was simnIv returning 1t. asS the cause for which he borrowed 1t no longer ex- isted
 "ra, t,,na. day I go in and out