The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-05-08
GORDON MEMORIAL
BY GEN. WALKER

Macon, Ca, May Gen c. Irvine
Walker, of Charleston, S. c., comman-
der-in-chief of the United Confederate
Veterans. on behalf of the organiza-
ton, delivered the response to the ad-
dresses of welcome at the opening of
the annual reunion of the veterans
here today. IN beginning his address
Gen. Walker paid a tribute to Gen.
George w. Gordon, who died sooE
after his election as commander-in.
chief of the Confederate Veterans al
the last reunion, and of whom the
speaker said:
"A wise Providence has, since we
last met, gathered to Himself. My
comrades, Gordon loved you, he treas
ured over TIE sacred memories of a
hallowed past; he was proud of the
glories which cluster around this fed
Grafton. May the memory of his life
and work incite us to higher effort for
the good of the United Confederate
Veterans he so truly loved and faith.
fully served"
Asking the question, What is ii
that brings to this meeting the boys
from the distant corners of our far
spreading land?" The speaker said 1:
''The principals for which we fought
were muried under the shattered ruins
of the Confederacy. So their main.
tenance cannot be the reason for this
great gathering. Our beloved Confed.
crate banner is but cherished mem
ory, but. Oh, how deeply cherished!
We can never hope to unfurl it? We
car gain nothing of material benefit
by these reunions. Then what power
ful impulse of our nature draws us
here? 1t is surely some deep, vivid,
imperishable sentiment. Is it not a
proof of how much these old boys
loved that Confederacy which
Rose so white and fair,
And fell so pure of crimes
and of how they must have impressed
that devotion upon their descendants.
This strong sentiment is partly the
happiness we anticipate and partly
the good we hope to accomplish. 1t is
happiness to meet our dear old COM
rades and brothers, who stood by us,
facing death, and who served their
beloved country with unexampled de.
votion unexcelled courage and grevious
sufferings. Confederate comradeship
is the strongest bond between man and
man. 1t is great happiness to dwell
lovingly upon the pathetic and the
amusing incidents of our war expert
ences. tits a happiness to meet these
fair daughters who gather around us
and honor us and our cause.
Now, what good can we expect?
In considering this do not forget
that whether we were right, as we will
forever claim, or wrong, as our en-
emies assert, it is all now purely an
accomic question, one which cannot in
the slightest degree affect our present
prosperity or happiness. The greatest
good to be obtained by these reunions
Is our vindication. justification of
the righteousness of the cause for
which we fought, This, not selfshly
for ourselves, but for our descendants.
Then let us be sure that our children
and their children to the remotest gem
GRAFTON, know that their fathers were
not rebelts but patriots, not traitors
but martyrs. They should know that
we fought not for conquest, but for
defense, not to maintain slavery, but
to preserve the precious rights won
by and handed down to us by our fore
fathers. We fought for our freedom,
3ur fresides, our women and our God
I'VE accepted with loyalty our pa
roles at the close of the war. We re-
turned to our homes to devote our
selves to the maintenance of peace.
harmony and concord. We took our
new duties, we faced every trouble, and
with a mighty effort triumphantly rose
above thousands of difficulties which
confronted us. The war had brought
us ruin. desolation. defeat. but its
hard -saa ruad Lessons self ralianca na
tjence. persistency and courage
brought us success. We laid down our
muskets before oyerpowering numbers