The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-16

I ~ t"o oiu NetcrdnS, Wnom, i tell you
sooA people Of Macon. arc tho trucst.
the bravest. the very best old fellows
| who ever battled for freedom
| SORROW when l remember that this
DUTY might have been performed by
our beloved General George w. Cor
don, ~ wise Providence has. since We
last met. gathered Gordon to Himself.
| Ny comrades. Gordon loved you--hc
treasurer ever tho memories of a hal
/ lowed past; he was proud Of all tho
Slorics which cluster around this fed
Grafton. May the memory of hts life
and work ever !ncitc us to high eff
! tort for the good of the United Con-
federate Veterans he so truly loved
and faithfully served.
| Joy IN the supreme happiness OF
looking into the faces. herring the
| CHEEKY greetings. clasping the with
cred hands OF my old comradcs-com-
rades with whom for four long years
suffered hardship. endured fatigue
AMI faced danger
| To-days great assemblage OF the
survivors of tho Southern Confederacy
| marks our twcnty-second annual re-
! union. What Is IL that brings 10
this meeting the "hoys' from the dis
tant corners OF our far-spreading land
| Why are We here?
II Is a recognized fact that when a
| social organization lives thcre must
be deep In our nature some good
/ reason for its so living. What, then.
| Is the reason for tho continued life
! OF the United Confederate Veterans?
| The principles for which we fought
were buried under the shattered ruins
! or tho Confcdoracy So their main
! tenance cannot he the reason for this
/ great gathering. Our beloved Confcd-
! crate banner is but a cherished mem
ory. but OH how deeply cherished. We
can never hope TO enfurl IT. We can
! gain nothing Of inpterial benefit By
these reunions Then what powerful
| Impulse of our nature draws us here?
Z II is surely some deep, vivid. irnperish-
able sentiment. How strong must It
he not only to attract the gray haired
veterans. but their sons and daugh-
ters! liz II not proof of how much
| those old boys" loved t:iat Confcd-
eracy 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 IL partly the
happiness we anticipate and partly the
! good we hope 10 accomplish.
! 1t is a happiness TO meet our dear
old comrades and brothers. who stodd
by us. facing death. and who served
| their beloved country with unexampled
grievous suffer!ngs. Confederate COM
, radeship is the strongest bond be-
tween man and man.
| II is n great happiness also to dwell
/ lovingly upon the pathetic and the
amusing incidents of our war eSpe-
riences, and we Just love to glory
over what we then did.
II is a happiness to meet these fair
daughters. who gather around US TO
/, honor US and our cause. 1t is almost
worth four years or fighting TO receive
now tho admiration of these blessed
girls.
/ And all these pleasures gather force
and strength and vividncss when we
assemble In true Southern city and
are surrounded by people entirely
congen 10 US and devoted to all we
| revere
Thank God for all the happiness OF
our glorious reunions:
Now. what good can ne expect?
In consuer!ng this do not forget
will forever claim. or wrong. as our
enemies assert. II Is all now purely All
academic question. one which cannot
In the slightest degree affect our
present prosperity or happiness. We
! can absolutely prove tho right and
justice of secession, but. alas! there IS
no earthly tribunal to try the case nor
10 award the dana ses-
We have manfully faced the loss oil
our property. and We never expect any
repayment. For Our sacrificed dcad
we mourn, but they cannot be restored
to our loving arms.
The savage is satisfied with a rough
hut and enough TO eat. The worldlinC
only lives to gloat over his golden
! treasures. But we were reared under
| tho civilization of our old South, which
| taught nobler aims and higher hopes
| and TO deserve the appreciation we re-
ceived. the epithcts traitor" and
/ rebel" are opprohrlous. Applied 10
the Confederate they carry an undo
served and fou, reproach. IT is our
duty to prove to the world and show
TO our heirs that such titles should
| never be coupled with our names FOR
our part IN that grand struggle for
,iperty We had perfect right to
make It under.the Constitution of the
Union and by the God-given rights OF
freedom.
The greatest good to be obtained ~
these reunions is our Wind cation. \
justification of the Righteousness of the
cause for which we fought. This. not
f.! relfishly for ourselves. bat for our
! descendants. We know and will for
ever know. that we wero right. Their
let MS see to It that our children know
II. BE sure that our children and thei,
children. to the remotest generation
will know !t--know II without doubt
and without question: know that thel,
fathers were not rebels, but patriots
not traitors. but martyrs. They should
! know that we fought. not for conquest
I but for defense; not for enrichment
I. not for territory. not TO maintain slav-
cry. but to preserve the precious rights
! won by and handed down to us by our
forefathers. We fought without pay
! our only reward being tho conscious
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