The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-05-25
LAST GREAT DRAMA or A FULLY
+ REUNITED NATION
Every Hand Has Volunteered to Help
Make Complete and Inspiring the
Last Scene in the Drama of
an "IndiSsolubie Union"
John Temple Graves.)
Washington. May IS. 1917.

Washington, May is. 1917.
During the week Of June the fourth
thirty thousand Confederate soldiers
will march in triumph through the
streets of Washington-from the cap
itol to the White House.
And along the entire length OF
Pennsylvania avenue it will be 1.-THE
south in the saddle, and riding glo-
riously."
Fifty-six years ago this confident
announcement would have created a
national panic. Today It's welcome
proclamation of patriotism and peace.
Camped at last in their country's
capital and lighting their bivouac
fires between the Washington monu-
ment and the portico of the presi-
dents home, these battered and de-
crepit veterans of lost cause-sol-
diers of Jackson and Johnson and Lee
will have conquered at last the
hearts of Washington, and achieved
in peace what they failed to accom-
plish at the point of their bayonets in
war.
Never before have the Confederate
Veterans held a reunion in their
countrys capital. They have met for
twenty-seven years in every southern
city, holding their last reunion but
one in Richmond-the capital of the
Old Confederacy-amid the glad
hands and the reminiscent tears of
that great old Virginia breed that
made them welcome there.
They cross the Potomac in June
for the first time-the twenty-seventh
reunion of the United Confederate
Veterans, and the twenty-second re-
union of the Sons of Veterans-and
come to hold their greatest and per-
haps their last assembly-in Wash.
ington-the capital of their country
now and forever
The Grand Army of the Republic
has held its reunion in Washington
time after time With flags flying and
brass bands blaring and cannon boom
ing they have swept the historic ave-
nue. with fervent and tender cheers.
But the "Tatterdemelions of Lee
now good American citizens-who for
years looked grimly from the Virginia
hills upon the stately dome of our
house upon the hill, have never before
linked these faded Stars and Bars in
loving fellowship with the Star-Span-
gled Banner in its official home.
What a glorious reunion it will be
for these "Old Confeds." How rich in
memory-how inspiring in sugges-
ton. All the way that brings them
to Washington will feed their souls
with the fairness of martial recollec-
tions. They will travel under or near
to Marye Heights at Fredericksburg
They may recall on historic ground
the fiery siege of Richmond, and
catch the CHASTITY thunder of that
tragic crater that blew men sky
ward at Petersburg. They may
see the peaceful soil where once they
fought the mighty Battle of the Viii
derness" 8 They may see where
fell Pelham 'the great cannoneer."
They may mark the spot where Stone
wall Jackson passed over the river
to rest under the shade of the trees"
They will almost be in touch with
that browning and fateful field OF
Gettysburg, where Pickett wrote him
self immortal in the worlds most
dauntless charge against the unbreak-
able ranks of Hancock on that wind.
swept hill. And as they pass softly
beneath the slopes of Arlington, each
old hero-worshipping hero of the dead
Confederacy may murmur through his
loyal tears:
For. ali, if in song or speech,
In major or minor key:
| could to the end of ages reach,
| would whisper the name of I4EEt
1t will be good for the nations cap
ital to have these old Confederate
Veterans here. The 4th of June with
them will make a nobIer 4th of July
for US all. The Confederate reunion
at Washington cannot fail to carry a
national significance. They could new
er come to better place at better
time. The sight of them-the sound
of them-these old men with gray
heads and broken bodies and brave
hearts-and, above all, the love and
honor. the respect and reverence
shown them after fiftytwo years of
memory-will tell the republic some
things that it needs at this time to re-
member.
1t will tell to the young American
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