Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1917-08-08
Welcome of Blue to Grey Evil
dence of a United Nation,
No North, No South.

DONG InClT uLiIloSl lOT lue CoIllOTL
and enjoyment of the Confederate
veterans. When Geo. P. Harrison
commander-in-chief of the United
Confederate Veterans responded to
the address of welcome at the open
ing of the Washington convention.
81 point with pride and pleasure to
the reception which has been &C
corded MS to-day" he said, indeed,
I am informed that the suggestion
Of u invitation came from a gal
liant colonel of the union army,
Andrew Cowan, Of New York."
Gen. Harrison briefly referred to
the a%rbitrament of the sword, de.
claring that soon after the
war they buried the Ratchet and
scalping knife in the rough sands of
the sea, saying that it was the cnmp
followers and politicians who were
slow to recognize the result. He
declared that when President Nc
Kinley wore a Confederate button
and carried a miniature Confederate
Flag, presented to him by a bevy
of southern girls it was evidence of
a reunited country. But when l
contemplate the fact that Wood
row Wilson, a Southern man, has
been elected and is to-day President
of the United States, and as such
the commander-in-chief of its army
and navy, I know the war of Sec
tions is over. And | here repeat
that those who wore the gray are
as loyal to our country as those who
wore the blue, all of our passed
differences are settled. Let US
shake hands and be friends, said
Gen. Harrison. To-day cur sons
are registering in answer to their
country's call. Let us encourage
andsstand by them, whether they
came from "Yankee-land" or Dixie
land"
The importance of this reunion
is without parallel or comparison.
1t will pass into memory as a
browning event in the history of a
great nation, an epoch never to be
forgotten or obliterated from the
pages IF history or dimmed by the
passing of years. More than a
half century ago the men who wore
the gray, numbered by all as the,
evening shadows deepen upon US,
were snatched in youth from loving
embraces of devoted mothers, and
left our homes and fre-sides in the
defense of what we knew to be
right. With bright hopes, stub
born determination and that historic
southern chivalry surging through
our veins, we responded to the
trumpet's call and marched to the
tune of Dixie, with a heroism
never surpassed, rarely equaled,
and admired by both friend and
foe.
Inspiring as the strains of Dixie
were to US in '6l TO '65, none the
less, I am sure, was The feeling of
patriotism that came to each of US
| while marching on historic Penn
sylvania avenue under the Stars and
Stripes, our country's flag, to the
soul-inspiring strains of u national
anthem, The Star Spangled Ban
ner, ".and with throbbing hearts and
steadfast purposes proclaimed that
long may it wave o'el the land of
the free and the home of the brave"
| If this reunion had as its only OBJ
ject the proof of a united country:
once divided, then this gathering
would be in vain. If it is to sig
Nifty any special fact it is that love
reigns and hatred lives no more.
The loyalty to the Flag by the men
who wore the Gray has long and
permanently been established,
1t Is accepted that there Is now
no North, no South, no East, no
West, except in so far as geographic
cal necessities require. The well
come that we all received was not
only for the men who followed Lee
and Jackson, but also for the sons
and daughters, sponsors and maids.
The welcome was without qualltica-
ton or mental reservauon-the
freedom of tie city, the hospitality
of the people, was unlimited to the
men who wore the gray. The doors
of the city swung wide open to US.
This reunion will be cherished as
one of the precious events of my
life. Of course there will always
be some rough necks" who will
not agree with me when they read
this article, but | did not use their
glasses. l have written facts as |
saw. heard and felt while moving