The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-05-19
GENERAL FREEMAN MAKES STIRRING
ADDRESS At CONFEDERATE REUNION
COMMANDER IN CHEF
SAYS VETERANS ARE
NOT DEAD ONES" BY
ANY MEANS
ony Associated Press)

men who followed Lee will "carry
on as long as two Of us can
travel" General w. B. Freeman,
commander in chief, said here to-
day in the keynote address at the
opening session of the 36th annual
reunion of United Confederate
veterans.
away with the talk of limp
ing army Of old men. Nonsense
this talk about last reunion he
shouted.
General Freeman's attitude,
coupled with the sentiment of
many of his followers, appeared to
have successfully combatted the
movement in certain quarters to
disband the organization of vet
erana. In fact, the sentiment to-
day seemed so well crystalized
that the question viii probably not
come to the floor of the meeting.
"The veterans are not dead
ones. yet.p Gen. freeman assert
ed. "sixty-one years nave passed
since we wore as soldiers the uni
forms that tighten this hall to-
day. Most Of US Confederate vet
erans have passed 80 years. The
youngest Is beyond the three-score
and ten that are the tradition span
Of longevity. We want no funeral
orations delivered oyer US. We
ask no sympathy, we covet no
tears, far from it. We are met in
hope not in sorrow. Save as we
think of comrades who have left
u.s. we are assembled to rejoice,
not to mourn. and we greet the
unseen with a cheer.
Why is ii sog ! put the ques-
ton now, and essay to give the
brief answer at this tine because
it seems to me that If the spirit Of
our gathering is understood, the
right pitch can be given to all our
deliberations.
We arc met encouraging cheer,
because. first of all, we have pride
IN our cause and qualification at
the memory of our efforts for it.
We're this the fall of 1860, instead
Of the spring Of 1926, we would
hope that cool judgment would
prevail and that the appeal to
arms might be avoided for our
country and our brothers sake.
But If war had TO come, every man
Of US, | am sure, would do pre-
cisely as he did in the day of test,
except that he would try to rem
der larger service to his State and
to the Confederaey. In the words
Of an illiterate but ardent old
rebel, who was asked about his
war record. we amt ashamed of
nothing we have done. 1t Is a
great privilege to have contact
with historic cause, or mighty
leader It IS inspiring to serve
IN the decisive moments of mans
achievement. Il Is the greatest
satisfaction, | think, to have
fought for such cause, to have
known such leaders and to have
shared such moments. Having
that satisfaction. what have we
to fear Of old age? How could we
be gloomy? And what have we
10 dread at the hand OF time?
Eight major wars among great
powers or strong alliances have
been fought since our struggle
ended.
Among them has been the
bloodiest, most colossal struggle
Of all times. Armies have fought
for months on fronts ten times
as long rs that Of our greatest en-
gagement- More men were put
cut Of action in the western cam
raign ef 1916 than were enlisted
IN the Confederate armies from
the first call Cor volunteers to the
last eoming Of gray boards. An
army Of correspondents, observers
and historians has written Of the
gallant men who fought these re-
cent wars, and of sho generals who
led Them. And What do We sind I
Are eur comrades forgotten and
our commanders names clipped ?
Precisely the reverse.
ssseessssessssseessssses
AN TTeC M ENTc