General Early.
The applause with which General Early was greeted showed the warm place he has in the hearts of old Confederates. In a few remarks he expressed his gratification at the large gathering in spite [208] of the weather. He spoke of the great gathering which organized this monument association, over which President Davis presided.General Early paid an eloquent tribute to Mr. Davis, expressed his deep regret at his absence, and said that he knew he expressed the sentiments of this vast crowd when he expressed the hope that President Davis would be here at the unveiling of the proposed monument. [This tribute to Mr. Davis was loudly applauded.]
General Early said that Lee needed no monument, but that we owed it to ourselves to erect it, and that, however certain men may go back on their principles, the noble women of the South would be ever true.
In fit phrase General Early introduced Captain W. Gordon Mc-Cabe, of Petersburg.
