Captain Edmund Dillahunty Baxter was the featured speaker at the Tennessee State Association of Confederate Veterans held at the Carnton Plantation in Franklin, TN on September 14 & 15, 1892. The theme of his speech was to show that "rebels" had often been among those whose deeds shone most resplendently in history, like the Barons who brought King John to terms at Runnymead, and the patriots of the American revolution who followed Washington to a glorious independence. His speech received frequent outbursts of applause.

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The following is from the key note speech at the 1892 reunion of Tennessee Confederate Veterans held at Franklin, TN:

"The history of the English people is a history of rebels struggling to maintain their rights and liberties against the tyranny and oppression of the governing powers. To the American citizen who has carefully read the history of the race from which we sprang, the term rebel conveys no suspicion of dishonor or reproach. It is a term which tyrannical governments have at all times applied to people who have the courage to resist their oppression, and while tyrannical governments may intend to use the term, rebel, as one of reproach, every true lover of liberty who knows his history must regard it as a title of honor; history proves that it is a title of liberty which is older and more honorable than the king's perogative; it is a title which was originally won by the sword, it has been maintained by the sword, and unless it is defended by the sword, liberty will perish from the face of the earth. All the rights, previleges, and immunities now enjoyed by the American people were acquired for them by rebels and will be bequeathed to them by rebels. there can not be found today in all this world a man in whose veins does not flow the blood of a rebel, whether of English descent or not. Allow me to add that any man deserves this honorable title who is ready to fight, regardless of doubts or consequences for the rights of life, liberty, and property. these are the things for which we fought, and we counted not the cost when we bade defiance to the enemy's forces that undertook to despoil us of them."

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