Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-11-12
deHt address Of HUn. GCOFge II.
PcndletOn.

eloquent address of welcome TO the
delegates
GENTLEMEN oT THE CONVENTION: =
My fcllow-citizens have done me in-
Unite honor to-day. The civic au-
DhOritiCS, the commercial authorities,
the Chamber of Commerce, the Board
ofTrade, the people generally, have
commissioned me to speak to you in
their behalf.
They have commanded me to give
You a most Tatemal greeting. They
have commanded me to say with a
sincerity and warmth, forwhich | find
no fitting words, that you are their
honored and most welcome guests.
They have commanded me to say that
they appreciate the honor OF your
presence here, and they desire to
recognize ii by every act ofcourteous,
and attentive, and atlectionate hospi.
tality. [Applausc.
These annually recurring meetings
this conCoursc of representative
men-these delegations from every
State and city and Chamber of Com
.merce and combination of business
men, from the Hudson to the Rio
Grande-these earnest, thoughtful
learned debates by friends OF every
industrial interest, and advocates of
every growing enterprise, from the
Alleghanics to the Rocky Mountains
attest the dignity Of this Conven-
ton, and the magnitude Of the ques-
ton committed to its consideration.
Your predecessors who met atNor-
folk in 1865, were few in numbers, and
the chief subject Of their considera.
ton was the ocean trade otthC AT
lantic cities with Europe,
Your number already reaches many
hundreds and Your debates vii
touch every project Of material deyel
opment-eyery phase Of iuJelligen'
industry-every facility ofcormercia
intercourse-eyery plan OF finance an(
taXation-every encouragement fin
migration-cvery question of govern
mental economy,
u must be SO. This convention
meets TO consider and advance the in
terests ofthe great Mississippi Valley
l say it in no narrow spiIt, | woulC
liniI your duties and your iphuenc.
to no local lines.
Tie interests OF the Mississippi Val
ley are the centre aud source of h
wellbeing Of other portions of il
country Its development is thci
growth. Its prosperity is their wealth
and when the hand of industry touch
rs into life any dormant element Q
power which nature has hidden in il
fields, or mines, or lakes, or riverI
they grow ny its activity and nov
under its mpulsiou
The Mississippi Valley! TIE Yer
name call up q vision Of TRANSFER
dent grandeur, Mountains filed wit
ore; valleys instinct with fecund lif
prairies carpeted with the most bri
liant wild flowers and rcdolent of tn
sweetest perfumes lands eencrou
Nth whea corn GGd BARLEY ; LAND
tesming WIN cotton, rice and sugar
thc snow lad fields of I'll. Nor.
shading into the dusky yello Of til
parched ard thirsty South til free;
ing blasts + Canada, melted t, gent,
breczes il ne warm embrace Il tn
fervent winds Of Florida.
Il stretches from Central Pen 4,y
y4nia to he western BOUNDARY {
Kansas, from the Lake Of the Wood
to the Gulf # Mexico. Its soil III
critic its Zines e productive il
orests are cXhaus less its skies al
light; its climates are healtlful
{ ID has given to it every clement {
ealth every attribl tc 81 5eaut IAN
through It's whole length the Urea
River-made OF the continent -atel
Of every spring and rigulet, and streal
in al is broad eypanse--l,l lis il
ccssel0ss food from the frozen egior
Of he arctic ices to the golden orang
groves of the ln-be often tropics.
,heop land and Astounding broa.
stuts will secure it, future. Ire I'm
ahundred lllions o. people WI in
haOitit it. They viii i'll its fertfls oil
they vii work it, f Iitful mings;tle
will manufacture rs raw teri Is
they will bring { cry force MAJ r
into cooperation with c apOli
ance Of art, and Use both aeyic
of Luman ingenuity and efol
Of human industry in cvelor
ment of its unrivalod res. ce..
They will be an tive. ... arnriainr
selt-reliant, audacious lie.
They will not SUBJ o i5olatio,
They will require they wi.
have free, uninterrur easy con
munication With the Of Mexic
by the Miss -sippi r. with III
Chesspeal by the c If Virginia
with Sand Hook canals d
New Yr-h; with the lh Atlar6
by the lqkes and the $ awrence
They each the Pacil ythc North
Crn and he Central an he Sou ber
Railroad
They VII dig thr9 u . the noun
tains of Virginia, am j lport by wa
Of Norfolk. They i'll tread the val
leys OF Kentucky ID Tennessee, an
load the ships of c ailestou and Sa
yannah. They viii build The levee
Of the Soathern I vcrs, and reclaim t
cultiya on their itch %alluvion.
Ihay will sweep away every en-
DarraSsment caused by o restrictive
Or, if you prefer the word, a protcc
i've system and thcy will dcman
every improvement in the burden c
taxation and in the benefits of cul
rClcy which the most enlightene
and sagacious civilization a sugges
And would fain believe that i
The midst of this splendid matcris
advancement they will never forge
that in the eyes of God and humanft
they are charged with the mainter
ancc, as its best guarantee, of the cor
fcderate system of our fathers. Lou
applause.
Does this consummation seem in
probable