Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-16
The Jasper Centennial.

GREAT DAY At BAyAssAH-sTIRRIS
SPEECH ~ sESAToE GORDON.
SAVANNAH, October 9.-The one hun.
dreth anniversary Of the siege Of savan.
nah and death of Sergeant jasper was
commcmorated to-day in an imposing
manner, in the presence Of 1900 or
20 900 people. Great enthusiasm pre-.
vailed, and the demonstration passed
off without accident Of any kind, The
volunteer soldiers Of Charleston, S. G.,
Georgia and Florida were represented
by over twenty companies OF infantry,
cavalry and artillery. The military
pageant surpassed in brilliancy aud
number any similar affair in this city.
The military alone, including the 81.
vannah soldiery. extended over quar-.
ter Of a mile. The procession was com.
posed Of civic societies, the Jasper Mon.
umcntal Association Centennial com.
mittee, headed by the Thirteenth
United States Infantry Band and com.
pany OF Federal troops from the bar.
racks at Atlanta. The entire city is
brillisntly and handsomely illuminated
and decorated. The shipping in port
and public buildings are also decrated.
After a parade through the principal
streets, which were blocked with people,
the procession reached Madison square.
the Bitc OF the proposed monument.
where a large stand had been erected
and WAS elahorately decorated, the
American flag being conspIcuous. The
corner stone was laid, with the usual
ceremonies, by Captain John Mcmahon,
president Of the Jasper Monumental
ASSOCIATION.
General John =. Gordon, United
States Senator from Georgia, was then
introduced and delivered a grand pa
triotic Grafton, which was listened TO
with profound attention and frequently
greeted with cheer. In the course Of
his remarks the distinguished speaker.
in an eaTncst and iorciblc manner. gave
vent to the following. which elected
most yociicrous and prolonged Ap.
plsusc:
Let us hope that the passions en-.
gendercd by our calamitous civil war
and the disirust towards tho South in
c!dcnt 20 that war may not furnish the
excuse nor become potential agencies
for the destruction OF those principles
Of government for which Washington
fought and jasper died. Lctme not be
mlsuuderstood. 1t u no part Of INV
purpose TO magnify unduly the rights
OF the States, nor would our people de
piiye the general government Of one
night or power which the Constitution
has conferred. We believe the most
lasting national good. a. well As the
greatest national strength, is to be at
tanned by an unfalterine adherence to
the rights of the States on the one hand
and the fullest recognition Of all the
prerocatives Of the general government
on the other. In other words under
our form Of government, and with our
vast territories and conflicting local in
terests, the grants and limitations Of
the fundamental law must be rccogniz.
ed. The Constitution must be the ON.
nipotent arbiicr from which there is no
appeal. Nor do seek by the refer.
cnccs 10 the South 10 detract in any de.
gree from the credit due 10 the able
statesmen Of the North for their brave
defense OF this colonial and constitution.
al doctrine of free, untrammeled local
government. | do not claim for the
South any monopoly of virtues com.
pretended in the terms patriotism or
hiil AiNt " AuhHt " 40
believe that love Of country or fidelity
TO the Constitution is bounded by State
lines OF confined TO sections. Would
that such obliquity of judgment and
all sectional bieoiry and passion and
prejudice could be banished from this
country, and that broad patriotism.
broad as the republic itself, could pos
sess the hearts of the entire American
people.
Would that the South. no longer the
subject Of distrust, could contemplate
with generous pride the mighty and
material development Of the great
West and North and the grand indus.
tries and achievements which contrib.
ute TO tho high civilization Of the great
East. Would that the West and East
and North, with a msgnsnimity of jus.
tice betittlng a great people, could
cherish as a common heritage the his
tory, the honor, the courage, the patri.
otism, the fidelity and the heroic en-.
duranoe Of the stricken South. God
speed the day when the maxim. This
Is my country" all my country. every
section, every State, every acre of soil
over which the flag Of the Republic
floats shall be embraced by every Amer.
ican freeman. notonly rs 8 geographical,
historical and political fact, but as a
isrsv II