The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-12-04

Owing to the extended exercises in
the drill proper, and the fact that the
seats i'm the Hall had been removed fol
the hop which was to follow, in conse-
quence of which many ladies were
standing, and the unpleasantness Of
the evening, Mr.. Henry did not deliver
the address he had prepared but simply
made few remarks. The following
is the address in full, published by re-
quest of the officers and members OF
the company.
"When Belgium's Capital had gathered
then, her beauty and her chivalry.
Bright the lamps shone DER fair women
and brave men,
But O-er none | dare say, fairer or
Drawer than those gathered here to-
night.
Captain Perry, Officers and Members Of the
Vdaoe Guards, LddieS and Gentlemen -
This is brilliant scene.
These are interesting exercises. | an
the honored organ selected by the Officers
OF the Guards to make few remarks
pertinent TO THIS OCCASION.
Maj or Lanier, in the name of the Com
pany, thank you for your presence, and
for your impartial, accurate, and salts
factory discharge of the duty requested
OF you.
COMPLIMENTS PAID THE COMPANY.
Captain Perry, | recently heard two
compliments touching your company of
such high order that | beg to mention
them in this connection. As | was COM
ing in this Hall on IL former occasion,
when that splendid soldier, General w.
III. Cheek, delivered the medal to private
Dunn, of your command, and just as
your order had placed the members of
the company in line fronting the specta-
tors, | heard that Northern gentleman
OF Southern sentiments, that citizen of
Boston, Mr.. John W. Nelson, exclaim,
''My Lord! That company looks like it
could kill thousand Yankees"
The members of the company thank
him for the compliment contained in
those words, but we all rejoice that the
brave men of the North and South con-
tend no longer over veXed constitutional
questions and fly at each others throats,
and we pray God that with the retire
ment Of that hyena Senator Ingalls, and
his few blood-thirsty coadjutOrs of the
North and the inauguration in 1892 of
National Democratic Administration
under the beneficent, patriotic and pro-
found leadership OF that Second Wash
ington, Grover Cleveland-Sectionalis
will be blotted out of existence that
this Country will be united-and then she
may indeed stand up amongst the Ma
lions of earth as "The Great Republic"
When was in Raleigh some time ago
Col. Frank Cameron, Inspector General,
one of the oldest and best of all of the
officers OF the State Guard, said to me,
that, 'at the recent encampment at
Wrightsvillle, he was proud of the Vance
Guards, that some years ago the Guard
was very inefficient, but that it has made
as great Improvement rs any company
in the State, that the officers are gen
tlemen of the highest character and the
morale and esprit de corps OF the members
most excellent and that in an emergency
he would rely with confidence upon the
Guards
HENDERSON SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE
VANCE GUARDS.
congratulate the citizens of Hender-
son upon the existence in their midst of
sQSh u biaNC oods vi
When a man Joins this company he
docs the citizens OF Henderson the high
est honor in his power-for he pledges
his life if need be-to defend their prop
erty, their homes and their loved ones.
These are no mere holiday soldiers.
These men are enlisted They are sub
jet to Court Martial. ToimprisoHment.
To the call of the Governor and TO the
requisition of the President. They should
be recognized and appreciated accord
ingiy. No one can tell what hour their
services will be required. No good citizen
viii discourage them, if he will pause to
think
No man would seek and erpect their
assistance, sooner, should riot and
conflagration threaten his life and prol,-
erty, than the man who throws obstacles
in the way of those who are DOW MEN,
bers and prevents Others from enlisting.
To fail to encourage them from q Pdtri-
otto standpoint, is almost Inaccessible
To fail to encourage them from Bus
iness standpoint is it seems to me a short
sighted policy-for nothing so adyertises
a town as a splendidly equipped discip-
lined military company.
WHY WE SHOULD PERFECT OUR MILITARY
SYSTEM.
There are reasons Of the gravest mo-
ment why We should exert ourselves to
perfect our militia system. Though We
do live in "these weak piping times of
peace" though, "grim visaged war has
smoothed his wrinkled front" every stu
dent OF political, social and economic
questions must realize that there are
deadly agencies at work in this Govern
ment and the time is not far distant
when it will require all the manhood and
patriotism of the country to save it from
destruction.
There are many isrls in the North and
West that find rich soil for development
in the hearts OF a socialistie cosmopolitan