Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-16

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interest
THE EXERCISES.
Promptly al 1 o'clock the formal eX-
,rcises we're commenced and after an
overture By the Blues Band, Mr.. A. Won
~ Rosenegk. president Of the German
American Associe lion, delivered an adj
dress o. welcome He said:
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Tor the seventh time we Germans are
assembled to festivey celebrate the Ger
man-Day. and i'm the name of the Ger
maa-Amerlcan Association of Virginia, ]
street, and wish you a hearty welcome. l
hereby express our thanks TO the com
mittees. male and female chorus. speak
ers. and the press, who by their effective
assistance. enabled us 10 have this beau
tiiul celebration. In rejecting upon the
events Of the past year several COMPARE
sons were forced upon my mind, which
! viii now present 20 you. With joyous
appreciation have we all bcfeld the grand
reunion which was recently celebrated
in our city by the veterans Of the Con-
federate army, their wives. children, and
grandchildren, In cOmmemoration. not
withstanding the final defeat OF the
Nalorous deeds of those brave lighters In
that so unfortunate and uneqUalled con-
test. We COMMUNICATIONS sympathized
with them. and could well understand
those painful rcmembranccs which they
cherished as holy for there was hardly a
family ia the whole South who did not
mourn the loss Of either dear relative,
friend. or estate. But that Of which the
parents were proud. and Tor which they
IN true love gave their blood, must be
their chidron's holy inheritance There
fore. our southern citizens can better
understand than any one else why we
lovingly cherish the memories OF that
country where our forefathers or we
ourselves. were born. and that we en-
dcaVoT TO uphold those same sociable
relations and the German language-the
same that our dear parents spoke. How
ever. how sincere our loyalty to this
country Is. we show by the celebration
Of this day--the German-Day. which is
an American festival, and IS celebrated TO
express our Joy that the first Germans
who landed In America 2l3 years ago
Jour forefathersl-seie this beautiful
land as their future home. We, who are
assembled here are especially fortunate
in having found a home in our well-bc-
loved city Of Richmond. Our Virginia
friends and members do not demano
preferences In any way of the United
States on account OF their being south
erners. hut as such justly expect that they
shall not be neglected. and just as the
southernCr. although not forgetting the
Oo HIM dear recolections, or preserving
them as an honorable and reliable man.
Is. nevertheless the best and most self
sacrificing citizen Of the United states.
and the Communication claim the
same.
Furthermore We ss German Americans.
likewise do not wish any preferences, but
10 De on an equality with all other Ameri-
can citizens. and most emphatically pro-
nounce as un-American and unconstitu-
uonal tbs neglect OF any citizen, because
he Is "a German-American. or cannot
trace his American ancestors back a
hundred years or more. as we and every
one else well know, that the only real
Americans are Indians and all other In
habitants OF this country. be they Of
recent or earlier arrival, are emigTants
But. above all our fond recOlections
above all our sociable societies, Church
or political party ties. must the love
and accepted obligations OF this, our great
and beautiful country OF all Americas,
the mighty United States. predominant
Atd whatever we. after careful concur
renee with our conscience, conclude TO be