The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-12-21
Peace Jubilee in Atlanta.
SECTIONALISM A THING
OF THE PAST.

day of the Atlanta peace jubilee by a
notable utterance in his speech be.
fore the joint session of the Georgia
Legislature this afternoon.
His reception by the general as
sembly was warm and hearty in the
extreme, and bis speech was pune
tured with frequent ontbursts of
cheering. 1t is admitted on all sides
that the address marked an epoch In
history and is tonight on every lip.
Upon the presidents arrival at the
capitol he was greeted with q field
artillery salute and was at once es-
corted to Governor Candler's Office.
There short informal reception took
place. Upon its conclusion the
president was conducted to the as.
sembly chamber. where he occupied
the speakers chair wish Governor
Candler on his right.
When President Dodson of the
senate called the Legislature to order
the galleries were thronged with men
and women. The body of the cham
Der was well filled with State Sena.
tors and assemblymen, while the
uniforms of various officers and the
governors staff gave a touch of
brilliant color to the gathering. On
the first row facing the speaker sat
Secretaries Gage, Long. Wilson and
Smith and Secretary Porter
Besides the speakers desk and
below the president Gems. Wheeler.
Lawton and Young, in foil uniform.
sat on chairs.
The speaker raped for silence aud
introduced the president to the au-
dience, after congratulating the
State of Georgia upon the presence
of their distinguished guests
As the president arose, the audi
ence applauded.
During the course of his short
speech Mr. Mckinley referred to his
notes and constantly paused for the
cheers to stop. a scene of intense
enthusiasm followed when amid im
pressive silence these words fell
from the lips of the president !:
"Every soldiers grave made during
the unfortunate civil war is q tribute
to American valor. Aad while, when
those graves were made we differed
widely about the future of this gov
ernment, those differences were long
ago settled by the arbitrament of
arms-and the time has now come in
the evolution of sentiment and feel
ing under she providence of God,
when in the spirit of fraternity we
should share with You in the care of
the graves of the Confederate sol.
diers."
4 wild cheer went up from every
throat in the typical southern audi
ence, cheer that echoed and reached
through the chamber until it was
taken up by the crowds outside
Old men who fought for the south.
tose from their seats and waved their
hats One Confederate veteran, now
venerable legislator, had passed
forward until he was leaning against
the speakers desk, hanging on each
word the president uttered. When
the reference was made to the Con-
fedrate dead, this cid man buried his
head in his arms and while cheers
rang out, cried like little child.
Of all the many conciliatory
speeches which have been made
since Grant said "Les there be
peace" nothing has more deeply
stirred southern audience than the
simple words of President Mckinley
this afternoon.
THE SPEECH.
The president spoke as follows :
| Sectional lines no longer mar the map
of the Uoited States Sectional feeling
90 longer holds back the love We bear
each other Fraternity is the national
anthem, sung By chorus of 45 States
and our territories at home and beyond
the seas. The union is once more the
| common atlas of our love and loyalty,
| our devotion and sacrifices. The old
flag again waves over US in peacc with
pew glories which your soss and oure
have this year added to it's sacred folds.
What cause we have for rejoicing
Saddened ooly by the fact that SO many
of our brave men fell on field OF
sickened and died from hardship aud
exposure and others returning, bringing
wounds aud disease from which they
will long suffer. The memory of the
dead will be precious legacy and the
disabled will be the nation's care
"a nation which cares for its dis
abed soldiers as We have always done
will uever lack defenders. The na-
tionsl cemeteries for those who fell 10
battle are proof that the dead az we'll az