The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-20

city. you accorded me an impartial
hearing. Stranger Is / was to all Of
you, you made me feel at home, n
from that hour Atlanta won my heart.
My subsequent visits nave only served
to increase my admiration for your en-
terprising city.
-Four years have gone since I las
met the people Of Georgia in public
assembly. Much has happened in b
intervening time.
The nation has beer al war. not
within its own shores, but with a for
eign power, a war waged not for re-
venge or aggrandizement. but for u
oppressed neighbors. for their freedom
and liberation. IT was short, but de-
cisive. It recorded a succession Of sig
niicant victories on land and sea 1t
gave new honors to American arms. 1t
has brought new problems to the re-
public, whose solution will tax the
genius of our people. United, we will
meet and solve them with honor to
ourselves and to the lasting benefit of
all concerned. The war brought us to-
gether; its settlement will keep US to-
gether.
"'Reunited'-Glorious realization; it
expresses the thought of my mind n
the long-deferred contamination Of my
hearts desire as 1 stan in this pres
ence. It interprets the hearty demon
stration here witnessed and is the pa
triotic refrain of all sections and OF all
lovers of the republic.
'ReunitedP-one country again n
one country forever. Proclaim it from
the press and pulpit: teach it in the
schools; write it across the skies. Tina
world sees and feels it; it cheers every
heart north and south and brightens
the life of every American home. Let
nnfhipO ox-or strain II oCotn Ar nparo
with all the world and with each other.
what can stand in the pathway of our
progress and prosperity"
Hon. John d. Long, secretary Of the
navy, followed, responding to the
toast. "Our Navy,
Major General William r. Shafter
was heartily cheered when introduced
by Mr.. Howell.
Hon. George r. Peck, Of Chicago,
was believed to be the northern speak
er of the evening and rising to respond
to the toast, The New Union" was
loudly applauded.
A splendid speech was that of Hon.
Stephen O'Meara, of Boston,the next on
the list. and it's reception was one of
strong approval.
Hon. Lyman j. Gage, secretary of
the treasury, delivered a concise and
polished speech in answer to the toast
How the People Paid the Bill" Like
those who preceded him, the secretary's
words were warmly applauded.
All decorum was laid aside for the
M when General Joe. Wheeler
arose to respond t. his toast. The dis
tinguished southerner was cheered and
cheered and it was fully five minutes
before he was permitted to proceed.
General S. B. M. Young filled the
place assigned to General Chaffee. In
reply to the toast THE Volunteer as
Viewed by a Regular in Command"
he said in part:
"a call was made by III president
for volunteers. Unfortunately, and,
my friends, 1 speak advisedly-unfor-
~tunately, we accepted n mustered
into the United States service regi-
ments and officers in their entirety
from these state guards. This was a
mistake; but as 1 said before, this per-
tains to a subject Of which our worthy
secretary of wal will read from me
an official communication. In addition
to these regiments accepted from the
state, other regiments were organized
from the material of which the best
soldiers that the world ever saw were
moulded. In looking at the volunteers
and considering them as soldiers, the
fact is lost sight of that they had not
received a professional education. We
are too quick to condemn; we are slow
to remember that these patriotic men,
taken from the very walks of life,
cannot, within a week, a month. a year.
less than a year be educated to the
point where these obligations to them
are paramount.
'I dwell more particularly on the two
regiments-Seventy-first New
York and Second Massachusetts-for
the reason that these two regiments
were the two volunteer regiments n
fho Oo1yy xyn111nfnnr YaOinoanfc oyPanf thp
First volunteer cavalry, Trough Rid
ers) present with the regular forces
that played any important part in the
battles in and about Santiago. I have
sincerely regretted that these two reg
iments were taken away from my bril-
gade, and from under my command;
not that they were placed nde the
command of General Lawton, who is
a soldier worthy of the Napoleonic
days, but hat they were brought into
action before they had attained that
confidence in their company and regi-
mental officers that is necessary to sue
cess in an engagement. Understand
me distinctly, that I am not criticising
the action of these regiments under
fire. There is no better material in
these United States than could be found
in these two regiments, but they lack
ed the instruction and the training
necessary to succeed in the extreme
hour of trial. With our limited force
in that expedition it was necessary to
call upon these regiments, but they
were called upon too Don They were
not fitted for the work."
Hon. Charles Emory Smith, postmas-
ter general, was next introduced by
Mr.. Howell. He was followed by Gov
ernor Joseph F. Johnston, of Alabama.
Hon. Charles F.. Warwick, mayor of
Philadelphia, responded to What the
Liberty Bell Says About It." Mayor
Warwick is a favorite in Atlanta, and
his reception was highly gratifying.
One North Carolina Negro Soldier