The Portland daily press., 1898-12-15
ADDRESSES MEMBERS OF
GEORGIA LEGISLATURE.
Southeners Cheered and Wept at
His Words.
NOTHING LIKE 1T SINCE GRANTS
.sLET THERE BE PEACE

President Declared Timc Had Come
when Graves of Confederates Should
Be the Care of the Nation-Gen.
wheeler Followed and Was Greeted
with Tremendous Enthusiaism-
Little General Pays Tribute to the
President and Dewey.
Atlanta, Ca, December l4.-President
Mckinley made memorable the first day
of the Atlanta peace jubilee by notable
utterance in his speech before the joint
session of the Georgia legislature this
afternoon. His reception by the general
assembly was warm and hearty in the ex-
treme, and his speech was interrupted
with frequent outbursts of cheering. IT
| is admitted on ell sides that the address
marked an epoch in history and it is to-
night on every lip. Upon the Presidents
arrival at tine capitol he was greeted with
a field artillery salute, and was at once
escorted to Governor Gamblers 5 office.
There short info rmal reception took
place. Upon its conclusion the President
was conducted to the assembly chamber,
where he occupied the speakers chair
with Governor Chandler on his right.
When President Dobson of the Senate
called the legislature to order, the gal
leries were thronged with men and
women. The body Of the chamber was
well filled with state senators and as
| semblymen, while the uniforms OF
various officers on the governors staff
gave touch of brilliant color to the
gathering. On the first row facing the.
/ speaker sat Secretaries AIger, Gage, Long
and Wilson, Postmaster General Smith
| and Secretary to the President Porter.
Beside the speakers desk and below the
President. Generals Wheeler, LaWton and
Young in full uniforms were seated. The
speaker raped for silence and introduced
the President to the audience, LATTER con-
graduating the State OF Georgia, upon
the presence of their distinguished guests.
AS the President arose the audien ap-
| plauded During the course of his short
speech MIR. Mckinley referred to his notes
aud constantly paused for the cheers to
stop.
A scene of intense enthusiasm followed
when, amid impressive silence these
words fell from the lips of the President:
EVERY soldiers grave made during the
civil war is a tribute to American valor.
And while, when these graves were made,
we differed widely about The future OF the
government those differences were long
ago settled by the arbitrament of arms
and the time has now come in the eyoiu-
tion of sentiment and feeling, undsr the
providence of God, when in the spirit OF
| fraternity we should share with you in
| the care of the graves of the Confederate
soldiers.
| A wild cheer went up from every throat
| in the typical Southern audience, cneer
| that echoed and re-eoh0ed through tne
chamber until it was taken mp by tne
| crowds outside.
Ola mon wno fought for the South rose
| from their seats ana waved their natS.
One Confederate veteran, now venerable
legislator had passed forward when ne
was leaning against the speakers desk
hanging on each word the President
uttered. When the reference was made TO
the Confederate dead, this old man buried
i his head in his arms, and while cheers
rang out cried like a child. OF all the
many conciliatory speeches which have
been made since Grant said: Let there
be peace, !" nothing has more deeply
stirred Southern audience than the
simple words OF President Mckinley this
Afternoon. No sooner had the President
.{<A hI,s,rI nr1ol
Wheeler, and when the little man got up,
his head scarcely higher than the speak
er's desk, the audience once more gave
vent to wild enthusiasm. General Wheeler
i referred eulogisticaliy to the efforts OF the
President towards preserving peace as
long as the countryis honor would permit
such efforts, and of his masterlul policy
after it was inevitable. General Wheeler
Maid a tribute to Admiral Dewey and
added: 1.-the army in conjunction with
the navy was ordered to attack and de-
stroy the Spanish forces ct Santiago. In
four weeks that order was obeyeu and its
purnose accomplished. The proud Spanish
nation stood suing for peace from the
nafion which month before it had held
up to ridicule and scorn, I"
Calls for Brig. General Young brought
! that officer to his feet with a short speech
regarding the condition OF the army
camps in the South. ne sala Vnao no
troops in the world were better fed and
treated than were the troops in South
Carolina and Georgia. General Iawton
was Loudly cheered. but refused TO make
a speech. lie simply thanked, on behait
Of his men at Santiago, the legislature
ysnd people Of Georgia for their 6rlbute to
himself. Secretary Alger refused aasspeak
and the legislature dissolved,
The PRESIDENT held II private reeeprlo on
iMsthe Senate, and afterwards q public
10 ,ption on the steps of the rotunda.
II Nsre were hundreds of SouthernerS