Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-15
AtIanta's Grand Event Is Well
Started.
Wild Cheers Greet Presidents Speech
in Legislature.
H undreds OF Southerners Rush to Shake 4
Northern Presidents Hand.


joint session of the Georgia Legisla-
ture, this afternoon. His reception
by the General Assembly was warm
and hearty in the extreme, and his
speech was interrupted with frequent
outbursts of cheering. 1t is admitted
on all sides that the address marked
an epoch in history and it is, tonight,
on every lip. Upon the Presidents ar
rival at the Capitol he was greeted
with a field artillery salute and was
at once escorted to Gov. Chambers Of
flee. There a short informal recep-
ton took place. Upon its conclusion
the President was conducted to the
Assembly chamber, where ne occupied
the speakers chair with Gov. Chan
der ON his right. When President
Dobson of the Senate called the Leg
islature to order the galleries were
thronged with men and women. The
body of the chamber was well filled
with state sena tors ana 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 Alger, Gage, Long and
Wilson, Postmaster General Smith
and Secretary TO the President Por-
ter Besides the speakers desk and
below the President, Gems. Wheeler,
Lawton and Young i'm full uniform
We're seated. The speaker raped for
silence and introduced the President
to the audience, after congratulating
the state of Georgia, upon the pres
ence of their distinguished guests. AS
the President rose, the audience APP
plauded. During the course of his
short speech. President Mckinley re-
ferred to his notes and constantly
paused for the cheers to stop.
A scene of intense enthusiasm fol-
lowed when, amid impressive silence
these words fell from the lips of the
President: Every soldiers grave
made during the Civil War is a tr1-
butte to American valor. And While.
when these graves were made we diff
fered widely about the future of the
government those differences We're
long ago settled by the arbitrament of
arIns-and the time has now come IN
the evolution of sentiment and feel
ing. under the providence of God,
when in the spirit of fraternity We
should share with you in the care of
of the grave of the Confederate SOL
ders' A wild cheer went up from
every throat from the typical South
ern audience, d cheer that echoed and
reechoed through the chamber until it
was taken up by the crowds outside
Old men who fought for the South
rose from their seats and waved theis.
hats One Confederate veteran. now a
legislator, had passed for
ward until he was leaning against the
speakers desk, hanging ON each word
the President uttered. When the re-
ference was made to the Confederate
dead, this old man buried his head in
his arms and, While cheers rang out.
cried Hike a child. OF all the many con-
ciliatory speeches which have been
made since Grant said: Let there be
peace" nothing has more deeply stir
red a Southern audience than the
simple words CT President Mckinley
this afternoon.
No sooner had President Mckinley
concluded than there Were loud cries
for Wheeler, and when that little man
got up, his head scarcely higher than
the speakers desk, the audience once
more gave vent 20 Wild enthusiasm.
Gen. Wheeler referred enthusiastically to
the efforts of the President towards
peace as bong as THE coun-
try's honor would permit such efforts
and of his masterful policy after fit was
Gen. Wheeler paid a trib-
ute to Admiral Dewey and added:
The army in conjunction with the
navy was ordered TO attack and de-
stroy the Spanish forces at Santiago.
In four weeks that order was obeyed
and its purpose accomplished. The
proud Spanish ma ton stood sueing for
peace from the nation which a month
before it had held up to ridicule and
5corn."
Calls for Brigader General Young
brought that gentleman to his feet
with short speech regarding the con-
Lition of the army camps in the South.
He said that no troops in the world
were better fed and treated than were
the troops in South Carolina and Geor-
yia. Gen. Lawton was loudly cheelei
but refused to make speech. He i'm
ply thanked, on behalf of his men at
Santiago, the Legislature and peor.e
If Georgia for their tribute to himself.
Secretary Alger refused to speak and
the Legislature dissolved. The Presi-
dent held private reception in the
Senate and afterwards a public recep-
ion on the steps of the rotunda. There
we're hundreds of Southerners crushed
md jostled by each other in their anx-
ETY. TO shake a Northern President
land Many had come from miles dis-
ant and at 2 Is p. NJ, when the Presi-
lent left the capitol, there were still
hundreds bitterly disappointed because
hey had not been able TO make their
way through the surging throng to get
seconds hold on his hand. The days
festivities included a unique fiorai pa
ada which Was reviewed by the Pres
dent and a festival. tonight. TO the I
distinguished guests at the Caption CITY /;
hub.
A few minutes before | o'clock the
party weree assigned 70
carriages and escorted by 80 mounted /
police and the members of Gov. Cham /
CONTINUED On page 81