The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-20
In MACON.
The Welcome
to Mckinley.
HEARTY, SINCERE.
The President Wears a Con-
federate Badge.

Macon, Ga, Dec. 19.-The president
and his party reached Macon promptly
on time and were received by the lar
gest crowd which has gathered here
since the last visit of Jefferson Davis
to this city.
Drawn up in front of the station was
the Bibb County Camp of Confederate
Survivors Association, 400 strong. head
ed by Commander Wiley As the pres
ident reached the old confederates, Col
onel Wiley addressed him as follows
Mr.. President, we extend to you and
your party a most generous, hearty and
sincere welcome to our beloved city
You, sir, have endeared yourself to the
hearts of all confederate soldiers on ac-
count of the noble sentiments expressed
dead. I assure you that these old,
manned and infirm veterans who have
met here to do you honor to-day, ap-
preciate such words of love and kind
ness and uttered, too, by the president
OF this great country and by one who
was a member of the union army in
the sixties. l hope and pray Mr.. Presi-
dent, that God in his infinite mercy
may so direct the future legislation of
this country that the living confeder-
ates will be remembered. This coun-
try and the stars and stripes belong as
much to the confederate veterans as it
does to the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie The South proved its loyalty to
this grand old country when war was
declared with Spain, and now hence
forth and forever she will be found
ready to take up arms to defend our
country and our flag.
MIR. President, on behalf of these
brave and MANNED confederate soldiers
of Bib County, Georgia, 1 present to
you this parchment engrossed in let
ters of gold the beautiful sentiment
expressed by you in our capital city in
regard to our honored dead
DR.. Roland b. Hall, another veteran,
addressed the president as follows:
Mr. President: In behalf of our
noble dead and as confederate veterans,
we are here to manifest our appreci-
alton of the noble and generous senti-
ment you have recently uttered. Do us
the honor, sir, to accept and wear this
badge Of a confederate veterans asso-
citation, which bears your likeness and
words which should endear you to the
heart Of every confederate.
Il do not know that it will be prop
en-" said the president.
"But you must" said DR.. Hall, and
without further ceremony, the presi-
dent marched ahead with Judge Speer,
The sight Of the confederate badge on
the presidents coat as he passed
through the lines of veterans called
forth vociferous cheering. The presi
dent wore the badge during his stay
in Macon. One of Gen. Wheeler's old
cavalrynaen also pinned a badge to the
lapel Of his major generals coat.
The presidential party was driven in
carriages to the stand where the presl-
dent was to review the troops of Gen.
Bates division Of Gen. Wilson's army
corps. AS his carriage passed the con-
federate monument an old confederate
veteran frantically waved q, confederate
flag, while by his side was the son Of
the colonel Of one OF Georgia's hardest
fighting confederate regiments who was
as vigorously waving the stars and
stripes. When the president was
abreast Of them, the two flags We're
brought to a salute side by side The
incident seemed to appeal to the presi-
dent Emblazoned on the base Of the
monument were the words of the presi-
dent about the graves of the con-
federate dead. The sidewalks were
packed all along the line of march, and
Mr. Mckinley and the other celebrities
were vigorously cheered.
After the troops had passed the
president, great crowd gathered
about the stand, though a. steady soak
ing rain was falling. Judge Emory
Speer introduced the president, who
spoke as follows;
The president said: cit gives me very
great pleasure to meet and greet the
citizens of the city Of Macon with many
of whom l have been associated in pub
lie life. 1t has given me pleasure to
witness the review of the soldiers of
the United States. How much, indeed.
has this nation to be thankful for at
this hour. With what reverent graft
tude we should express our thankful
ness to divine providence, who has so
tenderly cared for the American people. |
We have been at war with a foreign
power. That war ended, after 113 DAYS
of conflict, a conflict on two oceans a
conflict in the East and the West In
dies, 1900 miles apart, with $4,000 of !
our soldiers on distant shores and 90 900
sailors and marines afloat, with a loss
in army and navy of less than 1000, and
without the loss of ship or sailor or
soldier or flag by capture. Never was
there more magnificent army mus
tered, and never was an army must
efeQ Tor a holler cause or under q more |
glorious flag than the stars and stripes.
(Cheers and great applause.)
ION the oath day of this month, the
day before Christmas. our peace com
missioners win deliver to the president
of the United States a treaty of peace
with honor, peace with the blessings Of |
liberty to struggling peoples east and |
west.
Il congratulate my countrymen on !
another fact. We have not only tri- |
umphed over our enemy, but we have |
triumphed over our own prejudices and |
are now united country. prolonged !
applause and cheers.)
1T has done my heart good to wit |
ness the demonstrations of patriotism |
from one end of this country to the |
other. Six weeks ago I went to the ex- /
IRENE west. I met the wave of pa
triotism there. l come to the south |
and ] witness the same spirit of loyalty |
and devotion to a common country with
a common faith, under a common flag I
(Applause.)
Il know this great audience wants TO |
see the heroes Of the war (applause): |
they are with you here-Shafter and |
Wheeler and Lawton and Bates, and I
others who were conspicuous in the re- |
cent conflict (cheers.), and give way, |
that you may have the pleasure of |