The Atlanta constitution., 1898-08-15

hand with a kiss in acknowledgement. and
turning to the men in gray. sad; ~,
the wife of your general. and | am now
one of YOU
Colonel Hemphills Reply.
Colonel William A. Hemphill, a
gallant soldier of the lost cause" and
now business manager of The Atlanta Con-
stitution, responded on behalf of the visit
ing veterans. After returning the thanks
Of his old comrades for the warm welcome
extended them Colonel Hcmphill SAID:
Mr. Mayor, you have not lost any Of
your old-time eloquencc, or your former
warmth of welcome, both Of which | have
enjoyed in the days gone by. l rejoice to
be here III the home of the Liberty bell.
The dear old bell was brought south first
In 1885 When il reached Beauvoir an old
stateman who was on his last bed of sick
ness arose and went to the train. There,
in the presence of that sacred relic, he said:
1 believe the time has come when reason
should be substituted for passion, and
when men should be able TO 90 justice To-
each other And jefferson Davis. a sen of
a revolutionary soldier bowed in reverence
TO the glorious old bell.
"Ihat trap was the beginning of the good
feeling that now exists between the sec
tious. Mr.. Mayor, ] remember a few years
ago when you brought the bell to Atlanta;
how, all along the route, multitudeS tiocked
to see it; old men cried over it. women and
and devotion. You left it in our charge,
and how SaCredly We watched and cared
for II. | had the honor to be one Of the
committee to return IT to this city. All
along the route home people gathered to
pay their respects and honor TO the Liberty
bell You don't know, sir, how we appre-
Clated your kindness, and Philadelphia VIII
always have a warm place in our hearts.
Il esteem ii a great honor to be in this
grand old building, where our fathers pro-
mulgated the gna Charta of our liber-
ties. and it is with parionabte pride | say
uhat southern man and a Nirgirian, too.
wrote that grand Instrument. and that
southern men helped to put 1t into effect.
The Flag Must Not Come Down.
my friends we came out of the civil war
the greatest nation on earth and it took
this war to prove it to ourselves and con-
vince foreign nations of that great fact.
Look a the strict neutrality observed by
all the nations of the earth. Why IS it!
Because they fear and respect US There IS
no other reason The skill and herosm or
Dewey, Sampson, Sohlcy, cler,Shatter.
Miles. Lee and lIobson and host of others,
brave and true have proved that American
SOldi rs ana American sailors are rot cN-
ceiled III the world. The star Spangied
Banner has been made to wave in places
where It never has waved before. This IS
the providence of God. lie intends that
the civilization and liberty of this great
republic snail extend to the ends of the
earth. Wherever our flag has been planted
by the herOism and blood OF our soldiers,
woe be TO the man or destruction to the
party that tears II down.
There viii be presented to this country
great international questions and problems
hard to solve will come before our leaders
] want to say, as democrat and a south
ern man. that thcrc is a strong and patri-
Otto hand at the heim Of this government,
and that | believe President Mckinney ana
his able advisers VII solve these questions
correctly. This country is bound to make
great advances and obtain greater hclShj5