Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-21
CHARLOTTE'S
MONUMENT TO sIGNERs OF NECK
LEsBURG DECLARATION.
EX.pRESIDENT STEVENSON SPEAKS.
Governor Atkinson, of Georgia, Also
Makes Patriotic Address-Prize-
Moore, of Hampden-sidney.

CHARLOTTE, N. c.. May 2O.--Th
whole State joined with Charlotte TO
| dav in unwilling handsome granite mon
ument to the memory Of the signers o
| the Mecklenburg Declaration OF indie
| pendence. which was drawn up here oil
| May 90 1775.
There was notable pageant in tn
early morning, of floats decorated will
the national colors and filed with youns
ladies', representing the various States
and illustrating many patriotic themes
There was long cavalcade Of horsemer
| in the uniform of the Continental soldier
and numerous carriages filled with dis
tinguished guests, but the chief feature
was the great line of veterans. tnere be-
Ing four brigades of them, under com.
mand of Major j. G. Hall. Half a dozen
tattered battle flags were carried during
the parade.
+. b. Mcdowell was the master of
ceremonies. Prayer was offered by Rev.
}. IL. Howerton, ID. D., OF the First Pres
byterian church.
MR.. STEVENSON'S SPEECH.
Ex-Vice-President Adlai e. Stevenson
was introduced by j. p. Caldwell. editor
OF the Observer, and made the principal
speech of the occasion. An extract, re-
lating to current events, is as follows.
Standing upon this historic spot, con-
secrated by the blood of heroes. we lift
our hearts up in gratitude to God, that
he has been pleased to vouchsafe to our
fathers and to US such a country.
1.-THE descendants of tho barOao - NTociy
lenburg. of Guilford and of Kings Noun
tain, can never forget that this flag is
the symbol Of constitutional liberty-the
eternal symbol Of an indivsble union Of
lndestructible States. You should never
forget that all our hopes and aspirations
are bound up in the Constitution of our
fathers. Guard this Constitution as the
very Ark Of the Covenant
AT whatever cost the Federal Union
this grand Union of our people and Of
States-bequeathed us by our fathers,
must be the heritage of the future genera
lions Of our countrymen. Let him be
accounted the common enemy who, what
ever the preteXt, would weaken the cord
that binds all the States and sections OF
our common country in fraternal union.
Remembering that our greatest interest
Is peace yet we cannot close our eyes
10 the perils that may come from foreign
Jealousies and aggression. Need L re-
mind you that when dangers from abroad
threaten, party banners are furled-party
names forgotten? Recent events have
but emphasized the words of Webster:
our politics go no farther than the wa
ter's edge We study the things that
make for peace, but must never forget
that worse than even war, with all it's
horrors, is national dishonor.
THE COUNTRY ONE.
IF an object lesson were needed that
we are indeed one people. 1T is had in the
glad response of each State of the Union
to the declaration of war against the
traditional enemy of liberty and OF hui
manty. Were it needed to repel the in
vader from our own shores, TO release
Cuba from the iron hand of the OPP
pressor or to carry in triumph the flag
to the heart of the enemy's country. who
does not know that from all sections of
the republic an army Of American free
men would gather. greater than in the
ages past ever followed the banners OF
Xerxes or OF Alexander"
Governor Atkinson, of Georgia, followed
with brief but patriotic speech.
The Charlotte Observers $50 prize poem
was read by Colonel H. G. Jones, OF
Charlotte. The poem is entitled 1.-THE
Vanguard of the Revolution" and is the
Of Rev. w. w. Moore, ID. D.,
Professor Of Hebrew at Union Theological
Hampden-Sydney, Va, anG a
native OF Charlotte.
Mrs. General Stonewall Jackson and |
Mrs. General ID. III. Hill were among
those on the stand
The monument. of Barre (Vt) granite, |
an obelisk. 30 feet high. was then UNI |
hxr har nf a.
scended from the slgners. amid great en-
Lhusiasm-