The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-20
Speeches I'm Line with Past Utterances
That Evoked Cheers from Thou
sands of People.
GIFT FROM EX-CONFEDERATES
SENTENCES FROM ATLANTA SPEECH
ENGROssED ON PARCHMENT.
Enthusiastic Reception at AuGuStn-A
Visit to the Military Camp-End
of the Southern Trip.


MACON, Ga, Dec. 19.-The President and
his party reached Macon promptly on time
and was received by the largest crowd
which has gathered in Macon since the last
visit of Jefferson Davis to the city. At the
station was a reception committee consist
ing of number of the most prominent citi-
zens of the town. Drawn up in front of the
station was the Bbb County Camp of the
Confederate Survivors Association. four
hundred strong, headed by Commander c..
NJ Wiley. AS the President reached the old
Confederates he was halted by Col Wiley,
who addressed him as follows
Mr.. President-As commander of the
Bibb County Veterans Association and Bibb
County Camp, No. 4S4 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
heart of all Confederate soldiers on account
of the noble sentiments expressed by you
in regard to our Confederate dead. | assure
you that these old, manned and infirm vet
Grams who have met here to do you honor
to-day appreciate such words of love and
Kindness and uttered, too, by the President
of this great country and by one who was
a member of the Union army in the sixties
| hope and pray, Mr.. President, that God
in His infinite mercy may so direct the
future legislation of this country that the
living Confederates will be remembered.
This country and the stars and stripes be-
long as much to the Confederate veterans
as 1t does the Grand Army of the Republic.
The South proved its loyalty to this grand
old country when war was declared with
Spain and now, henceforth and forever she
Will be found ready to take up arms to de-
fend our country and our flag Mr. Presi-
dent, on behalf of these brave and manned
Confederate soldiers of Bibb county,
Georgia, l present to you this parchment
engrossed in letters of gold, the beautiful
sentiment expressed by you in our capital
city in regard to our honored dead"
A CONFEDERATE BADGE.
AS the President was about to proceed
Dr. Roland B. Hall, another veteran, ad-
dressed him as follows:
Mr.. President-In behalf of our noble
dead and as Confederate veterans we are
here to manifest our appreciation of the
noble and generous sentiment you have re-
Gently utter ed. Do us the honor sir, to ac-
cept and Wear this badge of a Confederate
veterans association, which bears your
likeness and words which should endear you
to the heart of every Confederate"
Il do not know that it will be proper"
said the President
But you must" said Dr. Hail. and. with
out further ceremony, the President
marched ahead with Judge Speer The sight
of the Confederate badge on the Presidents
coat as he passed through the lines of vet
Grams, called forth vociferous cheering The
President wore the badge during his stay in
Macon. One of General Wheeler's old cav
alrymen also pinned a badge to the lapel of
his major generals coat, and the doughty
little warrior proudly wore it away with
him when he left the city.
The presidential party was driven in car
riages to the stand where the President was
to review the troops of General Bates's di-
vision of General Wilson's army corps. AS
his carriage passed the Confederate monu-
ment an old Confederate veteran frantically
waved Confederate flag while by his side
was the son of the colonel of one of Geor-
gia's hardest fighting Confederate regi-
ments, who was as vigorously waving the
stars and stripes. When the President was
abreast of them. the two flags were brought
to a salute side by side. The incident seemed
to appeal 20 the President. Emblazoned on
the base of the monument were the words
of the President about the graves of Con-
federate dead. The line of march was
crowded. Mr.. Mckinley and the other guests
were vigorously cheered. The troops made
fine appearance in review.
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
After the review a great crowd gathered
about the stand though a steady rain was
falling. Judge Emory Speer introduced the
President, who spoke as follows:
III gives me very great pleasure to meet
and greet the citizens of the city of Macon,
with many Of whom have been associated
in public 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 gratitude we should ex-
press our thankfulness to a Divine Proyi-
dence who has so tenderly cared for the
American people We have been at war with
a foreign power. That war ended after 1I3
days of conhict-a conflict on two oceans.
a conflict in the west and in the east IN
dies. 1900 miles apart-with fifty thousand
of our soldiers on distant shores and twen-
ty thousand sailors and marines afloat, with
a loss in army and navy of less than two
thousand and without the loss of ship. or
flag by capture.
Never was there more magnificent
army mustered and never was an army
mustered for holer cause or under more
glorious flag than the stars and stripes.
(Cheers and great appause.)
ION the twenty-fourth day of this month,
the day before Christmas, our peace COM
missioners will deliver to the President of
the United States a treaty of peace-peace
with honor, peace with the blessings of lib
erty to struggling peoples east and west.
II congratulate my country upon another
fact: We have not only triumphed over our
enemy but We have triumphed over our