The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-27
President Gratified at Southern
Patriotism.
SOUTHERNERSINTHESWARM
Captain James Erwin Held for
GeOrgia's Bidding.

in no way responsible for the effort being
made to rendezvous the South Carolina
volunteers at Columbia. In his teegraphic
instructions to Gov. Ellerbee yesterday,
Charleston was named as the place of rem
devious because it was thought that the
facilities offered by Charleston are better
adapted to military service than some 9TH
er point in the state.
Besides Charleston has displayed a great
interest in army matters and the zeal her
citizens have shown in connection with the
military establishment on Sullivans Is
land was taken into consideration and that
city was selected as site for the rendez-
vous
Secretary Alger has no disposition to die
tate to Gov. Ellerbee where the rendezvous
| shall be established. Charleston was nam
ed in the Secretarys original order for the
reasons stated.
If Gov. Ellerbe concludes that 1t will te
! for the best interests of the service to as
semDie the state troops at Columbia, there
will probably be no serious objection to the
change. The Secretary in his letter to the
state will be Charleston. If any cause is
found necessary to change the point of
concentration your recommendation Is re-
| quested."
Representative Elliott, acting upon the
telegraphic suggestion of Mayor Smyth,
called at the war department to-day and
entered an earnest protest against the
proposed change to Columbia. Col FL
lott assured the Secretary of War and
the Adjutant General that Charleston is
anxious and fully prepared to do every
| thing In her power to make the rendez-
vous a success. He urged the secretary to
allow the order naming Charleston to
stand, and he pledged the city of Charles
ton to cooperate with the state and ma
tional authorities In carrying out and
| meeting the responsibilities of the occas-
| ion Final action win be deferred until
Gov. Elerbee is heard from.
The President is highly gratlfied at the
energy and patriotic zeal displayed by the
representatives of the Southern states in
response to his call for volunteers. During
the meeting of the cabinet to-day he took
occasion to state to his associates that one
of the most gratifying features of the past
few weeks of hard work was the fact that
the South had. if anything, excelled the
North in the general desire to stand by the
old flag. He quoted the words of ex-Gov
Oates of Alabama, who called upon him
this morning in the interest of Gen.
Wheeler, and who assured him that Ala
bama is ready to do her full share in de-
fense of the nations honor.
Representative Brantley called at the
navy department to-day to protest against
the removal of the monitor Passalc from
Brunswick He was informed that inter-
est Of the service demands the use Of the
Passaic elsewhere for the present, so the
order as given will stand
At to-day's cabinet meeting not little
anxiety was expressed concerning the
whereabouts of that portion of the Span
ish feet which left cadiz. and which, so
| far as official reports go, seems to have
entirely disappeared. The latest reports
from St. Vincent make no mention of the
arrival of this formidable fleet, and II Is
/
action of the navy department In sending
the cruisers Columbia and Minneapolis
into Northern waters was the desire to
guard as far as possible against the sud
den approach Of these vessels. The idea
is to have the Columbia and Minneapolis
cruise In a large circle and keep a lookout
for the Spanish vessels. If they are found
/ headed for the Atlantic coast our cruisers
could speed back and get word 10 Commo-
dore Schley. It was the anxiety about
this feet, which consists of a battleship,
two cruisers. four torpedo boat destroyers
and three torpedo boats. which caused the
cabinet to send for Gen. Wilson, head Of
The Notifications department. to-day. The
/ General took with him 10 the cabinet
room plans showing The fortincations all
along the Atlantic coast, and he explained
these IN detail 20 the members OF the cab
/ met. While the cabinet was IN session the
report reached the White House
fhat the feet al Key West had
made a. capture, which was in
| ferDreted 20 mean either the trooD
| snip N0ntserat or the Aiphonso XII. For
a time there WAS great rejoicing rot only
| mere. but throughout the city, but when
| the yerncation ~ tbe rumor came. II wa Z
Il