The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-23

was as vigorously waving the Stars
and Stripes. When the president was
abreast of them the two Gags were
brought to a salute sid by side. The
incident seemed to appeal to the presi-
dent. Emblazened on the monument
were the words of the president about
the graves of the confederate dead.
The sidewalks were packed all along
the line of march and Mr.. Mckinley
and the other celebrities were vigor-
ously cheered.
The following troops marched past
the reviewing tand: Second brigade,
First division, First corps, General w.
w. Gordon, commanding; Second Ohio
volunteer infantry; Third brigade, First
division, First corps, General w. J.
Mckee, commanding; Seventh and
Tenth United States volunteer infantry,
Third North Carolina n Sixth Vir-
ginia. The Seventh regular cavalry
followed. The troops made a fine ap-
| pearance.
After the review a great crowd gath
cred about the stand, though a steady
soaking rain was falling. Judge EN-
Dry Speer introduced the president.
The presidents remarks were fire.
quently interrupted by cheers. Then
there were loud calls for General
Wheeler, Little Old Fifighting joe"
as he was affectionately called. He re-
sponded as follows:
cit is impossible for me to find words
to expires my appreciation Of the hon.
or and pleasure accorded to me by the
invitation Of his excellency, to visit
with him and his cabinet the city Of
Macon / am glad for you citizens that
the president has come among you and
| looks at you face to face. I am glad
! that he has come among you to learn
for himself the spirit Of our people and
/ the wonderful of u land,
| which VIII eventually make us the
richest and most prosperous country
upon the face Of the earth. 1 am glad
he brought with him his cabinet,
among them the secretary of war and
! the secretary of the navy, his special
| advisors during the conflict when he,
! as commander-inchief of the army and
! navy, conducted for the first time in
fifty years a war againsta foreign foe.
| I am glad he brought with him the dis
tinguished gentleman General Shafter.
who commanded the American forces
in their successful and great campaign
in Cuba great ~applause); that superb
soldier, General Lawton Cloud ap-
plause), who commanded the forces at
I the battle of Ell Caney (applause.) I
am glad they have all come and I am
more than glad to see the demonstra-
tons which the president has Witness
| ed during all his tour.
Il would love, as you know I would.
to talk to you, to talk to all of my old
friends. to talkswith those with whom
stood side by side. But I must give
way n bid you adieu and thank you
for your kind demonstrations, to allow
me to show the distinguished men the
president has brought with him"
| Cloud applause.)
General Wilson took the stand. He
made the speech of the occasion. He
said:
Fellow Citizens: It is with infinite
pleasure that 1 address myself in
words of peace to the Macon audi
ence. Thirty odd years ago 1 came
into this town with 5000 cavalry
laundering at my heels. CLaugher and
shouts / was met with the roaring
of and the firing of musketry.
(Cheers.) 1 was greeted by the burn
ing of warehouses and the destruction
of property whiNh l now profoundly
regret. (Cheers.) The welcome that was
extended to me then was of the silent
quality. CLaughter.) An illustrious cit
izen, then your chief magistrate, the
Hon. Joseph E. Brown, after a four
hours interview speaking of me, then
said to another gathering of illustrious
citizens at the head of which was
Howell Cobb: He is a clever young
man, but, gentlemen, he takes the
military view of the situation (Laugh-
ter.) That was a fact then, but now ]
come among o and / receive a diff
ferent welcome. I was then a victor
today I ( am a captive. (Cheers.) I must
say I am a willing captive of your
city. The fair women and the brave
and excellent gentlemen of your towr
have by their open and generous hospi-
tally imprisoned me deep down In
their hearts, and I would be recreant
to every feeling of my own. if I de-
sired release from such pleasing bond
age.
Now just one word more: TIL
president has come among you, your
president and my president, and HI
comes as the exemplar and the heat
of the great American nation
(Cheers.) He has done more for i
than any president since the day O
Washington, for he has added vastly
to it's extent and striven to make i
a continental republic as the father.
designed it to be. (Cheers.) He ha.
extended its borders to uch a distanc,
that the sun rises upon it in the cas-
before it sets upon it in the west
(Cheers.) Twelve thousand miles to tn
west lie the Philippines, our new orr
entail possessions, and two thousan'
miles to the east, the beautiful islam,
of Porto Rico. A line joining one ex
trenity to the other of these new pos
sessions reaches half way around tn
earth (Cheers); but splendid as tn
presidents work has been, there still
remains greater work for him to dc
1t is glorious work, n don't your for
get it. (Cheers.) 1t is work which jus
titles the president in saying we ar
at last all one and that the confed
crate soldier should receive the sam
treatment as the federal soldier. Thi
| is the work which the American PEG
: pie are profoundly interested in, 70
it teaches their permanent and para
mount interests and I hope to see
| speedily accomplished. I hope to Sc
: the day when our starry flag float
everywhere from the frozen north I
/. the sunny cline of Central America
] We are too big and powerful and pro
. gressive to have neighbors On thi
continent, Inc / trust that before tn
next administration of the presiden
closes the flag will fly over every foe
: of the continent from the northern ex
: tremity Of the dominion of Canada I
e the gulf of Mexico"
( The illusions Of General Wilson {