Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-04
a VOLUME Oh HISTORY.


IN these few words, which / have read
Is volume Of history. What n record o.
SWIFT high, heroic discharge Of duty
You went: you saw you conquered. i
seems but yesterday that the republic
tull OF anxiety, strained its listening cal
to catch the first word from those dis.
tant Islands Of the sea. IL came fash.
ing over the wires that May morning as
the sun burst through the clouds. and
hiIed every heart with the illumination
OF It's good cheer. In the twlnkling of an
eye your name was on every lip; the bless
ing OF every American was on your head
and Your country strobe instantly for
ward, mightier power among the ma
tons of the world. As we welcome you
back there comes back also the vivid pic
| tuto OF that time, with all its hopes and
iears, ana then with all Its swift succeed
ing triumphs and glory.
| Let me now read the act of Congress
| IN pursuance of which we are here:
THE SWORD AND THE MEDALS.
RESOLVED by the Senate and House of
representatives of the United States Of
America, in Congress assembled That the
secretary OF the Navy be, and ne hereby
IS, authorized to present a sword of
Eonor to Commodore George Dewey, and
10 cause TO be struck bronze medals COM
| memOratng the battle OF Manila bav
and to distribute such medals to the Off
| GERS and men of the Asiatic squadron
| under command of Commodore George
Dewey, on May !, 1898; and that to en-
| able the Secretary to carry out this reso-
| luton. the sum OF $4,000, or so much
! there OF as may be necessary, is hereby
| appropriated out Of any money in the
| Treasury not otherwise appropriated
! Approved June 3, 1885,
1T was by this solemn enactment. ap-
| proved by the President, that the people
Of the United States made provision
/ Ia oil
/ sion OF their appreciation OF your valOr
| as an officer OF their navy, and Of your
| great Achievement as their representative
| In opening the door 10 new era in the
| civilization of the world. The victory at
| Manila bay gave you rank with the most
! distinguished naval heroes Of all time.
MERIT OF DEWEY'S ACHIEVEMENT.
Nor was your merit most in the bril-
liant victory which you achieved In a
battle fought with the utmost gallantry
and skill, waged without error, and
crowned with overwhelming success. It
was still more in the nerve with which
you sailed from HongkOng to Manila har-
Dor; in the spirit OF your conception OF
attack; in your high, commanding conf
dence a a leader who had weighed every
risk and prepared for every emergency,
and who also had that unfaltering deter
mination to win and that utter freedom
from the thought or possibility Of swerving
from his purpose, which are the very as
suranco Of victory. No captain ever faced
a more crucial test than when that morn
ing. bearing the fate and the honor Of
your country in your hand, though so
many miles from home, with every port |
in the world shut to you, and nothing !
between you and annihilation but the thin |
gbeathing Of VOur ships, your cannon. and |
your devoted officers and men. you movHd |
upon the enemy's batteries on shore and |
on sea, with unfinching faith and nerve, |
and before the sun was halfway up the |
heavens had silenced the guns Of the foe. |
hncffia f4af demons fTpfQn the |
supremacy of American sea-power, and |
transferred to the United States an en- |
pire of the islands Of the Pacific. Later, |
by your display Of large powers OF adj
minstration. by your poise and prudence. |
and by your great discretion, not only in |
fact. but also in word, which IS almost |
moro important. you proved yourself a |
great representative citizens OtUhe United |
States, as well as now its great naval
hero.
"The lustre Of the American navy was
glorously bright before, and you have
added to It new lustre. Its constela-
ton Of stars was glorious before, and
you have added to IL another star Of the
first magnitude, and yet many of your
grateful countrymen feel that in the time
to come, II may be your still greater
honor that you struck the first blow. un-
der the providence Of God. IN the enfran-
chisement OF those beautiful Islands
which make that great empire Of the sea;
I'm relieving them from the bondage and
OF centuries anu III putting 4
them on their way, under the protecting
shield Of your country's guidance, TO take
their place in the civilization, the arts
the liberties the Industries. and all good |
things Of the most enlightened and happy
nations Of the world. so that generations
hence your name shall be TO them a
household word enshrlned in their his
tory and in their hearts.
Clouds and darkness may linger about
them now but the shining outcome Is rs |
sure as the rising Of the sun. Whatever |
he passing tribulatiOns and difficulties OF |
he present moment, they VIII IN que | ,
line, soon and surely, give way to the
lawn of a glorious new day-a day not |
IF any mere selfish imperial dominion OF
me people over another, but Of the i'm ]
,erial moral and physical growth and ex- {
,ansiou Of all the peoples, whatever their
ace or language or color. who are under {
he shelter Of the broad shield of the :
-nited States OF America.
THE PHILIPPINE TRUST.
"Bv authorizing the presentation Of this !
word to you, as the mark OF her ap-
roval. your country has Recognized
therefore, not only the great rich fruits
which. ever before returning from your
ictory, you have poured into her lap, but
lso her own responsibility TO discharge
he great trust which is thus put upon
er. and fulfil the destiny Of her own
rowth and Of the empire that IS now her y
barge. II IS n new demand upon all the n
esources Of her conscience, wisdom. and b
ourage II IS a work i'm the speedy and | =
eneficent consummation Of which she | ~
entitled to the cordial help. sympathy, /
nd unfit Of all her citizens-not the | =
llnt-hearted doubts and teasing cavils | 7
T any Of them. It is a work on which | ~
he has entered I'm the interest Of early ~
CAGE in these new lands; their stable
overnment the establishment in them a.
law and order, the security of life and -
ropertv and the American standards OF W
rosperity and home Let those who rear !"
member that though her children, guld- N.
Inv YOU. took the wings of the morn | W
10 and dwell I'm the uttermost parts of -
,e sea even there the hand OF our | ~
.ther's God shall lead them, and His ~
cht hand shall hold them In this work, -
view OF the great part you nave taken
the sudden development OF her soVer-
gnty your full understanding or the ~
tuatfon. and the just hold you have on I
he hearts of all her people, she looks Tor m
mr. continued service. and listens for n
mr. counsel in the high hope and pur- u
,se that the triumph of her peace shall Cd
, even greater than her triumph in war "
1T is my good fortune, under the terms he
the enactment of Congress. TO have
q honor Of presenting to you this beau
'ul sword II, during the many coming c,
.ars which l trust will be yours, OF use -
! service to your country, IL shall re- -
aimed sheathed in peace, as God grant 81
may, that fact will perhaps be due -
ore than to anything else TO the tho H.
ughness with which you have already a.
ne It's work. / congratulate you on your a.
turn across the sea. In fun health or ~
ind and body, 10 receive IL here-here ",
the national capital; here on these con- az az
,rateH steps where Lincoln stood; -