The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-10-11
American naticp recalls .Len with

ANtIlCGU uatAOR ASSE'AiS -A-~I' "4SH
prayer.
We hail vita thanks the Jew genera
ton of naval heroes, those Of the year
1898. We are too near their marvel
Gus deeds to fully appreciate them. Y
century from now poetry and sculpture
and painting and history will do them
better Justice than we can do them
now. \ defeat at Manila would have
been an infinite disaster. Foreign
nations not overfond of our American
institutions would have Joined the OF Yer
side, and the war SO many months rast
would have been raging still, and per-
haps hundred thousand graves would
have opened to take down our slain SOL
diers and sailors. 1t took this coun-
try three years to get over the disaster
at Bull Run at the opening of the civil
war How many years it would have
required to recover from a defeat at
Manila in the opening of the Spanish
war l cannot say. God averted the
calamity by giving triumph to our navy
under Admiral Dawey, whose coming
up through the Narrows of New York
harbor day before yesterday was greeted
by the nation whose welcoming cheers
will not cease to resound until tonor-
row, and next day in the capital Of the
nation the jeweled sword voted by con-
gress shall be presented amid boom
ing cannonade and embannered hosts,
and our autumnal nights shall become
confagration of splendor, but the
tramp of these professions and the
fash Of that sword and the huzza Of
that greeting and the roar Of those
guns and the illumination of those
nights will be seen and heard as long
as a page Of American history remains
inviolate.
Especially let the country boys Of
America join in these greetings to the
returned heroes of Manila. It's their
work. The chief character in all the
scene is the once country lad, George
Dewey. Let the Vermonters come down
and find him o.der, but the same mod
est, unassuming, almost bashful per-
son that they went to school with and
with whom they sported on the play
ground. The honors Of all the world
cannot spoil him. A few weeks ago at
banquet in England some of the titled
noblemen were afronted because our
American minister plenipotentiary as
sociated the name of Dewey with that
of Lord Nelson. As well might We be
afronted because the name of Nelson is
associated with that Of our most re-
moved admiral. The one man in all
the coming ages will stand as high as
the other. So this day, sympathiz;ng
with all the festivities and celebrations
of the past week and with all the fes-
tivities and celebrations to come this
week, let US anew thank God and tho e
heroes of the American navy who have
done such great things for our beloved
land. Come aboard the old ship, Zion,
ye sailors and soldiers, whether still in
the active service or honorably dis
charged and at home having resumed
citizenship. And ye men of the past,
your last battle on the seas fought, take
from me, in Gods name, salutation and
good cheer. For the few remaining
fights with sin and death and hell make
ready. Strip your vessel for the fray.
Hang the sheet chains ever the side.
Send down the topgallant masts. Bar
riscade the wheel. Rig in the flying
jib boom. Steer straight for the shin
ing shore, and hear the shout Of the
great Commander of earth and heaven
as he cries from the shrouds, $40 him
that overcometh will I give to eat Of the
tree of life which is in the midst of the
paradise of God" Hosanna! Hosanna!