The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-19
A BRILLIANT OCCASION
Alabama Tablet Unveiled by Rear
Admiral Semmes Daughter.
SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR OF ALABAMA
Ex-Secretary Herbert Follows in an Eloquent
Historical Address, Calling Attention to
the Wonde, full Reunion Of the Sec
lions Since the Civil War.
(By the ASSOCIATED !. Press


Portsmouth, N. H., Sept. 1S.-The initial
days celebration of the presentation of
the tablets to the Kearsarge and Ala
hama, although ushered in by gloom and
cess through the fortunate clearing of
the weather, and tonight the two bronze
emblems are in the custody of the COM
manding officers of the great battle
ranged the programme planned by the
committee for the day so that the for
pal exercises of presentation went over
until afternoon, while those arranged to
be held on board the Kearsarge, now at
anchor in the harbor, were postponed al
together. The exercises on shore, how
ever, were a great success and the diff
fsrent speeches by prominent officials
were warmly received by large gath
ering. The weather cleared beautifully
during the latter part of the day and the
stands erected on the shore of the in
land lake presented fine appearance and
the whole afternoon was very satisfac-
tory to the committee who had planned
this part of the celebration. The eX-
ercises were held shortly after three
o'clock
Mayor Edward E. Mcintyre opened the
proceedings with an address OF well
come and then introduced General Chas
II. Burns. of Winton, as president of the
day. Mr.. Burns presented Miss Mary
Thornton Davis, of Boston, niece of Lieu
tenant Thornton, executive officer of the
old Kearsarge, and Mrs. Henry Bryan,
of Alabama, daughter of Rear Admiral
Semmes, of the old Alabama Miss Davis
unveiled the tablet destined for the Ala
bama, while Mrs. Bryan performed like
act with that for the Kearsarge.
Governor Frank w. Rollins was then
introduced and made brief address, pre-
senting the tablets to Captain Foger,
of the Kearsarge, and Captain Brownson,
of the Alabama.
Secretary of the Navy John D. Long,
responded on behalf of the Navy Depart
ment.
Governor j. III. Johnston, of Alabama,
accepted the Alabama's tablet in an elo
quent speech on the reunion of the sec
tions.
Because of the inclement weather, the
" proposed exercises on board the battle
ship Kearsarge were omitted and Cap
tain W. P. Folger, Of that vessel was
introduced and accepted the tablet in
behalf of the officers and men, extending
to the State and the city their apprecia
ton for the gift.
Captain William II. Brownson, COM
mander Of the Alabama, was also intro
duced and spoke on similar lines
The exercises were concluded with a
historical address by former Secretary
of the Navy Hilary A. Herbert.
SECRETARY HERBERT'S SPEECH.
Mr.. Herbert spoke as follows:
"How wonderful is the march of his
tory since 1860. Think of it for a mo-
ment. An effort by eleven States to form
an independent Confederacy-the blood
lest war that ever shook a continent, en-
during for four years on land and sea, a
ship of the new Confederacy called the
Alabama, destroying millions of United
States commerce, denounced in the heat
of war as a pirate. that commerce-de-
stroyer going down in heroic battle to the
bottom of the sea, off the coast of France,
before the guns of the brave Kearsarge
floating the old flag just as the new Gov
eminent was shortly to go down before
the armies and fleets of the old Union
the sudden close of the mighty conflict
the sincere submission of the vanquished
"a mutual admiration between the SOL
diers who had fought each other that po-
litical animosities, following in the wake
of war, could not eXtinguish the process
of reconstruction. the slow and painful
rehabilitation of the late Confederate
States into the old Union-the final fra
ternaliZation first of the soldiers and sail
ors and then the peoples of the two sec
tions-calling of an ex-Confederate soldier
to command the navy of the restored
Union; the ordering by that ex-Confed-
crate of the Kearsargc to the waters of
Central America TO maintain the rights
of American merchants; the melancholy
wreck Of the old ship on Ronador reef;
the Congress of the United States, at the
suggestion of that eXConfederate, au
thorizing the building and the naming of
this splendid vessel for the old Kearsarge;
then while these two ships, the new Kear
sarge and the new Alabama were still on
the stocks. another war. this time a
foreign war. the President of the United
States himself a gallant soldier in the
Civil War, appointing in that war ex
Confederate soldiers to command Union
soldiers and Union soldiers to command
ex-Confederate soldiers; the Congress of
the United States. for the first time in