The age-herald., 1900-11-08

General Wheeler and Lieutenant Hob- son were enthusiastically received at Seals Hall last night by an apprecative au- dience. The hall would have been crowded; but that misunderstanding existed as to the date, many people thinking the speak ing would occur tonight, today being Wheeler and Hobson Day at the State Fair
 Before the speaking began little Miss Au- relia Sewell entertained the audience by singing several songs.
 At S:15 Judge Steel of Avondale intro duced General Wheeler. The general was given an ovation. It was several minutes before he could speak.
 II thank my friend' said the general, referring to Judge Steel, flor his compli- mentary expressions, and you, my friends, for your cordial greeting and for lending your presence to this effort of good citl- zens to take care of the battle-scared sold iers of the Confederacy Every country, from time immemorial has taken pleasure and pride in caring for those who In battle cared for and protected their safety and honor. The French government takes tender pride in it's old soldiers welfare and the Federal government spends yearly in caring for its old soldiers thirty times as much in pensions as was spent to support the entire government during the first two years of Washingtons administration.
 If 1t was proper in olden times and In all countries to take care of the soldier who has fought and been wounded, then it Is eminently proper to care for soldiers who have done more to add to the records of chivalry than the soldiers of any war that ever took place.
 'The younger people of the South do not fully understand the magnificent conduct of the soldier of the Confederacy; what he did, what he endured.
 To get true idea of all things, we must have comparisons. If We compare the bat ties of 1S6l-65 and their sanguinary char acter with other great battles of the world, it will illustrate how the Confederate sol dier differed from all other soldiers Take
 battle of the Wilderness The Federal loss, according to the government statistics, was 5S60 killed, 10000 missing, and 27,000 wounded. The losses in all the battles in all the wars of the United States prior to 1861 and since 1865 are less than the loss in that one battle. In the largest battle of the revolutionary war where there were 12,0OO men under Washington, there were only 75 men killed and 205 wounded. In the war of 1912 Andrew Jackson, who fought tht battle of New Orleans and had 5S70 men, lost IA killed and 39 wounded. Why, you Confederates used to fight battles like that before breakfast and not think of it.
 Tn the Mexican war the greatest num- Der of men in any battle was al Chepute- pee and at the City of Mexico, where Gen eral Scott had 7500 men. His loss was 130 killed and 7O5 wounded. This in a battle in which a fortified city was assaulted
 Tn the entire revolutionary war the losses were 220 killed and 660 wounded; in the Mexican war the entire loss was 1049 killed and 975O wounded; in the war of 1872 there were 1860 killed and 3950 wounded.
 "I want the younger generation to un- derstand that these veterans have endured and what is due them. They have added more lustre to the name of America than everything else combined"
 Southern men from the earliest days of the country have been influential In the country's development It was Patrick Henry who reused the patriotism of the country, and Thomas Jefferson who wrote it's Declaration of Independence, and James Madison, who was the father of the con stitutton. John Marshall founded our prin- ciples of jurisprudence and southern states men like Calhoun, and his associates who framed the laws that made the country great Senator Hoar rCasn.lv paid a high tribute to southern character He said that for love of liberty home and kindred and for matchless courage there were none who eXcelled them.
 Washington governed country that req ched from the Atlantic to the Mississippi river. Under Thomas Jefferson Louisiana was purchased. Under Jefferson and Monroe acquired Oregon and Washington, unGSr Monroe Florida; under James K. Polk, Tex as; under Andrew Jackson, Alaska, the land of gold.
 By these southern Presidents we &C., quired territory nine times as great ee the original thirteen states. The country