The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-10
Mr.. VESSELS AT OMAHA
The City Gives the Envoy Big
Official Reception.
EVERY POLITICAL SHADE IN HARMONY
When Mr.. Vessels Was introduced the Mighty
Gathering Rose as One Man ard Made
the Great Building Ring
With Applause.
(By the Associated Press.)


Omaha, Neb.. June envoy C. II.
Vessels, of the Orange Free State, was
given a big official reception by Omaha
today. Governor Poynter, Populist pre-
sided over the mass meeting; Mayor
Moorcs. Republican, welcomed the en-
voys for the city; Captain H. E. Palmer
chairman of the Republican State Cen
trail Committee, was secretary of the
meeting and read a number of communi-
cations; T. j. Mahoney, gold Democrat
made stirring speech, and William j.
Bryan was present and on call from the
audience, made an imprisoned speech
of sympathy for the struggling republics.
AS Mr.. Vessels was introduced, with
one accord the great audience rose to it's
feet and let out a mighty yell of applause,
lasting for several minutes before the
big, black bearded man could be heard
You do not hear the truth about us"
he said, "for England has ali of the ca
bes and thus holds the ear of the world
Mr.. Vessels then spoke along the same
line Of previous speeches and interviews.
Calls were heard for Mr.. Bryan, and
he finally responded in an imprisoned
speech.
Il came as citizen" he said, IAN
American citizen, to be present with othere
American citizens, TO meet the represen-
tatives CT the Boer Republics; to join
with you in expressing to them our SYM
pathy for their cause. and as | earnestly
believe, the sympathy of a great majority
CT the American people. l trust that the
day will never come when a nation fight
ing for liberty will look in vain 10 the
American people for sympathy and aid.
These ENJOYS have honored us by COM
ing to seek cur sympathy, giving us as
Americans the opportunity to assist them
to gain that liberty which is so dear to
us.
"Once each year. on Decoration Day, we
carry flowers to place on the graves of
our soldier dead. Do these flowers do the
dead any good? No. 1t is to honor the
living this loving custom is maintained,
that they may express their gratitude for
what the heroic dead have done for them.
1t is to our honor that the Beers have
come to us to receive our sympathy. 1t
is hard to understand the feelings of the
men who has sympathy for the Boer
cause, but who is concealing it for po-
litical reasons. When a young man |
heard a very able sermon which has al
ways chung by me. on the text, AS he
thinketh, so he is. Why should any
American citizen who feels for the Beers
fail to express as such. | do not sec how
one can do other than to choose the cause
of the two Republics in preference to
that of monarchy; an American cti-
zen who has lived under and learned to
love and venerate our forms of govern
ment.
There comes time when the millions
of American people have the privilege of
rising and casting their ballots against
that administration of government which
fails to carry out their wishes. and when
those ballots are next counted | believe
that they will be an expression of the
American people for these people fighting
for their independence.
I'VE know by history that as monarchy
increases, so government by consent of
the people decreases and that, as govern
ment by consent of the people increases.
so monarchy decreases We know that if
monarchy overcomes these two repub-
lies, government by consent of the peo-
pie ceases.
1T is said that the blood of the martyr
is the seed of the church If it is found
that these republics shall be overcome,
they will not have fought in vain. Some
times the men who die do more for lib
erty than they who live, and ere the
struggle is over l believe that the Beers
will arise from a hundred fields and lib
erty will be victorious.
There are men among us who say that
ring the Spanish American War we ought
to say nothing against such friendly
nation. l deny that such sympathy binds
us to act for England. We did not need
the sympathy of England during the
Spanish American War. We need the
received nothing that oblgates us to re-
main passive and helpless while liberty
is being crushed. We should not be un-
mindful of our duties to the people of this
world, struggling for their liberty-we.
the greatest nation on earth, founded on
liberty.
I'VE must keep inspired with that love
and reverence for the blessed name of
liberty till every American citizen goes
down on his knees and ask the God of
battles to bring victory 70 the Beers
This was the conclusion for the close
of Mr.. Bryan's speech was the signal for
d cheer and grand rush for the stage