The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-08
JUDGE VAN WICK, PRESIDENT
OF New XorL's Southern Society.
Makes nm Eloquent Address in
Accepting Office

absence of the president. DR.. William NJ.
Polk. Judge Augustus Van Wyck presided
Mr.. John NJ. Harrington, the secretary,
reported a membership of 412, an increase
of 100 over that of last year.
The election of officers resulted as fol-
lowers:
President, Augustus Van wyck; vice
president, Burton N. Harrison; secretary,
John NJ. Harrington; treasurer, Willis
Browning; executive committee, Robert L.
Harrison. Robert e. Lee Lewis, George
Gordon Battle.
Judge Augustus Van wyck. in accept
ing the presidency of the New York South
ern Society, spoke in part as fo.iows:
Children of our Southland: | salute
you as brethren, bound together by the
lie OF a common ancestry. She is rich in
splendid traditions and pregnant with BEN
ef1cient ideas and deeds which have done
so much to ennoble mankind. She is now
leaping with swift and hercuiean bounds
to the forefront of material development,
which astounds the word and renders her
independent of her former slavery to the
manufacturers and miners of other sec
tons, which are now turning to her for
help. The troubles Of the South are now
behind her. and she faces the brightest
OF hopes. However much l may have
bathed in tins limitless ocean of unre-
strained ambition, your generous treat
ment this evening has filled to overlooking
my cup of AMBITION comp. etely gratffied.
No greater hono- can be conferred upon
an American gentleman than the presi-
dency of this, the equal, at least of all
those societies founded upon the senti-
ment of common ancestry. Well might /
rest at this point, for it has been wisely
written that silence is golden and speech
is only silvern. By nature l lean to-
ward that gold standard, on this occasion
at least; yet, the impulse of your com
mands and the environments of this occa-
sion irnpel me toward the silver stand
ara, making me appear for the moment
Kind of bimetallist. AS to what n BIZ
metallist is, you are referred for further
Information to some of the distinguished
aspirants for another presidency. Bear
IN mind that the estimation of the worth
OF any class associated together by some
common tie, such as the same occupation,
school of thought, creed of faith or an-
cestry should be measured by the
average conduct and not by some
sporadic incident. This should be remem-
bered; for man, from carels ssness or en-
Wy, is too prone to judge every class, ex-
cept his own. by. some depreciating ex-
ception rather than by this general rule
No class has suffered more from this ten
dency than the Southern peope who
have, through modesty and an over-con-
filling faith in mans sense of JUST e,
stood by silently, patiently, and wi bout
protest while they and their dear, depart
ed ones have been unfairly criticised. The
South with moral ard int lectual courage
has fought the go d fight of life, recogniz-
ing but one courage. the courage of
truth; and satisfied with but one victory,
the victory of truth-the voice of justice.
accept the presidency of this society
conscious of the honor, and appreciatng
that every privilege carries with it a cor
responding duty, which shall
endeavor to perform in a manner deserv-
ing of your approval. This society is in
its infancy with its possibilities. 1t has
magnificent constituency representing
the Southern element 100000 strong who
have cast their lot in this great metropo-
lis, the cente~ of the severest compe-
tition in the world. The successful result
of their efforts in the professions and all
avocations incident to this life is fully at
tested by the distinguished company
gathered here. They stand ready to ax-
tend hospitable welcome TO their breth-
rem who remained at the fireside of the old
homestead to readjust the forces of
land desolated by war and thrown in dis
order by a revolution of her institutions.
The peerless womanhood of the South
has received not only the reverence of the
Southerner, but the unstinted homage of
the civilized world 20 her purity, intelle0-
tuality, refinement and graceful beauty.
The time has arrived for the complete
extinguishment of that apologize atti-
tude and self-excusing speech, which mod
esty and aversion to boastfulness has Of
ten impelled Southerners and those speak
ing for the South since 1861 to adopt The
time is at hand when the ostracism of any
leader in any of the Southern states
from an equal right to contest
on fair terms for the national prizes from
the lowest to the very highest, because
of the locality of his leadership, should
be effaced from the heart and thought of
all good citizens throughout the land
For the old South, rich with her noble
traditions. patriotism, culture and refine
ment, and the new South, whose record
has been marked by the most rapid
strides in material progress ever wilt
messed before, have nothing to apologize
for.
Both the old and the new have done
their part we'll in the makeup of our
marvellous republic and in her incompar-
able industrial prosperity.
Both have contributed their full share
to the creation of the American race,
constituting a people so grand in their
emotions and mentality that the valor
and deeds of Southern and Northern war
riors and statesmen are the source of mu-
tual pride in the uplifting of American
life. The South shirks no duty devolv-
ing upon her by the arbitrament of arms.
She boldly proclainls the imperative duty
resting upon her to educate and uplift
her negro population and has
made more generous appropriations
therefor, considering her wealth, than
any of the Northern or Western COM
monwealths. This nation to-day turns
with confidence to the South for the ex-
ercse of that conservatism, which is the
fair daughter of liberty and thrift; that
conservatism which preserves the useful
things in human experience, well as for
that radicaism which is the lusty son of
law and order, who with a verile hand
strangies anarchy and corruption.