The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-24
CITIZEN SOLDIERS
THE PRESIDENT TALKS TO RE-
TURNED VOLUNTEERS.
LAID 1T ON PRETTY HEAVY.
THE 45TH AND 46TH VOLUNTEERS
THE LUCKY ONES.

Review of the Two Regiments a
the PresidiO Followed by an Adj
dress by the President-He Tells
Them What Fine Fellows They
Are and How Grateful Their Coun-
try Is-Upheld Flag with Honor
and All That-Must Now Become
Good Citizens - Mrs. Mckinley
Greatly Improved.
San Francisco. May 23.-President Nc
Kiuley spent a fairly busy day. After
breakfasting at the residence of Irving NJ.
Scott he returned to his temporary home
and received a delegation of Federal Off
Gals. The reception was very informal,
and lasted twenty minutes. President Nc
Kinley asked these officials to provide
position for an old man named Ritter who
served in his regiment during the Civil
War.
The most important event of the day
came next. 1t was the Presidents visit
to the Preside where he reviewed the
Forty-1fth and Forty-sixth Volunteer IN
fantry Regiments, just returned from the
Philippines to be mustered out of SER
WIG. w IItH the IIGShNtul AllOhlilSO bAo
reviewing stand the soldiers cheered him
and he addressed them with much feeling
speaking as follows:
81 count myself very fortunate to have
been in the city of San Francisco upon
the arrival of these two regiments that
1 might join with my fellow citizens of
this city in giving welcome home and at
the same time to express not only my
thanks as President of the United States,
but the gratitude of the American people
for the splendid service you have render
ed to your country in the past two years.
Our hearts have been with you; our hopes
have been with you, and we have realized
in large measure, peace as the result of
the splendid work you performed in the
Philippine Islands. You went. carrying
with you the purposes and the spirit and
the conscience of the people of the
United States; you carried with you the
| flag which is the symbol of the best and
noblest aspirations of a free people, and
! you bring that flag back with added hon
or and deliver it to the government that
you served so well and so faithfully.
Citizens Before Soldiers.
You come back now 10 be citizens of
this country and government whose honor
you have preserved. You were citizens
! before you were soldiers. And you be-
! came soldiers because you were citizens
! loving your country attaching to bur free
| institutions and because of which you
| were willing to give that which is the
best that any man can give, his own hfe's
blood, for the honor of his country. You
have done your duty. You have done it
nobly and you come back to enter the
walks of citizenship with your other fell
low-citizens. and take the places that you
| left when you enlisted two years ago.
| That is one thing about American honor
that is great surprise to the
world. We have mustered great
armies. The greatest army that
| ever was mustered was from 81 to g,
! and yet, when the war was over, when
Lee surrendered to Grant at Appommat-
! tox, the nearly 100000 of men came back
! to their homes, fell into quiet walks of
citizenship, sustaining the government
for which you fought. And, so you come
back as your forefathers came back,
more than thirty years ago, having done
your duty and it is proud thing to do
duty for your country. You come back
having done your full duty as soldiers,
now to do your full duty as citizens, and
l want to express my heartfelt thanks
to all of you for the services you have
rendered and wish for all of you and to
all belonging to you all the good things
of life"
Visited Sick Soldiers.
The President next visited the general
hospital, going through every sick ward
and bowling and speaking words of cheer
to every sick soldier.
In the afternoon the President was the
guest of honor at the receptions of the
Union League Club the Ohio Society Of
California, the Mexican War Veterans,
Pioneers and Native Sons. The latter
three societies presented him with a
paper weight containing $3.50 worth Of
gold At each reception the President re-
sponded briefly to presentation speeches.
on his way to dinner. President Nc
Kinley stopped at Union Square and
turned over the first shovelfuf of sod,
where the monument to the American
navy in commemoration of Admiral Dew
ey's victory at Manila bay is to be erect
ed.
President Mckinley attended recep-
ton tonight given in his honor by the
G. A. r. posts of the city. Tomorrow
afternoon he will go to Oakland to re-