The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-06-06
RoosEvELT's MEMORIAL ADDRESS.

The presidents address at Arlington
on federal decoration day can be divid-
ed into two parts-a defense of the con-
duct of our soldiers and the a~dministra-
TONS policy in the Philippines, and the
KEYNOTE Of the republicans in the ap-
preaching campaign. AS a lieTary pro-
duction it was In keeping with the
presidents reputation az 4 writer. No
fault can be found with II on this score;
nor with most OF the sentiments ex-
pressed. They showed o for his coun-
try and pride in her progress and
achievements. Some sections OF IL,
though, strike US as being out or taste
an an address on such an occasion
moro suited to a political speech-such
as the reference TO Iynchings in this
countr and acts of cruelty committed
during our civil war, and especially his
reference to the act of the confederate
congress-. whera he said:
There were abuses and to spare in
the civil war. Your false friends then
called Grant a butcher" and spoke of
you who are listening to me as merce-
naries, as Lincoln's hirelings.' Your
open IOGS-dS III the Ie5OluIlOi pdSStu
by the conferaIe congress in october,
1S62-accussed YOU. at great length, and
with much particularly, of 'contemptu-
Gus disregard of the usages o. civilized
war of subjecting women and children
to Punishment, Imprisonment and
DEATH of murder of 'rapinc, OF out
RACES on women of 'lawness cruelty,
of 'p~erpetrating atrocities which would
be d~isgraceful to savagcs;' and Abra-
ham Lincoln was singled out for es-
pecial attack because Of his spirit OF
barbarOus ferocity.' Verify, these men
who thus foully slandered you have
their heirs today in those who raduce
our armies in the Philippines, who fix
their eye on individual deeds of wrong
so keenly tina at last they become blind
TO the great work of peace and freedom
that has already been accomDliShed-
Such language addressed 10 an audi
ence of ex-federal soldiers and their
friends could have no other tendency
than TO create animOsity against he
south in these days when we are told
all sectional animOsitS has vanished
and we are again a united people; such
language come with IA grace from the
man who has said he intended to be the
president of the whole people. and it's
DdfeiUI 1IeCC upon his duuleIlCe LII Nv
people who read the address in the pa
pers all over the north. could not be
efaced by the slight tribute to the con-
federate soldiers:
You left us the right OF brotherhood
with the men in gray, who, with such
courage and such devotion for
they deemed the right, fought against
you
AS a political speech is outlined the
plan of the republican campaign for the
congressional elections. Defense of the
army in the Philippines, advocacy of
continuation of the administrations
-1olicy toward those islands and out
rrages at the south are 10 be the rallying
&, cry on the hustings.
AS TO the crueltieS in the Philippines,
the famous order of President Grant at
the time of the great wh:skey frauds.
Let not guilty man M the eff
feet it had in shielding certain high Of
ficials implicated seems to be remem-
bered. The president declares that
efforts are beng made to de-
tect and punish the guilty; while he
makes all the excuses he can for the
conduct of our soldiers.
The address is a disappointment TO US
We expected one on an entirely differ
ent line from Mr.. Roosevelt on such an
occasion.