The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-02-23
]. ]. WILLETT SPEAKS
ADDRESS BEFORE SOUTHERN 50
OIETY OF NEW YORK.
Declares That the Future, Though
Fullsof Promise, Also Holds Great
Questions TO Be- Solved by
the Nation

New York, Feb. n.-Hon. y. J.. VIII
lett Of Alabama before the Southern
Society Of New York, tonight delivered
the following address:
In tho early settlement Of Texas, while
immigration was pouring in from the
other States. the first question which met.
q stranger after he had crossed the Sa-
bine River was. What did you do at
home that you had to come herer' And
not infreQuently that stranger had left
his home In the older States under CIR
cumstances alike embarrassing to him
and to his creditors. with the words
&c. T." posted up on the door of his
late abode. which was well understood to
mean Gone to Texas will not ask any
of you tonight WHAT did you do that you
had to come to New York, or II you left
q. N. " on the door OF you homo in
the Eouth?'' Sucn questions might call
for explanations. which are always en-
barrassing, and particularly 80 upon oc-.
casions Of this kind. Mr.. Dooley has said
the reason why reform IL so dinicult In
New York IL that 1t IL full of men who
have been chased here by the sheriffs
from the four corners Of the land. This
may explain some of the difficulties which
beset your Mayor and District Attorney.
but am sure this does not explain why
the Southern Society is increasing in
such numbers. or why It IL In such q
hourishing condition as to membership
and social graces.
My pleasure in being with you tonight
is great. but the greatness of my subject
rather overwhelms me. There are times
when even hardihood Is virtue, and to
such virtue do lay claim this evening
in venturing to address you on the SUBJ
ject assigned me-
The story Of Washington, however. will
never grow old or cease to be interesting.
While he was living In retirement at
Mount Vernon, after his terms az Prest-
dent had expired, Bonaparte, who was
Just entering upon his meteoric career.
upon being presented to our Minister in
Paris. asked: How Is your distinguished
countryman. George Washington" Upon
being informed that he was well. replied.
Yes, and 1t will always be well with
him, for Washington's fame will be Sc
cure when my name shall have been for
COTTON" The most durable monument
may perish, but neither the forces of ma
ture nor any crime of man can ever mar
or mutilate great example Of public
and private virtue. As Bancroft has we'll
said, But for Washington the country
could not have achieved its independence.
but for him 1t could not have formed its
Union and but for him 1t could not have
set the Federal Government In successful
motion" What can I say, what can any
man say of him which has not been
already rendered as familiar as house.
hold words not only here. but through
out the civilized world7 How can I add
anything to what has been said by Gui-
cot. John Marshall, Jared Sparks, Edward
Everett, Washington Irving. Bancroft and
Lodge? While Washington was a true
type of the South. his fame does not be-
long to her alone. nor does she so claim
him. His part and her part In the Revo-
luton would have been Of no avail but
for what was so gioriously done in coun-
ell and In arms by brothers in the Mid
die and New England Colonies. Nor does
his fame belong to any nation or any
age. Wherever human beings throughout
the world have erected an altar and set
up a government dedicated to liberty.
regulated by law. these may claim WASH
ington for their countrymen. The ma
jestic story of that life, whether told in
the pages of history or In the verse Of
Lowell and Byron never grows old and
will never cease to claim the attention
of the sons of men.
While I may not say anything new or
interesting on the subject of Washing
ton, perhaps I may, in bringing you a
message from your ancestral homes. say
something of that portion of the Union
wherein the bones of your ancestors are
buried, and in which you first saw the
light. which may not be altogether with
out interest to you. Glorious Southland!
thou art still true to thy inherited valor
and Incompatible graces. Neither the
corroding marks of time. poverty or COM
mercialism have taken away from thee
aught of thy sweet gentleness, thy heroic
and accomplishing fortitude or patient
energy. Like Washington, you have
passed through deep waters and have
had your Valley FORCES, Brandywines,
Monmouths and Germantowns. but, Iik9
him. you have exhibited a loyalty and
constancy to high ideals which no reverse.
no hardship. no incompetency, no treach-
cry, could shake or overcome. The honor
and courage of your sons on hundreds of
battlefields and the virtue and gentleness
of your women. virtues preservative of all
other virtues. have won the admiration Of
the world and shed an imperlshable lustre
on thy fair name. THE past, at least.
Is secure"
John Milton has we'll said, war has
made many great whom peace makes
small" But We can say of the South as
Milton said of Cromwell. while she
showed herself great in war. peace hath
made her greater; or. more correctly
speaking. that both war and peace alike
gave opportunity for the display Of those
incompatible innate qualities which no
ate or destroy; and it, as Emerson has
said. I'VE are but quotations from our
ancestors" does not the germ of that
love of home and State. and that death
less devotion to conscience and principle.
and to they right of self determination of
what is principle, create better citizen
ship and greater security for our COM
mon country against gusts of passion
which may sometimes. sweep over our
land from the homeless? The nature Of
everything is best seen in its smallest
portions, hence we must seek the nature
Of the Republic first in the family and
then in the State, wherefore it may be
public. and that Republic is safe whose
cornerstone is the love of home
The South has played no small part in
the formation and settlement Of our great
country. whether in furnishing leaders
or acquiring or settling territory. A writ
err in The Century has recently demon
strated what was well known to many
country civilization followed the water
courses and that the great West Is the
true daughter Of the South. 1t Is well
known that the vast domain known as
the Louisiana Purchase. and all of the
other country which has been added to
tend from the Atlantic to the Pacific, was
acquired through the Influence of South
ern leaders who were then in control at
Washington. True. some territory has
been recently acquired which we OF the
South do not claim the credit for, and
which time alone can tell whether or not
it is a credit or debit The great major
ity of the people of the United States. in
their knowledge of and attitude TO our
foreign possessions, are very much in the
position of a Confederate soldier in the
civil war who was captured by the Fed