The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-04-16

we may not agree III politics, we know
how to welcome the President of OIL
common country. That he may kno,
and appreciate what Southern hospi
tallty means and right here in Charles
ton he will find the highest type o
this old time Southern hospitality
We hope that his coming will be bene
fetal to all Of u.s."
EX-GOVERNOR HUGH s. THOMPSON
Mayor Smyth briefly introduced
former Governor Hugh S. Thompson
and spoke Of him as the friend and ad
mirer of the President. Governor
Thompson was received with much ap.
plause by his many South Carolina adj
mirers end when he arose there was
another round of applause, in which
the President joined.
Governor Thompson said that when
he looked around and recognized his
many old friends it was rather difficult
for him to realize that he had been in
New York for ten years. He pleas
antly sald that he begged to differ with
Governor McSweeney as to his rank
in the Richland Volunteers, and sug-
gested that in the days when the club
was organized it was dangerous to be
known as captain, but that the position
was first known as president of the
club, and that il was only after the
great Hampton redeemed the State that
he was the captain of the Rlchland Vol
unteers. (Great applause for Hamp-
ton.
He said that when the President
went around the harbor he asked about
the various places of interest. The
President asked about many details of
the fighting around Charleston and ex-
pressed familiarity with the magnif-
cent fighting of Stephen Elliot, John
Mitchell, Huguenin, Alfred Rhett, II.
M. Wagener and others in this har-
Dor, and 1t also reminded him of the
remark Lincoln once made lii COM
menting upon the desperate fighting
at Gettysburg. An officer, in pointing
out the line of battle, remarked:
" Americans held these lines," and
President Lincoln replied: eyes, and
Americans charged these lines"
Such was the fighting here and such
was the spirit in which President
Roosevelt viewed the fighting in this
harbor. 1t was as an American that the
p Ptesldent looked at the Americanism
of the armies of the South, ana their
patriotism was tribute to American
valor. Governor Thompson spoke |
with feeling of the trials of Charleston
and said that through it all the city
was always lnvinclble. (Applause.)
For three years he was intimately
associated with the President in the |
civil service commission, and at no
Time during these years did he ever
hear him express sentiment not |
worthy of the highest patriotism and in |
every way fit to be the President of the |
United States. Not very many years
ago, as president of the Southern So
ciety in New York, he presented the
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, and spoke
Of him as son of Holland, New
York and Georgia. His subject was
and he did not then
think that he would 80 soon fill |
The place Washington once occupied,
and that he would now have to in
troduce him as the Hoa. Theodore |
of Holland and the United |
States. (Much applause.) President
Roosevelt represented the best blood |
of the North and South, and rounded |
off his little talk by saying that the
Presidents visit here in many ways
recalled Chase's great saying that this
was Union Of indestructible States
one flag, ono country, one destiny.
(Applause.)
Capt. Wagner, Gov. Aycock, of
North Carolina, and several others
made short addresses. 1t was mid
night when the party broke up and as
the President left the room he was
cheered to the echo, MT only by those
who had been fortunate enough to at
tend the banquet but by the large num-
bers who had patiently waited IN the
hotel parlors and outside TO catch a
glimps eof HIM. Upon arriving at his
hotel he Immediately retired.