The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1902-04-12
TINS PRESIDENTS DAY..
An Event of More Than Passing
Interest at the Exposition
at Charleston, S. c.
THE PRESIDENT GUEsT OF HONOR.
He Met the Governor of North Caro-
lima and the Governor OF so"'"
Carolina, and When They Hau
Spoken Words Of Welcome said
some Good Things Himself.

bOUnc uOOu Ihhhss
Charleston, S. c., April 9.-This is
presidents Day" at the exposition.
The events of the day began with a
grand procession through the prip-
cipal streets of Charleston, and after
wards there were speeches in the ex-
position auditorium, the presentation
of a sword by the president to Maj.
Micah jenkins, a luncheon at the
woman's building and inspection of
the grounds and buildings. The pa
rade was the most imposing that
Charleston has ever seen. Beside the
president and distinguished visitors,
United States artilIerymen, United
States marines and jackies, there
were soldiers from various states and
cadets from two military academies.
The procession moved from the st.
John hotel promptly at ten O'Clock
and proceeded up Meeting street to
Calhoun, through Calhoun to Rut-
ledge thence northward to
Grove street and to the exposition
gates. The march was continued
through the Grove street gate and
then around the court of palaces.
The presidential party was driven di-
rectly to the exposition auditorium,
where the president reviewed the
troops from a platform erected at
that point. The presidents salute of
81 guns was fred by the German ar
tillery on the entrance of the presi-
dent into the exposition grounds.
At noon, the president proceeded
from the reviewing stand into the au-
MES occurred. Addresses were made
by Capt. F. W. Wagner, president of
the South Carolina Interstate and
West Indian Exposition Co.; Gov.
McSweeney of South Carolina; Gov.
Aycock of North Carolina; Mayor
Smyth of Charleston, and the presi-
dent of the United States.
President ROOseveIt's Speech.
1t is to me a peculiar privilege to
speak here in your beautiful city. My
mothers people were from Georgia, but
before they came to Georgia. before the
revolution. in the days of colonial rule,
they dwelt for nearly a century in South
Carolina; and therefore | can claim your
state as mine by inheritance no less than
by the stronger and nobler right which
makes each foot of American soil In a
sense the property of all Americans.
Charleston is not only a typical south
ern city; it is also a city whose history
teens with events which link themselves
to American history as a whole. In the
early colonial days Charleston was the
outpost of our people against the Span
lard in the south. In the days of the
revolution there occurred here some of
the events which vitality affected the out
come OF the struggle for independence,
n which impressed themselves most
here that the tremendous, terrible drama
OF the civil war opened.
With delicate and thoughtful courtesy
you originally asked me to come to this
exposition on the birthday of Abraham
Lincoln. The invitation not only showed
a fine generosity and manliness in you,
hardly anything else could have en-
phasized, how completely We are now a
united people. Wounds left by the great
civil war, incomparably the greatest wal
of modern times, have healed, and Its
memories are now priceless heritages OF
honor alike to the north and to the
the steadfast resolution and lofty daring
the high devotion to the right as each
man saw it, whether northerner or south,
erner-all these qualities of the men ant
women of the early sixties now shint
luminous and brilliant before our eyes
while the mists of anger and hatred tina
once dimmed them have passed away for
ever.
All of US, north and south, can glor,
alike in the valor of the men who wor'
the blue and of the men who wore tn
gray. Those We're iron times, and onl,
iron men could fight to its terrible finisl
the giant struggle between. the hosts o
Grant and Lee. To us of the presen
children, the valiant deeds, the high en-
deavor and abnegation of self shown |
that struggle by those who took par
the level to which we in our turn mus
rise whenever the hour of the nation
need may come.
When four years ago, this nation wa
compelled to face a foreign foe, the com
pleteness of the reunion became Instant,
and strikingly evident. The war wa
not one which called for the exercise O
more than an insignificant fraction of on
strength, and the strain put upon us wa
slight, indeed, compared with the results
the way In which the sons of the soldie
of the union and the soldier of the con
federacy leaped eagerly forward, emu
lous to show IN brotherly rivalry tn
qualities which had won renown for thei
fathers, the men of the great war. 1t wa
my good fortune to serve under an ex
confederate. general, gallant old 10
Wheeler, who commanded the cayalr di
vision at Santiago.
In my regiment there were ~certainl
as many men whose fathers had served !
the southern as there were men who's
fathers had served i'm the northern army
Among the captains there was opportun
ty to promote but one to field rank. TIL
man who was singled out for this promo
ton because of conspicuous gallantry, |
the field, was the son of a confederat
general and was himself a citizen of thii
the Palmetto state; and no American OF
ficer could wish to march to battle bt
side a more loyal, gallant and absolute
ly fearless comrade than my former cal
fain and major, your fellow citizen, Mica
enforced absence of the governor of tn
Jenkins. A few months ago, owing to til
Philippines II became necessary to non
! mate a vice-governor to take his place
one OF the more important places in OF
government at that place. l nominated &
v-ice-governor an ex-confederate, Gel
Luke Wright. of Tennessee. 1t is. Their,
fore. an eX-confederate who now stant
as the exponent of this government ar
this people in that great group of islant
in the eastern seas over which the Anne
! lean flag floats. Gen. Wright has taken
leading part in the work of steadil
bringing order and peace out of Il
bloody chaos In which we found the I
lands. He is now taking a leading par
not merely In upholding the honor of Il
flag. by making 1t respected as the syn
Dol of our power, but still more In III
holding its honor by unwearied labor II
the establishment of ordered liberty
law-creating, law-abiding civil goyerl