The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-04-12

| Inter State and West Indian Exposition
Company, Governor McSweeney, ofSouth
Carolina: Governor Aycock. OF North
Carolina; Mayor Smythe, OF Charleston,
and the President of the United States
PRESIDENT ADDRESS N PART.
at is to me a peculiar privilege to
speak here in your beautiful city. My
mothers people from Georgia: but before
they came to Georgia, before the ReyC-
luton. in the days of Colonial rule, they
dwelt for nearly century in South Care
lima; and therefore can claim your State
a. 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 typical South
ern city; it is also city whose history
teens with events which link themselves
to American history as a whole.
With delicate and thoughtful courtesy
you originally asked me to come to
this exposition on the birthday Of Abra-
ham Lincoln. The invitation not only
showed fine generosity and manliness
in you, my hosts, but it also emphasized
as hardly anything else could have EN-
phasized how completely we are now
uniteo ,c DE The wounds left by the
great Civil war, incCmparably the great
est war Of modern times, hs-ye healed
and its memories are now priceless her
itages Of honor alike 10 the North and TO
the South. The devotion, the self-sacri-
fee, the steadiast resolution and lofty
daring, the high devotion to the right as
every man saw it, whether Northerner OF
Southerner-all these qualities OF the men
and women OF the early sixties now shine
luminous and brilliant before our eyes.
while the mists OF anger that once dim
med them have passed away forever.
IAN Of us, North and South, can glory
alike in the valor OF the men who wore
the blue and of the men who wore the
gray. Those were iron times, and only
iron men could fight to its terrible finish
the giant struggle between the hosts Of
Grant and Lee.
When four years ago this nation was
compelled to face foreign foe the com
pleteness OF the reunion became striking
" evident, it was a satisfactory thing to
see the way ia which the sons OF the
soldier OF the Union and the soldier Of
the Coniederacy leaped eagerly forward,
emulous to show in brotherly rivalry
the qualities which. had won renown for
their fathers, the men OF the great war
II was my good fortune TO serve under
an ex-Confederate general, gallant old
Joe Wheer, who commanded the cavalry
division at Santiago. In my regiment
there were cert nly as many men whose
fathers had s. led in the Southern as
there were men hose fathers had served
in the Northern army. Among the cap
tains there was opportunity to promote
but one to field rank The man who was
singled out for this promotion because
Of a conspicuous gallantry in the field
was the son OF a Confederate general
and was himself citizen of this, the
Palmetto State; and no American officer
could wish to march to battle beside a
= more loyal, gallant, and absolutely fear.
less comrade than my former captain
and major, your ielow-citizen, Micah
Jenkins.
SWORD FOR MAJ. JENKINS.
At the conclusion Of the Presidents
speech, President Wagener announced
that the friends and admirers OF Major
, Jenkins in South Carolina wished to pre-
sent a sword to Major Jenkins on this
occasion, and the President was offered
? to make the presentation. The Presi
dent with evident delight. took the sword
from the hands OF ex-Gov. Thompson
! and turned to the gallant Major Jenkins
Major jenkins stepped forward with
soldierly bearing, President Roosevelt
said:
"Major Jenkins: Nothing could give
me greater pleasure thad to hand you
my old friend and comrade, whose cour
age saw again and again, and who's
courage was temper that made it in
different to what the trial was to hanC
you this saber. am glad to do it. as {
! guest Of South Carolina, as the President
Of the United States, but gladder to Dc
it az youririend and comrade."
In accepting the sword, Major Jenkinl
said:
: I'm accepting this sword, sir, wish t.
l express to my fellow statesmen Of Soutl
: Carolina, through you, my deep appre
ciaticn OF the high honor they have thi
{ day conferred upon me, and to assur
: them that this sword from now on
|. whether in my hand or that Of my SON.
son, will be concecrated to the common
service of South Carolina and the Unites
3 States; for, thank God. that service II
, the event Of war, is eyermore the same