The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-05-04
RHODE ISLANDS DEAD
ARE HONOREO,
Patriotic Addresses Were Made by
the Governor and Others-Not
a Sensational Note Sound
ed i'll the Speeches of
the Visitors
Bv Paul Wilkes.

Andersonville Ca. April 30-(SpeciaI.)
The Rhode Island party reached here
this afternoon on special train at q
o'clock and was met at the depot by The
mayor, members Of the council, mem
bers Of the Grand Army post ana prom
inent citizens. as we'll as number of
ladies'. in whose hands were lunches IL
flowers ready to cover The last resting
place Of the soldiers who fought for the
union.
The procession was formed ri the de
pot. and under command OF Governor
GarVin was escorted at once to the ma
tionai cemetery, where the dedicatory
exercises took place \ platform for the
speakers had been erected, and imme-
diately around this were arranged seats
for the visitors from Rhode Island Be
hind these seats congrcgated the citizenIy
of this section. gathered TO take part IN
the exercises and to do honor to the
federal dead who breathed their last
within this one time prison wall The
exercises We're opened with prayer and
then Rey. Clay MacCauley, orator OF the
day, delivered tribute to the heroic
dead.
Governor Garvin was next presented,
and after briefly recouuting the fact that
der of the north said:
The memories aroused by this spot
are sad ones, but the occasion itself calls
tor the deepest gratitude. We may in
deed be thankful to meet here. in an un-
broken nationals brothers, once stranded
but now knit together in the bonds OF a
common history ana common destiny.
Those OF US who, on either side. par
ticipated IN the civil war look back upon
it as i hOrrid dream We wonder that d
set-Sovernlng people could have been so
irrational ana SO hard-hearted as to try
to settle their differences by the arOitra-
ment OF
The four bloody years serve TO remind
lis how small an advance our boaSted
civilization has made from barbarism
how little. indeed, We have risen above
the brutes.
The veterans of the civil war have 1
believe, been conserVators of peace-as-
suredly this is true Of the rank and file.
After Witnessing the ravages Of the
march, and the carnage OF the battle
field they were ready TO echo the words
of General sherman, War is he'll
Il nave long wished that the presidents
and the congressman who are III haste to
enter upon an unnecessary or aggressive
firing line. No doubt If such a require
ment existed, peace would be perpetual.
since these verbal tire-eaters as 4 rule.
take precious good care to keep them
of shot and shell.
THE war between the states sprang di-
rectly from an incompetent and misrep-
resentative congress. Nobody now de
sires the reestablishment Of slavery, and
the inherent viciousness of that institu-
ton might and would, under wise leader
ship, have been recognized and end
without a bloody emancipation.
What We need in the United States
above ali else, in order to establish per
petual peace with our neighbors. good
will between ali sections. justice between
man and man. and a steady advance in
prosperity of which all shall be par
takers is a system of just representa-
tion-a system which will give to each
minority party, as well as to each ma
iority. it's due proportion in every leg
islative body, municipal state and na-
t0nal. Had such existed before the civil
war. the union-lovng people both north
and south. would have been represented
in congress much more largely. and the
action of that body guided by the light
Of reason instead of folly. would nave
written for this country another and Il
far brighter page in its history.
Certain persons. who give to strenuous