The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-07-10
Especial to The Messenger.)
Baseball, Etc.

NSpoC4d1 ~ t"( N---SN|
Fayetteville, y. c. July 6.-The big
/ gest Fourth Of July celebration since
| the civil war was celebrated here today.
The crowd was enormous.
There was a sham battle on Market
square and a striking scene presented
by the fire company in its contests.
There was q fine game of base pal
btween Fayetteville and Wilmington,
resulting in the exciting score of 5 to
8 in favor Of the home team. The Will
mington boys were highly complimented
! on their manly onduc and made a fine
impression here.
There will be a display of fireworks
at Eccles Park tonight.
After the reading of the Declarations
of Independence at the School Park
today Colonel A. NJ. Waddell was intro
| duced as the orator of the day and de-
livered the following fine address:
COLONEL WADDELLS ADDRESS
Ny Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen:
1t is but simple truth to say that if
the invitation with which you honored
me to be present and speak today a
come from almost any other locality, it
would for several reasons have been
respectfully declined, but my N Of
obligation to the people of Fayetteville
and Cumberland county for uniform
kindnes throughout my life, upon
which the shadows of evening are clos
ing, forbade any other response than
that which was given, and i am here,
my friends, TO attempt the performance
of the duty assigned to me. There is
no affectatiOn of modesty in the use of
that phrase, for the proper performance
Of it would require more time than has
been allowed me. a young man-nOt
hampered by the experiences and mem
cries of three eras of American history,
as / am-would find little difficulty in re-
spending to the requirements of this
occasion, but / say frankly that it is
not an easy task for me to perform,
without appearing to violate sacred
memories on the one hand, or the priv
ileges of a guest on the other.
When I was a boy, the celebration
of the Fourth of July was an occasion
of The most intense enthusiasm and re-
| joicing in every city, town and hamlet
in the United States, and especially in
the south. The multitudes that every
where assembled listened with tears
in their eyes to the story of the trials
and sufferings Of their f~ore-fathers
in that long, heroic strug-
| gle against tyranny and oppression, and
shouted with joy at the recital of their
final triumph. At each recurring cele-
bration they felt the throb of patriotism
stronger in their hearts, and at it's
! close returned to their homes prouder
of their country than eve before.
They were proud of it for many rea-
| sons, but chiefly because it was a
great representative republic Of co-equal
| states that stood between the seas, a
model for the nations of the earth, the
! home Of independent freemen, and the
place of refuge for the oppressed of all
lands. Nowhere was this sentiment of
patriotic pride more intense and sincere
tina in North Carolina, and nowhere
in North Carolina more than in this
good old town of Fayetteville, where as
noble deeds We're one in the early days
as in any other place in America.
Now, is there really any reason why
the observance Of the birth day Of the
republic should not be as earnest and
enthusiastic today as it was in the old
days, before our second war for indie
pendence? Are n 10 the men and the
events Of the American revolution to be
hOnOred as much. if not more, today
than at any time in our history? Have
we ever surrendered our right, as de-
s~cendantS Of the men of 1776, to the
largest share in the glories of that i'm
mortal struggle? Who wrote the Dec
laration of independence, and who led
the armies that Vindicated it, and tri-
umphantly made it good at the end Of
! seven years of war? Southern men.
If, therefore, the celebration of it is
! proper and patriotic, who has a better
right, or can with more prOpriety cele-
brate ii than the southern people? 1t
never has been, is not now, and never
Will be the exclusive possession Of the
northern people, unless u own people
at home shall cease to cherish the
fame Of their ancestors, and to take an
honest pride in their heroic achieve
mcnts.
The Declaration Of Independence is
not responsible for everything that has
taken place in this country since it
was adopted-On the contrary, it has
been a standing protest against much
that has been done. That Declaration
was the result of a long and fruitless
effort to induce the English King and
his ministers to stay the hand OF in
justice and oppression and extend the
same rights to Englishmen in America
as TO E~nSlishmen at home. Finding
their efforts TO be futile, they determine
ed to establish a government OF their
own, and to fight, if necessary. for it's
maintenance: and. as a preliminary
thereto. they sOlemnly declared the CO.
lonles to be free and independent
states.
II was a very brave and bold defiance
Of a great and powerful government by
a people thinIy scattered through thir-
teen colonies lying along the Atlantic
seaboard from Maine to Georgia, but
after great trials and sufferings for
seven years they g~loriously won their
freedom and independence. It was one
Of the most extraordinary and memora-
bic achievements in the history of the