Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-09-26
PRESIDENT SPEAKS.
lis Speech Delivered During a Heavy
DOwnpOur Of Rain.
lNTEITAM MONUMENT UNVEILED
1oV. 7urphy Accepts the rIonumeut
for the State and The President
Accepts IL on B-haif OF the Federal
Government.

Sharpsbu-g. Nd. Special.-Under
lowering skies. the magnificent monu-
ment erected on the historic battle
field Of Antietam by the grateful State
Of New Jersey 20 its men who fell in
the great engags ment. was dedicated
Thursday. The occasion was rem
dcred particularly no,aDle - the par
ucipaton in the ceremonics OF the
President OF the United States and OF
Governor Murphy, the Cnief EXecu--
tive OF the State which was hoporinE
IT'S heroes.
Inc monument is in the form ~ an
ornate CCrinthian column OF granite
fO feet high. surmOunlcd by a heruic
iSure IN bronze of an officer with up-
raised sword leading his men in a.
charge. Governor MurpAy. of New
Jersey. accepted the monument ia an
address.
President Roosevelt. as he arose to-
accept the monument on behalf CT the
Federal government. was accorded an
ovation. He spoke in part as follows.
Governor Murphy; and YOU. Veterans
of New Jersey. and you. men a the
Grand Army. and al others here. /
greet you.
thank you OF New Jersey for the
monument 20 the troops of New Jcr-
sey who fought at Antietam. and on
behalf OF the nation I accept the gift.
We meet upon one OF the great battle
fields OF the civil war. 10 other bat
tie Of the civil war lasting but one
day shows as great a percentage OF
loss as that which occurred here upon
the day on which Antietam was
fought Moreover. in its ultimate ef-
fccts this battle was Of mOment0us
and even decisive importance for
when il had ended and Lee had
retrcatod south OF the Potomac. Lin
coin forthwith published that immor.
tai paper. the preliminary deciara
ton of emancipation. the paper
which decided that the civil war be.
sides being a war for the prosorya-
ton Of the Union. should be \ wa
for the emancip patton OF the slave. 80
that from that time onward the cause
OF Union and OF freedom. Of national
greatness and individual liberty. were
one and the same
Men OF New Jersey. ! congratulate
your State because she has IN right
90 claim her FUN share in the honor
and glory OF that memorable day. and
] congratulate you. Governor Mug-
ply. because ON that day YOU had the
high good fortune 20 serve as n lad
with credit and honor i'm one Of the
FIVE regiments which your State sent
90 the battle. -Four OF those regi-
ments. by the way. served in the di-
vision commanded by that gallant sol
der. Henry ". SluCum. whom We OF
New York can claim as our own The
other regiment. that In which Cover
nor Murphy served. although practi-
cally an entirely new regimen. did
work as good as that OF any veteran
organization upon the field. and suf-
fercd "A prOportiCnate loss. This regi-
ment was az one time ordered 90 the
support % "a division commanded 10y
another New York soldier the gallant
General Greene. whose son himself
served as a maior-gcnCral in the war
with Spain and who is now as police
commissioner Of New York. rendering
"a signal service in civil life as he
had already rendered ga military life
II the issue OF Anuctam had been
other than 80 was. IL is probable that
az least two great European powers
would have recognized the indcpcn-
Ccnce Of tia C0nfederacy: $50 that You
who fought here fortv-Cne yeas ago
have the profound satisfaction OF feel
/ ing that You played wen your part ina
one Of those crises big with the tate
l NA an man hlIANA ] MA men Nl Ailt Va anu
Army bv your victory not only rem
dercd all Americans your debtors for
/ cvermore but Won rendered all hu-
/ mainly your debtors. II the Union mad
I CcCn dissolved. il the great cdihcc
/ built with blood and sweat and tears
/ by mighty Washington and his com
F peers had gone down I'm wreck amt
I ruin. the result would have been an
! incalculable calamity. not only for our
+ people-and most Of all for those
+ who. in such event would have seem
F ingly triumphed- for all mankind
The great American republic would
/ have become 4 memory OF derisiOn.
and the failure OF the experiment OF
/ selfgovernment by a great people ON
a great scale would have delighted
the heart OF every foe OF republican
I institutions. Our country. now So
! great and so wonderful. would have
been split into little jGngiing rival
natiOnalities. each with a history both
/ bloody and contemplate. Il was be-
/ cause YOU. the men who wear the but
ton OF the Grand Army. triumphed in
| those dark years that every American
now holds his head high. proud IN the
| knowledge that he belongs 20 ma
tion whose glorious past and great
! present will be succeeded by an even
| iAlkuucI future. whereas hod YOU
failed We would all of us North and
South. East and West. be now treated
by other nations at the best with con
temptuOus tolerance: at the worst
with overbearing insOlence.
The president then argued that the
! need OF the worlds liberty and pro
gress demanded that the federal
armies should win the fCht. He spoke
of the great gallantry Of both armies
His audience listened with good at
tention although n drenching rain was
falling.