The leader., 1903-07-01
MISSISSIPPI THEN AND Now
The Grandeurs and Glories Of Her Ante
bellum Times.
IN ELOQUENT ADDRESS BY BISHOP GALLOWAY
AT the Dedication of the New Capo"No Ever
Patriots, Drawer Leaders, Greater Statesmen, ManLe
HoGer Women"-A New Era of Prosperity.
at Daybreak Everywhere"

been the, praises of the Grafton of
Bishop Charles B. Galloway, deliv-
cred on the occasion of the dedication
of the new State capitol in Jackson,
June 3, and so many of our readers
having expressed desire to possess
1T in print, We herewith publish the
address in full:
Bishop GaIIoway's Address.
Fellow Mssissippians, Ladies and Gen.
tlemen-I congratulate you upon the aus
plcious dawn OF this great day--a day that
marks an era in the history OF our beloved
State-and bid you welcome to its brill
liant and tubilant ceremonies. With glad
hearts we hail the completion of a mag
nthcent structure, which will ever be the
pride of our people, and with patriotic
reverence we dedicate 1t to the cause OF
human liberty and constitutional govern
ment. Fair to the eye of beauty, every
line and curve the perfection OF grace and
symmetry, it has all the charm of an ar
chitectural poem, and is awe-inspiring as
said of tho TAI Mahal in India, it looks like
the conception of Titans and the handi-
work of jewelers."
This splendid building represents the
fined taste, sturdy strength and progressive
spirit of an all-conquering people, and the
wealth. Consummate wisdom has been dis
played in it's planning and construction.
It did not rise like the walls of Thebes at
the strains of the 0rphean Tyre, but as
wise men planned and patriotic hands held
the plumb-line, and critical eyes watched
it grow from deep foundation to lofty
DOME
As we move out of the old capitol into
the new, our prayer is that the glory OF
this latter house may exceed the former.
Mighty memories linger around that old
building, and honored names are associated
with its sacred history. Wonderful scenes
were enacted there-scenes tragic, heroic,
and sometimes comic-that changed the
currents of the century and nightly af=
fected the nations destiny. Though Its
lis Cfn mad md hn nIIr m
aginations have adorned every square foot
of space with the portraits of heroes and
patriots, whose features grow stronger and
dearer with passing years Its heavy at
mosphere is yet tremulOus with the echoes
of eloquent voices and the strange presence
of conscious but unseen spirits. Those old
corridors have felt the tread of giants,
and in those halls mighty leaders, strug-
CLING for political mastery, have won vic
treasury of nearly century's hallowed
and historic memories-memories of peace
and war-may the day long delay its com
ing when the violent hand of an aggressive
commercialism will profane thy sacred pill
lars and command that not one stone shall
be left upon another.
wrought since the old capitol was first oc-
cupied in 1899 Then the white popula-
ton of this young commonwealth was only
178,667; now our aggregate citizenship is
100000. Then there were only 4o4 stu
dents in college; now there are over $500
common schools; now there are 412,646,
of whom 20S,346 are colored.
Mississippi was ordained by Providence
to a commanding position in the sisterhood
Of American commonwealth. Our State
is fortunately located within those gentle,
genial parallels of latitude in which great
results are wrought out under favorable
conditions, and which have been the home
and scene of the worlds grandest ciyili-
cations. With an average temperature dur
ing the year of "a degrees with skies as
soft as those that bend over Italy, with
valleys as productive and beautiful as the
Nile, with many streams that drain and re
fresh every foot of our soil, and laved by
the tides of the worlds mightiest river
We have all the geographical and topo-
snS that fnfer entire nTG men
The musical name of Mississippi links
to US the. aboriginal history Of America.
dian tribes claimed this as their, beautiful
and happy home They roamed through
the forests in search of game, and rowed
up and down the rivers, their dipping
and dripping oars keeping time. with the
heart beats of their innocent hopes. II
the stories Of their brilliant feats had have
been preserved and woven into literature
by the genius of some ]. Fennimore Cooper,
our American youth would have read with
SIayer'' or 1.-The Last Of the Mohicans"
The pathetic story of the maid of Pasca-
goula and the mysterious, music OF our
Southern sea on the trembling Tyre Of a
Henry W. Longfellow would make melody
like the song of Hiawatha To these po-
etic sons of the forest we are indebted for
streams and counties, and for the charm
ing traditions that have come down In the
folklore of the generations:
Mississippi began we'll We have mag
nifcent inheritance in the character or
our fathers who laid the foundation of this
great commonwealth. They were not al.
Venturers and ignorant freebooters but
mostly men of education and wealth, seek
ing better lands and more inviting fields
character. The best blood of the world
flowed in their rich veins, and by virtue Of
certain historic conditions 1t has kept sin,
dare to affirm that the white population
of Mississippi contains larger. per cent
of pure American blood and orthodoxy in
the continent Isms. social and religious
do not flourish in these parallels and we
have been but slightly affected by the IN
flux of foreign doctrines and customs.
What a heritage of heroic and historic
every noble ambition !! What manly ,cour-
tories tories to to Be be repeated What radiant viz,
tues to be reincarnated! No State ever
had purer patriots or Drawer leaders, or
greater statesmen or manlier men or holier
women. Let me call the names of a few
on the canonized roll of our heroes and
There was jefferson Davis, our greatest
chieftain and highest citizen and grandest
hero, who led no army save at Mississippi
command. and championed no principle or
policy without her direction or cordial
support In early years ne wv was the prize hae
greatest statesman and parliamentary lead
er, and. in old age her patriotic benedic-
rarest Jewel: his teachings were her doc
trines his oblation of himself her sacrifice !;
his suferings her bitterest pain; his death
his honored remains, sleeping on these capt.
toll grounds were her most sacred treas
ure He will ever be enthroned as the un-
crowned chief of an invisible republic of
loving and loyal hearts.
. There was Sargent s. Prentiss, the al
lucrative music of whose inspiring. elo
sweep of his infalIible logic. Chief Justice
fancy said: IF he were not the greatest
of orators I would pronounce him the pro
the eagle eye, the marvelously musical
voice, the frail, crippled body and the vast,
eager crowds hanging breathless upon his h,
golden spi ech are the wool of many thrill
ing stories of the earlier times, and form
picture hung up in every Southern home
in the Southwest The traditions Of his
triumphs in the court at Vicksburg. Jack
son, New Orleans and elsewhere and the
legends of his unrivaled eloquence on great
national Issues addressed to enraptured
thousands, belong to the forensic history of
the last two generations. Political friends
and foes alike accord him prominence.
At the bar he was the acknowledged mas
ter, whether stealing away the technical
hearts of the stern judges or weaving a
seductive tale into the honest ears OF sworn
Jurymen. When great orators are being
discussed no other name is mentioned in
the same class with Sargent s. Prehttss.
He shines alone-a star of the first mag
one daring to usurp his throne or wear
his golden crown. The tall trees that
stand sentinel over the grave Of his sleep
ing geniuG two miles south OF Natchez are
drapd In long moss. Thus nature seems
to provide her own mourning emblems to
perpetuate nations grief for her greatest
orator. AS the wind signs gently through
the moss hung branches a low, sweet dlrge
falls upon the ear and sweeps in solemn