The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-16

representatives,. TO add to the splendid
galaxy. Officialdom in essence, but an
assemblage of faithful public sons that
the old mother took pride IN showing
off before her wandering but returned
children
The exercises began an by an introduc
tion by DR.. McIver, of General Matt w.
Ransom
DIR. McIVER SAID.
On behalf of the board of managers
| desire to thank every citizen of
Greensboro and every North Carolinian,
resident and nonresident. and all 9TH
ers who have contributed in any way
10 the success of this, the first North
Carolina ReuiOn.
The purposes of the runiOn are these:
First: To furnish an opportunity for
North CarOlnianS, at home and abroad.
to renew and strengthen old friendships
and to form new ones.
Second: To secure for North Carroll
ma from those who, in the fortunes of
life, have left her borders and made
their homes elsewhere, the inspiration
and instruction that their varied eX-
perience and wider view make them
capable of giving to us who are active
ly engaged in the work Of upbuildng
our North State.
Third To advertise to the country
North Carolina's contribution to Amer
lean citizenship, and to so organize her
sons and daughters, resident and non
resident, that whatever of good is in
the character, traditions. and history
of the sturdy old commonwealth may
be impressed upon our national life.
Naturally this first meeting has been
regarded by many as an experiment.
and the board of managers has met
various difficulties. 1t was impossible
for instance, to secure from some sec
tiOnS such railroad rates as it will be
easy to secure after one successful re-
union. Indeed it was impossible to Sc
cure the liberal rates finally accorded to
us in time to advertise these properly
in the territory where they were given.
Another great difficulty, which, in
large measure. has been overcome was
the idea in the minds of many people
in the state and out of it, that this
was to be a meeting of only local sig
nificance.
The hardest task, perhaps has been
TO arrange a programme, sufficiently
representative and not too long, that
! would leave opportunity for personal
/ intermingling and individual greetings
The formal programme upon which we
are about to enter includes the names
of many who, by their services, have
brought honor to their native state
their adopted states and to the country
In order that We may hear from as
many of these as possible we have
arranged for only one addresS-that of
our gOVernOr-tO be as long as thirty
minutes and for no other address to
/ be longer than twenty minutes. We
have asked that the length of most Of
the other addresses shall be from five
! TO seven minutes. We hope that some
whose names DO not appear upon the
official programme, and especially citi-
ZenS OF those CcmmOnWealthS not repre-
scented on it. may. as spOkesmen for
their respective states make impromptu
five minute speeches.
: II Is the purpose of the management
. TO print reunion volume. and if any
speaker has not already prepared in
manuscript what he Is going TO say. l
, TAX this opportunity Of requesting him
10 write out before leaving Greensb prC
/ at least the substance Of what he Eas
said. Of what he intended TO say, OF
! what he ought 10 have said.
! 1t now becomes my pleasant duty and
! honor TO present to you to preside over
i the sessions of this reunion, a North
Carolinian who has been eminent in
. civic service TO his state and country
for nearly half 4 century. The boar5
IF managers considers Itself fortuna a
that his knightly presence is one of the
many attractions of this great occa sion.
The soldier. statesman, and diplomat.
Matthew Whitaker Ransom, will be our
permanent presiding officer
In a brief. yet eloquent talk, Gen
eral Ransom called the great assembly
TO order. receiving an ovation before
he could reach an erect posture that
cheered his brave old heart and choked
his uIterance. and for several mo-
ments after he had sat down. there
was round after round of applause and
calls for more more" MOdeStly
waiting for the tumult to subSide.
the young governor just introduced
SO gracefully anr graciously by the
Old Roman, came forward and deliv-
cred an extraordinarily valuable epit-
ONE of the true historic life of the
Confined on Sixth PaCeo