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

morning with u faces to the light
and gladly hear the command that
we go forward"
1 have thought it not inappropriate
to tell you these things on your return
to your old home. for it is the right
Of one who has gone out from UNDER
meath the shade of the family tree to
heal when he comes back what the
folks at home have been doing. Above
all it is our right to know VIA we
are. Whether We are sustaining the
| ideals of the past, what sort of struc-
| ture we are rearing upon the founda-
ton laid by your ancestors. In your
travels you may have run across the
scOrnerS who scot at and the writings
who defame'' this state. You may
have heard that she IS ignorant and
provincial, but l have the pleasure to
inform 0 what your affection al
| ready knows. that there can be found
nowhere within her borders a man
known out of his township ignorant
enough to join with the fool in saying
There is no God" There is no man
amongst us whose hand is so I'M
trained that it does not ~instinctiely
seek his hat in the presence of Il wo-
man. There is no ear SO untaught
that it does not hear the cry of pity,
and no heart so untutored that it does
not beat in sympathy with the weak
and the distressed. Illiterate we have
been. but ignorant. never. Books we
have not known. but of men we have
learned and of God we have sought
to find out. "A gentle people and
open" frank and courteous, passion
ate when aroused. and dangerous in
conflict: capable OF sacrifice, among
warriors the frSt-praiSed by me as
warriors only because of the high
courage manifested there, giving prom
Use of the wonderful achievements
which lie before US in peace. These
are YOUR people. they are my people.
7 am proud Of their history: proud
Of their character ana glad to intro
| duce YOU to them again. Your broth
| rem all wish YOU to stay mon us to
the utmost limit Of your time, to see
us and know us as We are. If you
| find our material condition better than
it was when you left us, We claim no
| praise for it. If we have done we'll. 1t
is because we were taught Alright by
those who went before us. taught at
| their exnense. and credit belongs to
them alone. We think We hold on to
the truth which our fathers taught US.
We believe that We still maintain q
| passion for liberty: that we love indie
| pendence n set more store by hon
| or thar by wealth, and that We
seek wealth only in order that
| the kind lromptings of our hearts
NAV find 2 better way in which
to express themselves: that our deeds
| may keep peace with our wishes and
that the earth NAV grow better by
what we do. In log cabin, in frame
house, in modern mansion. each and
ell of you find n welcome. The latch
| string hangs outside the door. but not
| for YOU. The latch string is for the
| stranger only: the door stands open
for you.
TO the representatives Of those cities
whose North Carolina nOnulatiOn IS
large enough to Justify the ~OrganfzH-
ton of North CaNolina Societies. I atr
directed to express the appreciation
of my people for the manifestation of
your continued affection which has
brought you together in you distant
homes under the name OF the dear
Old State. It is delightful to us to
be thus remembered by YOU. It in
sDires us to'Ou best EFFORTS. to MAIN
tain that affection which is so beau
tifufly expressed III wi act. IT de-
| ters us from doing anything to bring
dishOnOr unon that fair name in whose
honor you associate. 1t has been my
| pleasure once since I have been gov
| ernor of this state to be the guest of
4 North Carolina Society In a distant
city. It was to me n GREAT happiness.
I reioiced in their prosperity. I de
lighted in their manifest JOY when
ever the old mother state was men,
| tio2ed. They tried to sing for me The
Old North State. but they broke down
before finishing the first stanza. Cen
tlemen. cannot sing the songs of
Zion in strange lands. Tho music of
The Gid North State is for home. Like
our scuppernong grape It is racy Of
the soil and cannot be brought to per-
lection elsewhere
Again 7 thank YOU. ladies' and gen.
tlemen. for coming among us. I greet
YOU in the name Of the whole people.
] extend to o all the liberties of the
state and invoke that Dfous benedic-
ton Of Tiny Tim God bless us every
one"
COL. JAMES T. MOREHEAD.
The governor was followed by a well
come speech on behalf of Greensboro
and GIlilford county by Col. James T.
MOrehead, who also abounded in af-
f~ectionate greeting and splendid mat
ter.
Col. Morehead recited the progress of
Greensboro. but said This city is not
alone in this grand march Of progress.
select it as an object lesson" Con-
tinuing he closed his address in the
following beautiful perOration:
When o return to your homes
and recount to cur absent kindred,
who were prevented from meeting
With US today. the glorious progress
of the Old North State. I beg of you
not to forget to speak Of other things
which YOU have not yet seen. but
Which YOU will see in Your visits to
your old homes before you return.
Among these are some things pleas
ing to the eye and dear to the m
of every North CarOlinian. You will
see still left some of the old sedge
fields grown W with old fed pines.
through which gu will travel on the
good old country roads over red wash
ed gullies filled here and there with
ruts, roots ana stones in such cases
by statute made and provided" and
your poetic soul will be excited by the
sight of the good old fashioned grist
mill whose noisy and clanking ma
chinery is moved by the ever beloved
over-shOt water-wheel. And YOU may
tell them that You saw. as in days
OF yOre. the patrons Of the mill sitting
on the old benches and stones = COM
mite on the state Of the Union and