The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-06-03
the PRESIDENT ON
GETTYSBURG FIELD
Memorial Day Grafton on the
Famous battle-ground De-
Iivered by MIR. Roosevelt.
AN ELOQUENT TRIBUTE
Urges Emulation by Americans of To
day of the Virtues of Those Who
Saved the Union-Memorial
Day Elsewhere.

Day Elsewhere.
Gettysburg. Pa. May So.-Tresident
Roosevelt and party reached the his
toric battle-ground at $50 today. AT
Penmar, Pa. where the special train
was sidetracked during the night, a
crowd began TO assemble early this
morning ANA before leaving the presi-
dent appeared ON the rear platform OF
his private Gar end was given an ell
thusiastic reception. He spoke briefly
saying:
I Will not attempt to speak now. as
am 10 spesi1 later Ia the day. / shall
merely repeat how; glad l ann to see all
ct you, especially those who Wear the
bntton that shows yoL nave a right
greater than any OF the rest of US to
be here and to ~resoioe IN al This me
,norable day means."
When the train stopped ut Gettys-
burg the presidents party entered car
riagea and started GA a drive over the
battlefield.
Vicwins the Battlefield.
AS the president and Mrs, Roosevelt
alighted from the car they were greeted
by Governor ~Pennypacker ana the re-
ception committee. The drive over the
battlefield occupied three hours and a
quarter. Frequent stops We're made to
enable the president TO study at close
range Some important features of the
historical field. He manifested familiar
ity with the details of the battle and
expressed the deepest interest in var
ious incidents rccounted by General
O. q Howard and Eay1ara1 NO niaI Il,
Sickels, both of whom participated in
the three days engagement on Little
Round Top.
While Howard and Slckels were talk
ing Major Robbins who served as major
in the fourth Alabama, in Laws
brigade, during the second and third
days fighting, Joined the party and
greeted the president.
He was recognized instantly by Sick
els who remarked eagerly:
There is the fellow who tried to AXE
the hin, but u 1t too high"
Yes" responded Robbins, I'VE charg-
ed up this hill. but you moved us down
like grass. We could not stand it and
we had to get back"
The major then reeounted some in
teresting details of the part of the con-
test in which he participated. After
hearing the cross fire of graphic de-
scriptioas from both union and Con-
federate participants. Mr. Roosevelt re-
marked:
This country is all right so long as
we can have this kind OF talk Gu Little
Round Top"
Tho Presidents Grafton.
The president was escorted to The
cemetery ON the battlefield by a oody
Of several hundred veterans OF the civi!
war, and several military organizations.
Governor Pennypacker presided at the
ceremonies, which We're held in The
rostrum on cemetery hill. After the
memorial services OF the G. y. Il. had
been completed and the school children
had streWn flowers over the graves of
thousands OF dead. DIR. Edward Everett
Hale, chaplain CT the United States
senate pronounced the invocation. The
president was introduced by Governor
Pennypacker and was accorded an en-
thusiastfc reception.
The president said. The place where We
now are has won u double distinction.
Here was fought one of the great battles
of all time, and here was spoken one of
the ages. AS long as this republic en-
dures or ITS history is known, so long
ehull the memory OF the battle of Gettys-
burg likewise endure and be known: and
as long as the English tongue is under
stood, so long shall Abraham Lincoln's
Gettysburg speech thrill tho hearts of
The civil war vas a great war for
blest ideals. but waged also In thorough
going. practical fashion. 1t was one of
the few wars which mean. in their sue
cessful outcome. a lit toward better
things for the nations of mankind. Some
over anarchy and RIGHTEOUSNESS mas
querading as liberty; some wars have
meant the triumph of liberty over tyranny
lnasquerading as order; but this VIC
terious war OF ours meant the triumph of
both liberty and onaer. the triumph of
orderly liberty, the bestowal of civil
pl,tr ,tNpn thA pFAAl cluIrnc n,,3 nt ,l,1
same time the stern insistence on the SUI
premacy of the national law throughout
the length and breadth of the land. More
over. this was one OF those rare contests
in which 1t was to the lmmeasurable in
terest Of the vanquished that they should
lose, while at the same time the victors
hitting to those who came after them.
as a heritage of honor forever, not only
the memory Of their own valiant deeds,
but the memory of the deeds of those who,
no less valiantly and with equal sincerity
of purpose, fought against the stars in
their courses. The war left to us all, as
fellow countrymen, az brothers the right
to rejoice that the union has been re-
stored in indestructible shape in a country
where slavery no longer 1noehs the boast
with eXultant pride in the courage, the
self sacrihce, and the devotion, alike of
the men who wore the blue and the men
VINO wore the gray.
A Patriotic Inspiration.
He Is but q poor American who, looking
at this field. does not feel within himself
a deeper reverence for the nations past
and a higher purpose to make the nations
future rise level to her past. Here
fought the chosen sons OF the north and
the south. the east and the west. The
armies which on this held contended for
the mastery We're veteran armies, ilar-
desed by long campaigning and desper-
ate fighting into such Instruments of way
as no other nation then possessed. The
severity OF the fighting is attested by the
proporuonate loss-a loss unrivaled in any
battle of similar size since the close OF
the Napoleonic struggles; a loss which in
certain regiments was from three-fourths
to tour-ftIns Of the men engaged. Every
spot on this field has its own associations
or goldierly duty nobly done, of supreme
self sacrifice freely rendered. The names
OF the chiefs who served in the two armies
! form q long honor roll; and the enlisted
men were worthy, and even more THAI