The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-10-26

Everywhere the Nation S Chief Execu-
tive Was the Recipient of Typical
Southern Hospitality-Happy in
His Speeches Up on Local
History-Greeted With Enthusiasm
by Enormous Crowds.

The splendid Southern tour of
President Roosevelt began with his
visit TO Richmond on Wednesday.
Thousands upon thousands of patri-
otlc citizens poured out at tue capital
city OF the Old Dominion to do hon.
age by their presence to the nations
first citizen. No printed account can
do justice to the enthusiastic recep-
ton accorded the distinguished guests
OF the city and the State. Address
ing the tremendous throng present,
Mr.. Roosevelt, among many tactful,
patriotic and thrilling things, said:
Il trust I need hardly say how
great Is my pleasure at speaking in
this historic capital of your historic
State; the State than which no other
has contributed larger proportion
to the leadership of the nation; for
on the honor roll of those American
worthless whose greatness is not only
for the age, but for all time, not
only for one nation for all the world,
on this honor roll Virginia s name
stands above all Others And in
greeting all Of you, l know that no
one will grudge my saying a special
word of acknowledgement to the vet
Grams of the civil war. A man would,
indeed. be but a poor American who
could without a thrill witness the
way Ill which, in city after city,
Ill the North as we'll as in the South,
on every public occasion. the men
who wore the blue and the men who
Wore the gray now march and stand
shoulder to shoulder giving tangible
proof that we are all now in fact as
well as III name reunited people, a
people infinitely ricker because ct the
priceless memories left to all Amer
leans by YOU men who fought in the
great war Last Memorial Day I
spoke in Brooklyn at the unwilling
of the statue of Northern general,
under the auspices Of the Grand
Army of the Republic, and that great
audience cheered every allusion to the
valor and self-devotion Of the men
who followed Lee as heartily as they
eheered every alus;on to tie valor
and self-devotion Of the men who
followed Grant.
1.-The wounds left by the great
civil war have long healed. but its
memories remain. Think of it, oh,
my countrymcn, think of the good
fortune that is ours! That whereas
every other war Of modern times has
g. - on1
to keep asunder the combatants, our
great war has left to the sons and
daughters Of the men who fought on
whichever side they fought, the same
right to feel the keenest pride III the
great deeds alike Of the men who
fought on one side and Of the men
who fought on the other. The proud
self-sacrifice, the resolute and daring
courage. the high and steadfsst de-
votion to the right as each man saw
it. whether Northerner or Southern
er. these qualities render all Amer
leans forever the debtors of those
who in the dark days from '6l to 10
proved their truth by their endeavor.
Here around Richmond. here III your
own State. there lies battlefield after
battlefield. rendered memorable Dv
the men who counted death as but
a little thing when weighed IN the
balance against doing their duty as 1t
was given them to sec it. These men
have left us of the younger genera
ton not merely the memory OF what
they did in war, but Of what they dld
in Deace
iGreat though the need of praise
is which is due the South for the
soldierly valor her sons displayed 4
during the four years OF war; l
think that even greater praise is due
to her for what her people have ace
complished in the forty years OIL u
peace which followed FOR LOFTY
Years the South has made not merely
courageous, but at times. a desper-
ate struggle, as she has striven tor
moral and material well-being. her