The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-25

TIC Heart of the South. as Governor Jelks yesterday aptly termed the City 0f Montgomery has throbbed welcome fo come of the greatest citizens or the world, and yet 1t is doubtful if ever n oeat In quicker greeting than ft oic yesterday to Theodore Roosevelt Certain IL i1 that the crowd yesterday was iarg- er than that which ever greeted any Of the city's distinguished guests.
 The limo of distinguished guests. as they are recorded in history goes back <o the wildly enthusiastic greeting that Was given to Lafayette and 1t continues ID until the October day of yesterday when Theodore Roosevelt was made to feel the warmth of Southern welcome and one that was in entire keeping with his exalted office. Great and fa- nous visitors were more frequent in the Heart of the South before the war than they have been since that struggle. The South was in those days the pre- dominant influence in the political af- fairs of the country and the Heart or the South was relatively more in the public eye then than 1t has been since the great struggle. Montgomery has since the war. however, entertained three Presidents of the United States during their term in the Executive of1 f1ce, Grover Cleveland, William Mckin- Icy and Theodore Roosevelt.
 Lafayette's Visit.
 Ths great lafayette, the friend Of Washington and the helper of the struggling colonists. made his tour of the United States in 1925. to renew &C., uuaintance with those old soldiers by whose side he had fought during the dark days of the Revolution. and to be himself witness of the great progress of the young and struggling colonies, he helped to free, were making.
 General Lafayette came to Montsom- cry from Georgia. A la -ge delegation Of Alabamians. composed largely of the State militia under command or General James Woodward met the fa- nous FreEchman at Fort Mitchell as Ee crossed the Chattahoochee River. From there to Montgomery he rode in a sulky which most of the way was drawn by Indians. He approached the city by the, Mount Meiggs Road.
 The Capitol was at that time at Ca- haba and there were no buildings on the hill where the present seat of gov ernrner is located The hill was, how ever. selected as the spot on which the exercises of welcome should be held. Governor israel Pickens came up from cahaba to greet Lafayette and well come him to the State. Surrounded by the most prominent citizens of Ala bana Governor Pickens awaited the coming of General Lafayette at the spot where the Capitol now stands.
 When within two or three hundred yards of where the welcoming party was standing. Lafayette dismountej from the sulky and approached on foot. As he came nearer, Governor Pickens
 ppe d fci ward to deliver his addre ss of
 acoma, but feeling the love and rev
 .nce which so animated the people
 the new co Intry for the great
 auchn,an he broke down and could
 utter n word of his speech.
 Great Frenehman Wept.
 Lafavette wept, too. when he met
 q embraced John Caffey, Isaac Lands
 le. John Griffin. Richard Ware, Sr.. and other veterans of the Revolutionary War who were then living near Mont gomery.
 4 bal. was given that night in the little white, two-storied building, known as Bells Tay-rn and which stood on the corner of Tallapoosa and Com r,erce s rect until 1899. The appear ancs of the famous soldier has been de- scrf5ed thousand tim s by those who