The news & observer., 1905-06-11
Historic Day at Big Beth
ell.
Continued from Page Nine)

CONTINUED from Page Nine.)
new nation was really born at York.
| town; Williamsburg was the first capl-
| tol of the mother of States, and as a
| climax to the events Which have been
enacted on this peninsular he said that
| the first act of the greatest drama III
the worlds history was here at Bethel.
DR.. Jones word painting of the civil
War was mastery and following out
the idea of influence on the world
history, he showed that all nations
We're enlightened by that great civil
/ conflict, that the fight in Hampton
| Roads revolutionized the naVles or the
| world, and the record of the Confed-
crate forces from Bethel to Appomat,
| tox had left to the generation OF TO-DAY
a heritage of which they should be
proud. He paid tribute to North
| Carolina'S record, and said true Nlr-
ginians are alike proud of the achleve-
ments of the valiant men from the
nearest sister State. Dr. Jones touch-
ed on the subject of secession, enough
to prove from the records the right TO
| secede, and the word rebel, he said,
| would apply to the men who fought
against his mother State and was a
| term not to be used in referring to the
| heroes who fought for their rights.
He said the South had sixty thousand
more Federal prisoners than the North
had Confederates and yet six thousand
more ConfederateS died in Federal
prisons than Federals in Confederate
prisons This, lhe said, was taken from
| u. S. reports and proved the reverse
| of what had been charged by some
| Northern speakers of this day. The
| armies of the South, said d. Jones,
passed into history not conquered, but
worried out by victories AS for heal
| ing the old sores made by the war.
| concluded the speaker no people know
| what real forgiveness is, except these
who have forgiven reconstruction.
Such forgiveness has never been found
save i'm him who prayed, Father for
give them, they know not what they
do
Hon Paul Jones, of TarborO, was
| the next speaker. Mr.. Jones was
warmly greeted by his audience as the
| hearts of this community have been
won by the manly bearing and con-
duct of Captain Forbes company, the
| Edgecombe Guards, and a Tarboro
speake rwas wanted. Mr.. Jones spoke
| for Edgecombe county, from which
| county came the company OF which
| Wyatt was a member. Mr.. Jones paid
/ highest tribute to. the work of women
| in the South in perpetuating the MEM
ory of our heroes. The women are be-
|
| said. The speaker gave word pictures
of Southern homes in war times, where
| the question had not been whom can
| we send, but rather who can we get
| to stay at home. He received great
applause when he finished the polish
ed and brilliant tribute to the women
of the Confederacy. Mr.. Jones refer
ence to Gen. William Cox, who was to
| have been on the program. met with
applause and his touching reference
of Col J. r. Bridgers, of Tarboro,
whose absence was made necessary by
| the illness of Mrs. Bridgers, caused
many messages of sympathy to be sent
to the distinguished soldier from Edge
| combe. who was at Bethel in the first
conflict.
The act of unveiling the monument
was beautifully executed by Miss Kyle
| and Miss Tabb. The two young ladies
| dressed in white, walked through the
| lines of Virginia and Carolina soldiers
| from the speakers stand to the MON
ument Two ropes from the top of the
shaft were handed them and at a given
signal pulled the cords which remoV-
ed the veil from the monument. SIM
gular it was, but Miss Kyle discovered
| half way up the shaft a Virginia liz
| zard and efforts to scare it down We're
| in vain. The lizard climbed to the
| very pinnacle of the shaft and re-
manned there until the days ceremon-
| les were over and the crowd had dis
| persed The old timers here say this
is a good omen.
| Governor Montague's address was
not on the program. This man Mon
tague is an idol in this section. His
name here means leadership and there
| is no doubt but that Montague is the
| ablest speaker, the brainiest thinker,
| and what today is not an undesirable
| quality he is a politician of first wa
ter. Governor Montague's political
methods, however differ from thos%
| of his adversaries He does not be-
lieve in promises to be cancelled or in
| deceptive schemes. He is one of the
outspoken men who appeal to manly
/ qualities to higher thoughts and his
| success shows a disposition in Nir-
ginfa reward sincerity to the people
rather than TO maintain one man
power in politics. | mention this be-
cause Governor Montague's visit today
was not alone to pay tribute to the
men who fell at Bethel. He came
from Staunton, arriving at 10 o'clock,
| drove nine miles, spoke at Bethel ana
| drove back to the train in time 10
make a flying trip about the peninsula
/ to fill two other engagements today.
He made a winHing speech. His pres
ence is winning because he is hand
|
| one who leads in al THAT is worth
| fighting for Governor Montague
| gracefully avoided drawing compar1-
son between Carolina and Virginia
| troops. He reviewed the accomplish
ments of the two States when fighting
hand in hand He said the revolution
war of eighteen twelve. Mexican wal
and Spanish-American war were but
SLUG FOUR
as passing shadows and did not SO
much tax our resources as would reed
our pride. This particular struggle
| from '61 to '65, was the greatest war
the world has known. He described
| Bethel and the effect of the loss or
the first blood on the war. The morn
| ing of a beautiful June day with
youthful spirits these men whose SOL
| dierly qualities had not yet been test
ed. faced the volley of the enemy and
set an example for all to follow
| throughout the great struggle. And
| i'm the offensive he said Randolph $
cannon gave the enemy the first taste
of what bitterpess there is in battle
The audience looked at Montague with
a different vision. They gave close
attention to all of the speakers, but
nd