The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-01

Portsmouth, Va, May 30.-President
Roosevelt Joined the people of Virginia
today in beautiful and impressive
tribute to the nations dead. Under
the auspices of the army and navy
union, the organization of the officers
and enlisted men of the United States
army and navy, the president delivered
the memorial day address here to an
audience numbering thousands Imme-
diataly after delivering the Grafton OF
the day President Roosevelt unveiled
a monument erected in the naval cem-
etery by the army and navy union TO
the memory of its dead comrades.
President Roosevelt, accompanied by
Mrs. Roosevelt, his sister-in-law, Miss
CareW, and two of his children, Miss
Ethel and Master Quentin, made the
"trip from Washington to Portsmouth
on the cruiser Mayflower. AS the ship
with the presidents ensign flying a.
her peak swept past Old Point Comfort
a salute of tWnty-one guns was fred
from the battery at Fort Monroe.
When the Mayf1Ower entered the
Portsmouth harbor the vessels of the
North Atlantic feet saluted in turn.
At $50 o'clock President Roosevelt
banded from the Mayflower at the navy
yard. He was received by Rear Ad
miral Z. F. Harrington, cOmmandaEt
of the station, and escorted to a car
riage in waiting to convey him to the
naval cemetery.
Both sailOrmen and marines frCm
the warships were on parade III the
yard to assist in the reception. The
procession was formed Immediately
and proceeded to the grounds of the
naval hospital where the exercises Of
the day were held. The procession
consisted of several thousand men from
the North Atlantic feet, army and
navy union organizations, grand army
veterans, camps of confederate veter-
ans and many other societies.
Portsmouth was beautifully and pa
triotically decorated. Business houses
and residences were a blaze of red,
white and blue and the quaint old
city gave such a reception to the pres
ident as even Mr.. Roosevelt seldom has
received. The procession moved from
the navy yard to the naval hospital
grounds through solid lines of people.
and the president was received with
marked enthusiasm. A notable fea-
ture of the demonstration was the part
taken by the school children who at
various places along the line of march
greeted the president with the strains
of the Star Spangled Banner and the
waving of tiny American flags A pret-
ty incident occurred as the head Of the
parade passed the confederate monu-
ment on Court street. The memo berS
of Stonewall Camp of Confederate Vet
Grams were passed in review by the
president. Recognizing Colonel W. H
Stewart, the commandant of the camp.
President Roosevelt stopped his car
riage, shook hands with Colonel Stew
art and chatted with him for minute
or two. The great throng on the street
enthusiastically shouted its approval.
The exercises of the day took place III
the great woods OF the naval hospital
grounds. A temporary stand had been
erected for the president and distin-
guished guests. Around this the va
rious organizations which participated
III the parade formed a hollow square.
Citizens and invited guests to the
number of several thousand attended
the ceremonies. At II o'clock the ex-
ercises were opened with prayer by
Bishop Van de Vyver, of the Catholic
diocese of Richmond. President Rocs-
oevelt was introduced by Colonel J. Ed
win Brown, national commander Of
the army and navy union The presi-
dents address follows:
The president said:
This day is hallowed and sacred in
our history, for on this day throughout
the land we meet to pay homage to the
memory of the valiant dead who fell in
the great civil war. No other men de-
serve so well of this country as those
to whom we owe it that we now have a
country Moreover, the men to whose