The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-03-09

IAN
tory which have resulted thsrefrosu
; may be acccntuated 10 the present and
future generations OF American citi
zens; and whereas. that section OF
the Commonwealth OF Virginia where
the first permanent settlement was
mede conspicuous in history of the
American nation by reason or the vi.
tai and momentons events whici, have
taken place there In the Colonial. Rev.
tofutionary and Civil war eras Of the
nation, including not only the first
permanent settlement OF : English.
speaking people, but also the scene
of the capitulation of Lord CORVALLIS
at Yorktown, and the scene OF the irst
naval conflict between arrnorciad yes.
/ sells, the Monitor and Merrimac:
therefore be 1t enacted that there shan
be inaagurated in the year 1907. on
and near the waters of Hampton Roads
in the State Of Virginia. as herein pro.
yided. an international naval, marine
and military celebration, beginning May
IL, and ending not later than Novem.
Der 1, 1907.
The act appropriated s250.0O0 for
the expenses OF the celebration. which
included $4,000 for permanent mon
ument upon the place Of the first per-
,nanent English settlement at James.
town. and authorized the President
ito issue a proclamation of the cele.
bration, setting forth the event to be
commemorated, inviting foreign ma.
tons to participate by sending their
naval vessels and such representations
of their military Organizations as may
be practicable and to have such por-
tons of our army and navy assembled
there during the said celebration as
may be compatible with the public
service The militia of the several
States were also invited to partici.
pate.
This celebration, directed by Com
gress, is in close proximity both in
time and place, to the Jamestown Ter.
Centennial Exposition organized under
the law of Virginia, and II. was un-
doubtedly intended as an aid to that
exposition; but the two arrangements
are entirely separate in control aud
in character. Congress entered into
a direct national participation in the
exposition by law passed in 1906,
which will be presently explained.
Officers Of the army and navy are
obedient to law, the loyal servants of
the people, and they do not indulge
in concentration or criticism Of their
rulers. But 1t may not be improper
for one Of them to point good reasons
for the act of Congress and the appro.
priateness of participation by the army
and navy in the great national event,
but keeping In view that their pres.
ence will not be the main feature but
will be collateral and subsidiary to the
arrangements and objects of the
Jamestown Ter-Centennial Exposition,
n congregation of peace AMI not for
war.
1t may be rightly affirmed that there
would be no exposition In 1907. Inf
for the past services of military and
naval bodies. Had the English navy
been crushed and destroyed by the
Spanish Armada in 1883 the English
settlement of Virginia would not have
been effected; and a history of this
land may have been made by another
people. In the Colonial and Reyol,,s
tionary wars OF our coantry. the mill.
tary and naval forces have borne hon.
orable parts, often OF decisive import.
ance. The story of America cannot he
written without many chapters upon
the real services and devotion oil