The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-02
GOVERNOR NOEL MAKES
 PRESENTATION SPEECH
Commander Mccormick Receives Gift For Captain Fremont of the Mis- sssippI and Touches Right
 Spot In Southern Hearts.

and several receptions, the exercises at tendent upon the presentation of the silver service to the battleship Mississippi were brought to close here tonight.
 Touching upon the matter of the DOT trait of President Jefferson Davis, en- graved upon one of the principal pieces of the service, Governor Noel in his address at Pascagoula tooay said that the valor Of Jefferson Davis as a soldier of the United States army, well as his record as Secretary of War during ante-belum days, entitled him to recognition by the federal govei npient. However" contn- ued the governor, i've would no doubt, have had the picture placed on the ser vice if nothing but the memory of Jeffer- son Davis as President of the Confectionery remain. Jefferson Davis, like the men of Mississippi and the south, both then and today, stood only for what he thought was right. If you condemn him, you must condemn us."
 Governor Noel then went on to review the history of the silver service and to comment on the criticism that had been made in connection with the picture of President Davis. He declared that only ore person of any consequence in the whole country, so far as he knew. had condemned the action of placing the pie ture on the service and that this condem- nation had failed to awaken sympathy 2 among those who had thrown aside the bloody flag and stood united for the good of common country.
 Gift Is Accepted.
 Lieutenant Commander Mccormick &C., eentes the silver sSrvice in the name of Captain Treemont and the officers and men of the battleship, responding to Gov ernor Noel in the same vein. He com mented upon the restoration of the name of Jefferson Davis as Secretary of War, which had been chfseled from Cabin John Bridge during the strife between the states, had been recently restored by order of the President. The national govern ment had recognized the propriety of it's being there and in the same way the of- ficers of the battleship Mississippi rec ognizeo the propriety of the likeness of Mississippis worthy son on the silver service.
 We shall not deny the memory of your departed. .chieftain the homage that is due him., said the young lieutenant com mander, flor we believe that there should be rendered unto Davis the tribute that is due Davis"
 The adoress of the young naval officer was greeted with storm. of applause from the several thousand Missssippians gathered at the presentation, and he was made for the remainder of the day the subject of their congratulations.
 The officers of the ship were rendered a reception by the local chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy at Beau voir, the old gulf coast home of Jeffer- son Davis, five miles from BiloA.
 Presentation Ceremonies.
 Pascagoula, Miss, June 1.-With the big battleship Mississippi riding peacefully at anchor in the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico F miles due south of this port, several thousand citizens of the state whose name the vessel bears gath cred on shore here this morning and pre- sented to her officers and crew the mag niicent silver service which the people of this commonwealth had purchased through popular subscription,
 It was originally planned to make the presentation on board of the battleship, but although yesterdays storm was fol- lowed by fair weather today. heavy winds and fast-running seas made navigation for small excursion boats exceedingly dangerous. Thousands of people had gathered here to take part In the festivi- ties, and rather than subject any of these to the hazards they would experience in making the trip out to the hattleship in all kinds of frail craft, Capt John c.
 
 concurred with the local committee In the belief that this change in the pro- gramme would be for the best.
 Fearful of storms and other unforeseen dangers that might arise, Captain Ere mont was unwilling to leave his ship on the high seas and the silver service was accepted by Lieutenant Commander Ben jamin B. Mccormick in the name of Cap tain Fremont the officers and crew The presentation exercises took place at the lar Wb af al an opportunity for many more persons to attend than would have been possible aboard ship.
 = Governor Noel's Address.
 The formal exercises were opened by Governor Noel who delivered a brief in troductory address, expressing regret that the original programme had to be aban- doned, but predicting that in the end the change would probably prove to have been for the best.
 Governor Noel then introduced Mrs. Eunice Miller Lockwood of Crystal Springs, Miss, daughter of Lieutenant Miller who commanded the Confederate shore batteries that sank the old battle ship Mississippi at Port Hudson during the Civil War. It was principally through Mrs Lockwood's offices that the fund to purchase the silver service was raised.
 ..The devotion which Mississppians feel for this battleship," declared Mrs. Lock- wood. 'isN chara cteristic of people who have always been true to every cause to which they owed allegiance.'
 Lieutenant Commander Mccormick re- sponded briefly to Mrs Lockwood, thank ing her in the name of Captain Ere mont. the officers and men of the battle ship for the gift that had been made them.
 Library.
 But the silver service was not all that Lieutenant Commander Mccormick had
 1aff nfr h1 W. Jones of Laurel, Miss. president of the Mississippi Historical society, pre- sented Lieutenant Mccormick with small library of books, devoted to the