The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-23
PUNCH BOWL
 AND OLD FLAG Gifts to Battleship
 Mississippi. PRESENTATION AT NATcHEz Impressiae Scenes Witnessed by
 an Immenve Throng.  A Faded and Tastered Flag, which Was one of the Gifts. once Fioated At Masthead of Federal
 Gnnboat.

tSNVStAb6 CNNhbo OA tS0aS W&e NA*g Assses of the orphans to the battleship Missis- sippi as guests of the bachelors Of ,Natchez.
 The little ones from three orphanages were given a days outing on the river. and incidentally were taken over to the warship. There were about 500 chil- dren in the party.
 The battleship Mississippi received her second piece of silver at noon today when United States Senator Elect John Sharp Williams. in the name of the City of Natchez, presented to Captain Fre- mont an exquisite hand-beaten silver punch bowl. The gift Is probably the handsomest bowl in this or any other navy. It was made for exhibition at the Jamestown Exhibition and is lined with beaten gold. but because of it's size. 1t holding sixteen gallons, 1t did cided to give 1t to the Mississippi. Sen- ator-elect Williams made the present. alton at the opera house in the pres- ence of an immense throng. Captain Fremont, his stan and every officer who could be spared from the vessel. were on the stage to receive it.
 Mir. Williams said in part:
 Tt is the time -honored custom of the British naval authorities to perpetuats by the designation of new ships those names of old ships which have heen endeared to the people by glorious ser- vice in behalf of the motherland. 1t is custom worthy to be honered in the observance by our own country. The name Mississippi should always be at. tached to some of the first class fight ing ships in the fighting line of the American navy. It is not only the name of the great State, which has furnished brave and great men to the nation, from the battle of New Orleans and-.Buena Vista down to now. State of which its sons and daughters are Iaudabiy proud. and also the name of the father of waters the commercial artery and drainage channel of three -fourths of . to American sailors and patriots by H. lustrious sea service Such were the motives which led me. at the suggestion of Lieutenant Magruder of Mississippi to request that the name be given to
 the magnificent naval war machine, which now lies in this h0rbor, and suEh doubtless were the motives which led President Roosevelt and Mfr. Moody, then Secretary of the Navy. to comply the rapid rejuvenatfon of Japan, the gi- gantic strides she has taken in this worlds civilization and business and what a stupendous shadow sine now comes athwart the horizon of the na- tions, it is well to remember that 1t was from the quarter-deck of his flag ship, the old Mississippi. that Commo- dore Perry coerced and persuaded the Shogun to the signature of the first treaty which opened the Japanese Em- pire to the commerce and civilization of the world. There are those who think her service then is peril to the white race now. am not one of thain.' I am satisfied that the white race can take care of itself"
 The Senator-elect then traced the history of the old warship named Mis- sissippi up to the time of the, destruct- ion of Farraguts boat of Port Hudson. on her way to Natchez
 Perhaps she did not get to Natchez the other time because of the spirit which presides over her destintes, which saw the vision of all who would desire to have her enter in this way rather than in the other way in bloody war. rather amid the plaudtts and smiles of the Natchez fair women than amid the maledictions and tears, rather with handshakes than with shot exchanges between the ships crew and the townsmen. Who knows7 Perhaps the gallant old Perry, who served the Union so well. is the spirit presiding over the destinIes of the good ship still. when in tho service of the new and stronger Uniona How sweet 1t is at any rate to reflect that she is now to serve brethren who dwell together in unity. with no thought or memory of ennnity to divide them. and with comYnon destiny to achieve for as her nafriot captain has well said The navy knows no sections With mission to fulfill in the name of one people for the whole wide world. the mission to
 sfsur A Ia of American liberty. fraternity and equality. regulated by American con- making ready for that great day of universal peace, when the Iyindly earth shall slunIber wrapped in universal law. the navtes themselves shau no longer be necessary What wonderful testimony to the complete fra termination of the American people ia vour presence here today, what a ,,Jonderful tribute to their superior common sense. is that the children of Inc state of Jefferson Davis. her sons ana her daughters. should at this his- 1oric town of Natehez. his wife's old nome welcome with a full heart and a glad hand. not a generation after mu- tuaI blood-letting. the gallant ship. her gallant captain. himself the son of the nrst abolitionist candidate for the Presidency.
 "As complete and crowninR testi- of the sincerity and fervor of his welcome, captain, you will soon at Horn Island. receive as the gift of the state herself. a silver service with the noble iineaanents engraved upon it. of he steadfast chieftain of storm-era. iled Confederacy. which has passed not unworthily into history. As na rtial testimonial, an earnest evI. fence of this fraternal and patriotic Ureicome, I have the honor today to oresent in behalf of tAs men and women nF Natchez, on the hill. and of NatcheE nnder the hill. for the twain are one Ioday. of sweet Natehez. rose embower- ad and redolent of violets. these pieces If silver to you. Captain Fremont, and through you to your man-of-war and glorious name. they are not less valu- sbIe because less costly than what shall come later. Their value. like that of Inc widows mite. lies in the hope anS nrayers and the love that go with them Let them remind you in distant seas. moi only of the dutS hereafteN doubly beholden to be we'll performed, but of Inc sweet land of Dixie. the fairest part of A noble common country. only be ,ause it is the fairest part of the whole earth. When you meet an enemy's ship and I hope you may never have need to meet one. sink her and then qua6 from these cups a toast to victory Victoria Americana--but it she sinkS
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