The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-06-02

was Hdue ny LII. II. w. JOHes, %
Laurel. president Of the Mississippi
Historical Society. The volumes pre-
scented were as follows:
Mississippi Official and Statistical
Register, 1904.
Mississippi Official and Statistical
Register, 1908.
Encyclopedia of Mississippi History.
2 vols.
Mississippi Territorial Achives, 1889
1903, BY Dunbar Rowland.
Mississippi as a Province, Territory
and State, By J. F. H. Claiborne.
In presenting the works of history
DR.. Jones spoke as follows:
am here to perform a simple and
pleasant duty of representing the de-
partment of archives and history, in
these presentation exercises" I
would that I were imbued with the
powers of one of our great orators.
like Prentiss. Lamar or Galloway, that
might do fitting honor to my state. of
which I am sproud, and that I might
thrill you. officers and men of this
great battleship. with a true idea of
the real greatness of this state and
her people for whom this noble vessel
is named.
1t was no meaningless compliment
when to this good ship was given the
name of mississippi" Some of the
brightest pages of American history
have been written by her people.
While but an infant colony, struggling
with wild beasts and savages for the
preservation of her domestic life, they
stood with Jackson at New Orleans;
and in that great war Of independence
the armies trained to contend against
the victorious legions of Napoleon,
went down in defeat before the hero
ism and courage Of the brave Missis-
sippi Dragons of the intrepid Kinds.
In the Mexican war none OF the
forces which won for this republic the
vast territory Of Texas and pushed our
confines to the Pacific, were more eff
fective than the volunteer army of
mississippi: and when that war is dis.
cussed upon the lips OF men or writ
ten upon the pages OF history, it is
upon Mississippi troops that the fair
est honors must be bestowed.
During the great civil war, though
once sectional. yet now the browning
heritage of glory of this entire and
united country. the Mississippian was
upon the forefront of every battle
field from Manassas to Vicksburg. in
a glorious charge to victory or to death
and when loving hands place the
stones of memory upon the last rest
ing place of Lees immortal hosts the
l. little white markers show that the Mis-
sippians were among those who fell
for their country and their state. Bat
tine. the great English military critic
and historian, delights to dwell upon
the invincible courage of the Missis.
sippians. who at Gettysburg swept to
the very crest of Cemetery Ridge and
died amid the enemy's guns.
At the battles of Fredericksburg.
Spottsylvania and Petersburg. as an
office of Hahone's command, observ-
ed the conduct of Barksdale's and
Harris Mississippi brigades, and I am
sure that for cool courage and effec.
tiveness. they were not surpassed bv
Caesars Tenth Legion or Napoleon's
Old Guard.
Such. in part. is Mississippi's his.
tory on the field of battle. and from A
personal knowledge of this history.
and from more than thirty years resi-
dence among her people, I want to
say that whenever called upon to dis
charge their duty, they never falter
nor waver.
Right well have you. the Off
GERS of yonder ship, chosen your place
of anchorage today. The waters which
bear this gallant vessel break upon the
shores of land teeming with memo
ries of great deeds and Overlooking
with inspiring traditions. 1t was here
that Spain, France and England con-
tested for the mastery of the Missis-
ippi Valley. Just to the west of us.
at the entrance of the Back Bay of
Biloxi. the French. under the gallant
sailor-soldier, TIberville, made the first
| settlement of Louisiana and from that
day to this the Gulf of Mexico has
! been to America what the Mediter-
reanean has been to Europe, a great
landlocked ocean upon whose bosom
in the past. the nations of the earth
have conferred for supremacy.
But while these shores are rich in
historical associations, yet the econm.
ic development of the country has just
begun. In the next few years the Pan.
anna Canal-that dream of the centu.
| ries-Will open up a new gateway IN