The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-06-01

OuiS' III Ihe plSSSiCe OI IuiS Bl1u
and stupendous spectacle We seem
to hear the very voices of the angelic
choir proclaiming in triumphant
tones: Lo, Peace. what miracles are
wrought in thy name
"As we behold this goodly ship
fashioned from iron-ribbed tower TO
massive hull by capable American
hands and manned by stout American
hearts, we can but recall what a his.
tory lies between this day and that one
on which Washington called the at
tention of the Continental Congress
to the Importance of fitting out YES
sells for the protection of our coasts.
AS we ponder its pages we find that
! most of that history is worth to live
and be woven in the fabric of future
civilization. And write it however we
may, no deeds are more worthy of
preservation than the achievements
and victories of the American navy.
fiNLi INC udy tldL JOHu raul Jones
with his good ship, the Bon Hommo
Richard, swept the seas and carried
terror to the enemies of the Ameri-
can colonies, to this present day, the
United States navy has heroically
borne its part in upholding the honor
of this great republic and in estab
fishing peace among the nations of the
world And | think the godlike ideal
of peace which has been slowly shap-
ing itself in the heart of man for ages
swayed the heart of Themistocles
when he met the Persians at Salamas,
of Nelson when he avercame the con-
queror of Europe at Trafalgar, of Sir
Francis Drake and Howard when they
drove from the seas the tyrannical
power of the proud armada, and of
our own brave sailors who sleep be-
meath the wreck of the Maine. No
names shine with more resplendeut
luster upon the pages of American his
tory than those of Paul Jones, Perry,
Farragut, Semmes, Dewey, Sampson
and Schley.
"But while honoring these match
less heroes, we should not forget the
men who stand behind the guns. They
have ever shown themselves worthy
Of their leaders, and thousands, with
nfaltering courage and devotion,
amid the shock of battle, gone down to
watery graves with the songs of their
country upon their lips. All honor
to the American sailor whose devotion
to this flag keeps all America free and
happy today.
"But there are other missions for
this good ship than those of war
Though grim cannon frown down from
its steel-clad walls and it is arrayed
in all panoply of war, its magnificent
properties, to our eyes, typify no flam
ing symbol of discord no cruel hand
of tyranny, no dark shadow Of oppres
sion, but of the glorious supporter and
defender Of justice, which alone can
maintain the peace which is to be on
throned in the world. In its majestic
presence we catch a vision OF ma
tions dwelling side by side in har-
mony, Of ships, bearing the several
flags of their country, passing each
other in friendly salute-aye, more, of |
the universal brotherhood of man. |
And no part of earth will share more |
in the glories of that day than this ia
vored Southern cline.
While we have been paying honor
to many, surely pardon will be ours
while proclaiming no officer, no ship |
can ever hold higher prestige in Cur
hearts than our very own Capt. John |
c. Fremont and his noble crew stand |
ing as they do for all that is loyal, |
high-minded. honorable and true. AS
token of our sincereness we have |
the happiness to meet here today in |
the presence of a most worthy repre- |
sentauOn or our government, Dotn |
stae and national, of our citizens both
far and near, to give tangible express
sion to the patriotism of the people |
of Mississippi in the gift of a silver
service to the man-of-war bearing our
nroud name. Capt. Fremont, The |
State honors herself in pre-
senting this customary gift to the !
United States battleship Mississippi |
But this tribute comes not from the
stae government, nor of any one city, /
nor of any separate communities, nor
of any official bodies-but of the peo-
pie of the whole people OF the stae.
When designig this servic II was de-