The Hattiesburg news., 1913-07-05
APPEAL FOR UNITED COUNTRY
ON GROUND OCCUPIED BY LINCOLN FIFTY
WILSON MAKES ADDRESS WHICH COMPLETES THE UNION
OF NORTH AND SOUTH. CALLS CITIZENS
LOYAL IN QUIET COUNSEL PEACE

Gettysburg. Pa, July 5.-President
Wilson delivered his Fourth OF July
oration here Friday afternoon on the
battlefield where Abraham Lincoln,
more than a half century ago, made
his address, which has gone down in
history as one of the greatest of pub
lie utterances.
The whole tenor of the speech was
an appeal for a united country, not
only to forget the past, but to remem-
ber the welfare of the nation and to
make the most of the future.
The train bearing President Wilson
arrived at the station in the town of
Gettysburg at II o'clock The presi-
dent was escorted to an automobile,
and accompanied by Governor Tener
passed through the town to the EN-
mittsburg road, then proceeded to the
camp.
President Wilson's address was as
follows:
President Wilson's Address.
Friends and Fellow Citizens: l need
not tell you what the battle of Gettys-
burg meant. These gallant men in
blue and grey sit all about US here.
Many of them met here upon this
ground in grim and deadly struggle.
Upon these famous fields and hillsides
their comrades died about them. In
their presence 1t were An impertinence
to discourse upon how the battle went,
how it ended, what 1t signifed! But
so years have gone by since then, and
I crave the privilege of speaking to
you for a few minutes Of what those 80
years have meant.
What have they meant? They have
meant peace and union and vigor, and
the maturity and might Of a great ma
tion. How wholesome and healing the
peace has beeni We have found one
another again as brothers and COM
rades In arms, enemies no longer, gen.
erous friends rather, our battles long
past, the quarrel forgotten-except
that we shall not forget the splendid
valour, the manly devotion Of the men
then arrayed against one another, now
grasping hands and smiling into each
others eyes How complete the union
has become and how dear to all Of us,
how unquestioned, how benign and ma
jestic, as State after State has been ad-
ded to this great family Of free men!
How handsome the vigour, the matur-
ity, the might Of the great nation we
love with undivided hearts; how full
of large and confident promise that
life will be wrought out that will crown
its strength with gracious Justice and
with happy welfare that will touch
all alike with deep contentment! We
are debtors to those so crowded years;
they have made us heirs to a mighty
heritage.
But do we deem the nation complete
and finished? These venerable men
crowding here to this famous field have
set us great example Of devotion and
utter sacrifice. They were willing to
die that the people might live. But
their task is done. Their day is turn
ed into evening. They look to US to
perfect what they established Their
work Is handed on TO us, to be done
in another way but not In another
spirit. Our day Is not over; II is upon
us IN fun tide.
Have affairs pausedi Does the Ma
tion stand stilif Is what the 50 years
have wrought since those days Of bat
tie finished, rounded out. and complet-
cdr Here b great people. great with
every force that has ever beaten IN the
lifeblood Of mankind. And II d secure.l
There is no one within its border3(
taere = no power among the nstIghs
Of the earn. % make Il afraid hut
i 4 xe< aQuereG l(uelf win IT. oxn
|..|. .| -