Evening star., 1915-09-13
TO DECLINE
REQUEST TO SPEAK
President SO Busy With Inter-
national Affairs He Can
not Accept Invitations.

Of Manassas to be present at the dedi-
cation, September 30. of a tablet to
commemorate the first instance In his
tory of a meeting in amity of former
hostile armies on the battlefield where
they had opposed each other.
The event commemorated by the
bronze tablet is the meeting OF the
Blue and the Gray, held at Mana ssas,
July 81, 1911, at ceremonies in which
President Taft participated. That occa-
sion Is now known as the Manassas
National Jubilee of Peace" and brought
together Federal and Confederate SOL
diars who had fought against one
another either on the occasion OF the
first battle of Manassas. July II. 1851,
or in the second battle, August 2S. 29
and 80, 1852.
The delegation which waited upon
the President was headed by Repre-
sentative Carlin of Alexandra, VINO
c. Round, chairman of the delegation
there were thirty-five in the party. In
cluding eight women, residents OF
Manassas Mr. Carlin and Mr.. Round.
as spokesman for the delegation, ootn
persisted in urging the Presidents at
speech would be exacted should ne con-
sent merely to dedicate the tablet.
Does Not Regard Himself Free.
The Presidents response was grace
full explanation of why he does not re-
gard himself able to accept invitations
which will call upon him for oratory.
He used the phrase:
1T simply feel that 1 have forfeited
my liberty" His nearest duty, to keep
in mind the international situation, ne
regarded as the most obvious and i'm
perative duty. Il would not be worthy
,of he odd /
come to such a conclusion"
Representative Carlin expressed the
confidence of himself and Of the dele
cation in the capacity Of the President
to deal with the international situa-
ton. This was in response to the re-
mark of the President that the delega-
tion wants these international mat
ters taken care of "as best we know
how"
And 1 ought not to send my thoughts
afield." concluded the President. He
stood by that, declining the pressure
brought to make him modify his
declination, urging that no further ef-
fort be made to tempt him. when the
poetic sense. Reminded of former
promise to visit Manassas on an early
occasion. he commented:
When l made that promise of which
you just reminded me things were just
beginning, and a great many things
have happened since which have al
tered not only the aspect of our own
affairs but the aspect of the affairs Of
the world.
Must Be Handled Promptly.
MY experience here day by day." he
continued" is that questions turn up
so suddenly. and have to be handled
SO promptly and sometimes with so
much thoughtful discretion, that I real
ly dare not let my thoughts out to
other matters.
Il could not come to Manassas with
out having something to say. 1t would
not be worthy of the occasion if / did
not make preparation that would be
worth while. and that is out of the
question. My thoughts are mortgaged
beyond recall for the present.
I'VE are all hoping and praying that
the skies may clear. But we have no
control over that on this side of the
water. and it is impossible to predict
any part of the course of affairs.
II feel very much attracted by this
invitation. 1t has a poetic value. as
your representative has just pointed
out in the extraordinary circumstance
of these two armies coming together in
once met each other in strife on that
battlefield. 1t will be an occasion of
Inspiration.
But simply feel that have forfeited
nearest duty is the most obvious and
imperative duty. / have been obliged
to say this to all Invitations, however
tempting in character
And l would not be worthy of your
trust If ! did not come to such a con-
clusion, because l know that you want
these international matters taken care
of as best we know how and I ought
not to send my thoughts afield."
Tablet on Courthouse Lawn.
The bronze tablet to be dedicated will
be placed on the courthouse lawn at
Grant and Lee avenues, Manassas
not on the battlefield. but in the heart
of the community-on the spot where
former President Taft and former Gov.
Mann with a thousand veterans of the
blue and the gray, Joined forty-eight
Manassas maidens in the 'Tableau Of
the Re-United States in the presence
of a huge crowd Of American citizens.
The tablet will be the center of
monumental group formed by two
bronze cannon of the pattern of 1852
donated by the War Department in
accordance with an act OF Congress
and two anchors contributed by the
Navy Department.
A general invitation has been ex-
tended to all members Of the Grand
Army of the Republic which will then
be in national encampment In WASH
ington and to all Confederate Veterans
also.
Special invitations have been sent to
the Secretaries of War and Navy and
to Gov Stuart of Virginia.
Invitation by Mr.. Round.
In extending the invitation to the
President, Chairman Round said:
"The latest grammar school history
of the United States publishes a full
page illustration of the hand sha king
of the Blue and Gray at Manassas,
July 81, 1911, as the most significant
event in American history.
"The book was written by Reuben Gold
of Wisconsin and Calvin Noyes
Kendall of New Jersey. These his
torians say that this was the first in
stance of the kind in human annals.
President Taft and Gov. Mann took
part in the closing scene. The Tableau
Of the Re-United States We dedicate
at high noon. September 80. a bronze
ia blet In perpetual commeomration of
that great event.
Your presence and the presence OF
your Secretaries of War and Navy. and
Gov. Stuart of our commonwealth we
as an important feature of this
most significant ceremony"
Those in the delegation were Repre-
sentative c. c. Carlin, Judge ]. B. F.
Thornton. J. P. Leachman. Crandal
c. J. Metze. Charles r. Nc
Donald, George c. Round. w. F. Hale, |
Il