The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-10-06
WILSON GREETED BY
fHOo' --
VETERANS Of GA. R.
SURVIVORS OF BOTH SIDES MAY
BE PROUD OF CIVIL WAR
WHICH PRODUCED PER-
Feet UNION

Washington, Sept. 2S.-f eterans
of the Civil War here for the annual
encampment of the Grand Army of
the Republic were formally well
coined to the capital tonight by Pres
ident Wilson, who told them their bat
ties so years ago were fought that
the greatest instrumentality for the
Cplift of mankind the world has ever
seen might not be impaired.
The president spoke amid scenes of
patriotic fervor in the crowded con-
vention hall into which the old CEN
sus building had been converted.
The president was frequently in
terrupted by applause as he spoke to
the veterans, their families and
friends. He did not tough directly on
the. European war, or on problems
growing out of it, but devoted his ad-
dress to the mission of the United
States and the lessons taught by the
Civil war. He spoke of the war as
7cne of the few in history of which
10th sides could be proud.
Presidents Address.
The presidents address in part fol-
lows:
ut is singular thing that men of
a single generation should have wit
messed what you have witnessed in
the crowded so years which .'ou cele-
brate tonight. You took part when
you were young men in a struggle,
the meaning of which I dare say you
thought would not be revealed during
your lifetime, and yet more has hap
pened in the making of this nation in
your lifetime than has ever happened
IN the making of any other ration in
the lifetime of dozen generations.
Nations Growth.
"The nation in which you row live
is not the nation for whose union you
fought. You have seen many things
which have made this nation one of
the representations nations of the
world with regard to the modern
spirit of that world, and you have the
satisfaction which I dare say few SOL
diers have ever had, of looking back
upon war absolutely unique in this,
that instead of destroying it healed,
that instead of making permaren ent di-
vision it made permanent union.
This nation was from the bepinning
a spiritual enterprise, and you have
seen the spirits of the two once di-
vlded sections of this country abso-
lutely united. A war which seemed
as If it had the seed of every kind of
bitterness in it has seen a single gen.
Grafton put bitterness absolutely out
OF its heart, and you feel, as 1 am
sure that men who fought against you
feel, that you were comrades even
tnen, though you did not know it,
and that now you know that you are
comrades in common love for a
country which you are equally eager
to serve.
Pride for Both Sides.
"This is miracle of the sririt, so
far as national history is concerned.
This is one of the very few wars in
which in one sense everybody en-
gagged may take pride. Som. wars
are to be regretted; some wars mar
the annals of history; but some wars
contrasted with those make those an
nals distinguished, show that the
spirit of man sometimes springs to
great enterprises that are even
greater than his own mind had con-
ceived.
"You set the nation free for that
great career of development, Of un-
hampered development, which the
world has witnessed since the Civil
war. But for my own pare 7 would
lou De proud OF the extraordinary
physical development of This country,
of its extraordinary development in
material wealth and financial power,
did not believe that the people If
7he United States wished all of this
power devoted to ideal ends. There
have been other nations as. rich as
we; there have been othes nations as
powerful; there have been other na-
tions as spirited: but I hora we shall
lever forget that we created this nd
ton, not to serve ourselves, but to
serve mankind.
To Promote Human Right.
81 hope I may say without even an
implication of criticism upon any