Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-01-02

both countries nave Joined in maintain
ing its Incompatible glories.
ITO you, not less than to us, belong
the memories Of our national heroes from
king Alfred down TO the days of Philip.
sidney and Drake, of Raleigh and Blake
and Hampden and the days when the
political life of the English stock in
America was just beginning. You share
with us the traditions of free self-gov-
ernment as old as the Magma Charta.
W. recognized the bond of still deeper
significance in the common ideals which
our people cherish. First among those
ideals you value and we value, freedom
ana peace. Privileged as we have been
to be the opponents and the examples
IN national life of the principles of pop
ular self-government based upon equal
laws, is now falls to both of us alike to
see how these principles can be applied
beyond our own borders for the good of
the world.
1T was love of liberty, respect for law.
good faith and the sacred rights of hu-
nanity marlborough you to the old world
to help in saving it from the dangers that
were threatening around and that ar
raigne those soldier citizens of yourt,
whose gallantry we have admired, side
by side with ours in the war.
GU have now come to help in build
ing up new states amid the ruins of those
that the war has shattered and in laying
the solid foundations of a settlement that
may stand firm because it viii rest Upon
the consent of the emancipated rationale
ties. You have eloquently expressed the
hope of the American people, as it is our
hope, that some plan may be devised to
attain the end you have done so much to
promote by which the risk of future wars
may, if possible be averted, relieving the
nations of the intolerable burden which
fear Of war has laid upon them.
The British nation wishes all success
70 the deliberations on which you and we
and the great free nations allied with us
are now to enter moved by dlsinterested
good will and a sense of duty commen-
surate with the power which We hold as
a solemn trust.
The American and British people
have been brothers in arms and their
arms ave been crowned with victory.
We thank with all our hearts your
valiant soldiers and sailors for their
splendid part in that victory as we
thank the American people for their
noble response to the call of c~iviliza-
ton and humanity. May the same
brotherly spirit inspire and guide our
united efforts to secure for the world
the blessings of an ordered freedom
and an enduring peace.
In asking you to join with me in
, drinking the health of the President,
! wish to say with what pleasure we
welcome Mrs. Wilson to this country.
Il drink to the health of the Presi-
dent of the United States and Mrs. will
son and to the happiness and prosper
| nv 0f the Drnat A p,Ar;,a .,
PRESIDENT WILSON'S RESPONSE
President Wilson said:
Il am deeply complimented by the graz
cious words which you have uttered. The
welcome which YOU have given me and
Mrs. Wilson has been so warm, so nat
ural, so evidently from the heart, that we
have been more than pleased. We have
been touched by it, and l believe that 1
correctly interpret that welcome as en-
bodying not only your own generous spir-
II toward us personally, but also as ex-
pressing for myself and the great nation
over which you preside that same feeling
for my people, for the people of the Uni
ted States.
For you and l, sir-I temporarily-em-
body the spirit of two great nations, and
whatever strength | nave and whatever
authority, possess it only so long and so
far as express the spirit and purpose of
the American people.
Every influence that the American peo-
pie have over the affairs Of the world is
measured by their sympathy with the
aspirations of free meen everywhere.
America does love freedom, and | be-
leVe that she loves freedom unselfshly.
But II she does not she will not and
cannot help the influence to which she
Justly aspires. l have had the privilege.
sir. OF comforting with the leaders of
your own government and with the
spokesman Of the governments of France
and of Italy, and l am glad to say that
l nave the same conceptions that they
have of the significance and scope of the
duty on which we have met.
w have used great words; all of us
nave used the great words right and
justice and now we are to prove whether
or not we understand these words, and
how they are to be applied to the par
ticular settlements which must con-
clude this war.
And we must not only understand
them, but we must nave the courage to
act upon our understanding
yet, after ] have uttered the word
courage it comes into my mind that II
would take more courage to resist the
great moral tide now running In the
world than to yield to it, than to obey 1t.
There Is a great tide running In the
hearts OF men. The hearts of men have
never beaten so singularly in unison be-
fore. Men have never before been so
conscious OF their brotherhood. Men
have never before realized how little diff
ference there was between right and JUS
lice In one latitude and In another, under
one sovereignty and under another.
And 1t will be our high privilege,
| believe. sir. not only to apply the moral
Judgment of the world to the particular
! settlements which we shall attempt. but