Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-19
THE CITY.
Tbs Departure Of die GrnJs.

tives and friends anxious to be near as lonl
as possible, to those who were on the point
of leaving them. The entire company were
occupied during a portion of the morning
in drilling in company movements and have
made a good deal of progress during the
few hours which have passed since the open
ing of the rolls.
About IlH o'clock the company being
formed, General Fitch came forward with
the Rev. Mr.. Beattie, Chaplain of the Beth
el, and introduced him to them, upon which
he spoke as follows:
05fcers and Gentlemen Of the Grays I'm
behalf Of the Cleveland Bible Society, l have
the honor to present to each of you copy
Of the New Testament and Psalms as com
paniOn for your leisure now thet you are
leaving your homes-yet not your homes,
for this land which was purchased by the
| blood of your fathers is all your home. You
are going forth to do battle for your country,
and may you be protected by the Power
which rules in Heaven, and your lives
/ spared and may you be successful in smooth
ing the Tufied plumage Of the proud bird
which is your emblem, and return in tri
umph.
Mr.. Beattie then passed along the ranks
and presented small copy Of the Scriptures
to each man, all Of whom received it with
evidently earnest thanks.
Gen. Fitch advancing, addressed Mr.. Beat
tie as follows:
SIR am depuied on behalf of the officers
and men of the Cleveland Gray's 10 return
10 you, and thronghiyou to the American BIZ
BILE Society which you represent, their sim
cerest thanks for this kind remembrance
Our fathers went forth TO their duty with
firm reliance that their God would be with
them and would protect them. and I assure
you that the Grays also feeling that the God
of battle is with them will go on 10 this con
test aud where the banner of their country
is seen floating, there too will they be, ready
to protect it with their blood and with their
lives. If, through the interposition Of
kind providence they return again 10 the
city, we shall have no cause to be ashsmed
of them. They enter, knowing that they
fight for their country and for their God, and
with the Bible in one hand and the sword in
the other, victory, as certain as the sun shin
ing in the heevens to-day, will perch upon
their banner. Again, Sir, return on their
behalf sincere thanks to yourself and to the
Bible Society.
The numbers in the Square we're constant
ly increasing, and at 1 O'Clock, the hour
at which it was announced that the military
would be addressed by several gentlemen,
the spectators gathered might have been
reckonsd by thousands. Leland's Band
proceeded the military, playing ''The Girl
Left Behind Me" and hollow square was
formed about the speakers stand. The fol-
lowing companies we're represented; Five
companies Cleveland Light Artillery, under
command of Col. Barnett the Dragons,
preceded by the Heoker Band; the ZOuave
Light Guards, Capt. Robinson; the sprsgue
Cadets, commanded by Sergeant Sanford,
Maj. DeVilliers being absent, the Cleveland
Grays, under command of Lieut.. Ellsworth,
Capt. Paddock not having returned from
New York.
Mayor Flint being out of town, it devOlved
upon Mr.. h. 8. Stevens to introduce Bush
mel White, Esq, who addressed the COM
pany as follows:
Grqys, Brothers, Old Comrades in Arms:
How brimming full of love and pride
beats my heart to-day for this old flag For
twenty-five years We have seen beneath it,
in holiday parades, the disciplined soldier,
and in scenes Of threatened strife, the law
enforcing citizen. Neither the rose, the lily,
nor the crescent is emblazoned on its folds.
It is not the flag eff the people. 'Tis the
Gag of our Fathers. It is the flag Of OUR
Country. Away with the feeling that would
merge nationality and laws Of country into
q love for all mankind. You might as well
destroy the sweet and tender ties which bind
together brother and sister, parent and child.
No. mol we will cherish that noble instinct
given by God 70 every creature-from the
highest to the loWest-Whieh impels it to
attack him only who "mOlests the spot
where its fedglings nestle, where its young
cubs cry for their meat" Moved by that
instinct, by reason, by duty, you march to-
day 70 defend your homes which are endanS
gered, 70 average your flag which has been
insulted, to protect your free Institutions
which are threatened with destruction. You,
Grsys, ct least, enter on this campaign with
quiet conscienees and pure hands, for years
ago you sustained the officers Of our State in
the service Of civil process, end q few weeks
since were in pour armory, ready if need
was to uphold the officers Of the Union in
the execution Of an unpopular law. How
that thought will nerve your arms when
fighting the men whose rights you were
ready 70 uphold with your blood.
In these full ranks and beaming faces,
see the fulflment of the promise made in
your behalf twenty-five years ago to the
giver of this Gag. To him said
HThe Grays, sir, will ever gather with
alacrity under this beautiful Gag to restrain
domestic violence, OrTepel the aggression Of
foreign foes. And whenever and wherever
called on to do battle in defence of the insti-
tutions of their fathers-liberty shall be
their rallying word-our country their
charging cry"
thank you, our city thanks you, for this
.fulflment. The spirits Of Weddell, Good
win, Umbstatter, Finnsy-old members Of
the eorps-are towering you in exultatiOn.
Their spirit voices shall cheer you in the
hour Of suffering; their spirit hands sus-
tain you in the shock of battle.
Your country calls you to no war Of ag-
gression. It invites you to the holy mission
Of self-deiense. All good men- freemen
the world OVer-the God Of law and order
are on your side, and when you finish the
campaign, there shall no one-there must
10 one-be found on the other side.
need not conjure you TO take care when
news shall come back from the war, that our
citizens hear that your flag was seen where
the FIRE ragged hottest either waving N TIL
unph, or that the ground on which it was
plauted was moistened with the blood Of dar-
ing and reckless hearts.
a word more and I have done. Thirty Of
rs old Grays are still living. We shall watch
the course of each one Of you with the in
tenssst interest, yet without anxiety. We
Oh rifay :, in foreign War, would have borne
Lhi- Aas backward when one in three Of its
d,agnders were disabled. But should defeat
c. .ias ~ this war Of ssif-dsfense sgainss rob
81, aud traitors, we expect % md on tne
ground where this flag Eas planted, seventy