Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-07

MEETING OF THE SoLmE rs, AND SAfLoRs'i
NATIONAL UNION LRAduE-SfEftH ny GENERAL
o. o. ,,s Lsssus ssssSe,ss l.s.
Edw in,Dudl ley sthe presidents, In the chair. and
8. G.,herrill, secretary. The Chair introduced /
to the League, Major General o, o. Howard, who /
was received with shouts Of applause and clapi !
ping Of hands. ..s''- H. -.L.15ug ~
General howard then addressed the League,
and In the course Of his remarks said that he |
owed the President Of the league an apology fot
coming before them without being prepared but
public duty had engrolsed all bis attention, and
he had but short notice TO appear before them:
He had long been interested In the soldiers, and
for their welfare PriOr 70 we var ne was IN
They were somewhat different from the new
soldiers who had enlisted In. the late war. After
no left the academy he went 70 West Troy. There
habits they were honest, sober, and industrious.
He went from there TO Kennebeo, Maine, aud
found many good men there He was much In
terested there in an old Scotch sergeant who sent
his only son to the d,who was sacrificed before
the enemy. The old sergeant was fitted for
higher position, but he was contented TO do his
dutyin his humble capacity, and saosinced Ills
son for hts country. From here General Howard
there 10 Florida, wharf he became acquainted
with many officers. Ne could now trace many
of them In both armies. Many Of them, called
forth sympathy from those who had their vol
fare at heart Ths General Issued 10, The men
their arms and ammunition o . u h., Id -.r.rt....
Insthe States Of Georgia and Florida the mr. 4
went into the army ON their ponies, most Of q q,
In rough condition. In, FLORIDA he instructed -
Mathematics, and Afterwards went out on tie
frontiers, where he saw soldier life and habits
were different. He there learped, that there were
two kinds Of oficers-the peiernal and tho ty-
raunical Those officers who bad an interest In
their soldiers inclined TO the paternal, and those
who had not inclined towards the tyrannical.
lie saw the same distinguishable features In both
the regulars and volunteers during the late re-
beliioe' The oaipers most loved In this war were
those who had the paterna feeling. The speaker
was deeply Interested In tho best interests aud
heroic spirit Of the soldiers He was educated
with soldiers, and now that the war was over
his interest was doubled, aye, trebled. zap,
On many field, he said, he saw where he might
have done better. He was satisfied, neverthe-
less, he had done his best for the interests Of his
country. ltApplause) As early as he had an OPP
portunity he went into the field, and he stayed
there until the last gun was fred. (Applsuse.)
He said this VI himself as he wished TO apply II
to the soldiers. In the hardships aud trials Of
the war, the soldiers did the best they could. Now
that tho war has ended, there would be munh
criticism. II was a true saying, that the greatest
contest was after the battle had ended He would
say, let them write. Whatever they might say,
he stood before this country In the struggle, aud
did the best he could. Compare one army with
another. One army may be placed where there
is no fighting TO do, He went where he was Or
dered to go. It was not his fault II he had no
fighting to do. He did his duty. AT one fine he
had considerable trial aud vexation during the
war, and would Rave been almost willing to DO
shot to escape oensure; but he madenp his mind
to mind his own business and obey orders. When
a soldier did this he could say, with d clean con
science, he had done his duty in the war. ...
When he lost an arm, he said, and could do
nothing more, he went home and urged the men
to shoulder their muskets and go into the ranks.
He told them Of how our Revolutionary fathers
had fought heroioally, and had endured untold
hardships and priyations, to secure to them FREQ
country; and he told them how, II they did like
wise, the little children would honor them, and
they would be respected by the neghbors In
their little community at home. Tho soldiers
were now honored on their return home. They
had record Of honor. 81. ,L.url -.s..r = ~.
The General said he liked the objects Of the
League the soldiers had formed here for the pro
keep the same clear principle in view, and mol
forget 1t. He was glad they Kept In view the
perpetuity Of the :Republc, agd endeayored "a
maintain right principles. II would not do "a
be selfish In this matter, or TO league together
for selfish purposes. Knowing the suderings d
the soldiers, they should labor to secure fheiI
best interests, and the best interests Of the sol
diers were the best interests OF tho nation. Il
was predicted that when the soldiers returned
from the field they would be worthless-tba
they would do nothing but drink whisky, nc.
He had travelled from one end Of the country t
the other, aud he had never found u more indus
trious set Of men than the soldiers who had gon,
home. Many Of them were laboring quietly and
industriously on their farms, and many had en-
tered into other useful pursuits. Do.
These men have gone back to their home
welded to the cause Of the Union In all sooia
intercourse they advocated the right prinpipl es.
We were now one hundred times stronger, q
nation, than ever before. SOM people scenes
to be afraid Of the South yet afraid that W
might yet relapse, and there would be anothe
war lie be 'ieved II we were not true to princi
pie, justice, and right, God would finally breal
right plan. II we were firm In justice, principle
and right, God would bless the nation, and n
would prosper. II the soldiers did go South, an
the children turned their noses upat them, an
the ladies pulled away their dresses as the,
passed, what need the soldiers care for that II
could go to any part Of the land aud plant tn
American nag, and no man dare pull 1t down
He would say, fearlsssly, slavery was wrong an
freedom was right. ., nm
At the beginning Of the war, he was told tina
Mr. Lincoln was a bad man that he was no gen
llamEn, aud not at to associate with !; but
found out he was one Of the most earnest Of eI
and of a large and noble heart, He was q ma
whose heart did not extend only to the heads {
departments, but 10 all his soldiers aud citizen
His was real heart OF manliness, aud the pub
lie soon learned that he had = real Christia
soul and now every nation sends back the echo
Noble, noble man. Let us say here, sacrcd ly W
will maintain the principlel we have laid dow
life for. Mr.. Lincoln was but one man and hs
but one life. It passed away. Soldiers bit tb
dust at Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Antis
tam These, many Of them, were AZ good As NJ
Lincoln. They stood manfully by, and gave the
all the horrors Of another war. The Interests
the country aud those Of tho soldier are identical
In conclusion, the General told the members
the League to do all they could, and they woul
have his wish for success. He trusted they migl
ever take each other warmly blythe hand trustc
the dag would never be sullied and the cOuntr
never disgraced trusted there would be no moi
war-no more bloodshed. Might the Holy Fathe
who ever had them In His keeping, guide the
in the right way, and permit them to go togeth'
In peace aud harmony. ,.
The General was here elected an honoraI
member of the League yr.T
Mr.. GrOssman, from the committee to obta
speakers, reported that they had called on GEN
Butler and Gilmore Cen Butler replied tn
he regretted that he would be unable TO sddre
them, on account Of indiposition. Gen. Chino
had left the city. IN
The Secretary read a letter from a member
Martinsbnrg, Va. in which he states that a col
Yention Of soldiers and sailors will be held
Baltimore on the LIST Of October and reeo Innenl
ing that the League send delegates.
On motion, the League adjourned, 30
Id. -
PREsBYTERY OF THE PoToMAc.-The state
, meeting of this Pregbytery commenced in Il
Capitol Hill Church in this city on Tuesday evel
ing last Rev A. A. Taylor pastor Of BridI