Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-12-25
The Army Reunion.
GEN. sHERMAS's Address.

GEN. sHERMAN's ADDRESS.
THE following is the address of well
come by Lieutenant General Sherman, at
the Grand Army Reunion, December 10
and IS:
FELLOW SOLDIERS 1t is made my
pleasant duty to address you this evening
words of welcome to the feast that is to
be spread before you. From the city and
the country, from the town and the viii
lage, you have come together, the repre-
sentatives of four of those grand volun-
teer armies, which responded at their
country's call in her hour of danger,
fought her battles es-sometimes, side by
side; sometimes, far apart; yet always in
unison, and then, at her bidding, returned
to our homes as farmers and mechanics,
as artisans and citizens.
After short rest you have again as
sembled TO stand, as it were, on a
high pinnacle and look back across that
wide valley wherein you struggled 80 long,
to point out to each other tho spots OF
greatest interest and to live over again
those hours and days and months of deep
est anxiety and of joy.
know that you have laid aside forever
all feelings of animosity and anger, then
SO natural and proper, and that you have
dropped into oblivion all the little ieal-
ousies and rivalries of the hour, and that
to night you stand here with hand eX-
tended in frAternal friendship TO every sol
dier in the land, whether he served in
your regiment or in your division, wheth-
er in your army or any other, whether
upon the land or the sea, provided only
he fought for the Union of our fathers and
the flag of our whole country. No mere
feeling of selfglorifcatiOn animates you,
but just pride in your own actions and
a deep and intense love for the comrade
who stood by your side in the day OF
battle and shouted with you in the hour
of victory.
Happily, my friends, you did not belong
to that class of our people in whose very
youth were planted the perniciOus doc,
trines that the highest allegiance was due
TO the place of birth or of residence, and
that u citizen should love a part of his
country better than the whole. You were
reared in better school, and taught Ia
revere the constitution of your whole
country, and to believe that under its wise
and genial influence man would here at
tain the largest measure of security anC
happiness consistent with the genera
safety. We believed that by the law o
maj rites and frequent resort TO tht
ballOf-box, we had discovered panacei
for the ills that had from earliest histOrl
afflicted the human family, and that w
should escape the conflicts and ravage
which war had caused in all preceding
ages But we were doomed to realize tina
we were no exception tn the general rule
that minOrities would not always submit
to so peaceful decree, and that we, too
must fight to maintain the privileges o
our brthright.
You may search history in vain for
more fragrant violation of faith, NOR
causeless breach of a national compac,
than those which resulted in our civil wal
Never before was an unwilling people s.
ruthlesslv, so heedlessly dragged into
long and bloody conflict; and never be
fore was government so utterly unpre
pared for it. AL attempts to avoid it
outbreak where charged to cowardice, ant
the whole civilized world was made to be
lieve that that bright particular star whicl
had for time shone so clear in the west
eTn armament had sunk forever, and L
believe that the fair fabric which had beel
dedicated 10 liberty had vanished as
dream, before the first storm of passion
that had assailed it,
Here at home treason was unseateC
The laws were derided and scorned; tn
public property was seized and apprC
priated as though it were waif upon tn
ocean. Good men everywhere begge
and implored for little forbearance, offel
ing tae blank sheet whereon to write thei
own terms of compromise, and were an
swered back with insult; the orato
wasted his eloquence in vain the states
man exhausted his last peaceful remedy
and then, and not until then, did war, th
last arbiter of kings and of peoples, assum
absolute dominion over this great land Z
freedom.
The volunteer soldier stepped upon th
arena, and offered his life and his service
to defend and maintain the GoVernmer
against all its enemies and OppressoI
whomsoeVer. lie swOre the oath that RI
bellion and anarchy should not rule th
land of ours, but that liberty, justice an
law should be restored TO their rightfl
throne. He has kept his oath, and "
now behold again our good Ship Of Stat
full.rlgged, once more on her dsstine
course TO that future which Is hidden fro
all mortal eyes and the flag is still ther
l unchanged, not star obliterated, nor
!, stripe dimmed-that same old flag that v
have followed 80 often in the glare Of
+ seorchiug sun, by the moons pale beam