The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-05-21

OF the GTaud Army OF the hepuDlc.- =
Your Committee appointed to Eelcom,
aud entertain our illustrious guests
deem It peculiarly appropriate that W,
should unite, visitors and visited, her,
in Gods temple, and publicly acknoW
ledge with thanksgiving and praise ouI
lsense to the Almighty's manifold mer
cies. When we look back through the
| fleeting years and think of comrades
who are not here to-night-When We
look around and gaze upon faces which
we last beheld through the smoke o.
the battle-when we turn from the Wis
ions we cODjurs up of the fiery field, the
weary march and the dreary bivouac,
and find ourselves in the full fruition Of
our hopes, midst family and friends,
extending the hospitality of our beau
tiful city, as only a soldier can to a COM
rsde, we'll may we exclaim, surely
goodness and mercy have followed US
all the days of our hfs; and well may
we praise him from whom all blessing
flow
"Fellow-citizens and felIow-soldiers
have the pleasure Of introducing to
you Col. R. NJ Moore, who has been Sc
lected to preside this evening""
The audience then joined in singing
.'AIy country, 'tis Of thee,
Sweet laud Of liberty"
The Rev. G. W. Collier, of Fremont,
followed in an appropriate and impas-
sive prayer.
CHAPLIN EAREsHAW's ADDRESS.
Chaplain EarBshaw, of the Dayton
Asylum, being introduced, said be felt
unable to meet the requirements of this
occasion. His mind insensibly reverted
to historic scenes. The sight of many
here suggested TO him wars, which,
history tells us, have seldom been fol-
lowed by results commensurate with
the price they paid. Not so could it
be said of the war of which these men
Of the Grand Army were actors.
Here the speaker reviewed in elo-
quent words the causes of the war, the
forbearance of the loyal people, and
their rush to the standard when the
critical hour came.
He stated the object of the Grand
Army of the Republic.
l. To preserve frsternal feelings
among those who had been brothers in
arms. Nothing moved him, at this
day, as the memory of how comrades
in arms, ,deepened by common suffering
and mutual help the ties that bound
them together. He could not pass
without mentioning the scarcely less
noble, less sacrificing part taken in the
war by the ladies Of the Sanitary Com
mission, and the hospital.
Here he illustrated the attachment of
soldier to soldier. One reason for this
was, there never was an army so intslli-
gent as ours All the elements con-
ducive to tie forming of undying at
tachments were present there in the
camp, and on the field. Any organi.
zation calculated to bring these men to-
gether again, to sssevsrate again their
mutual affection, must be benefcieut
in its nature.
A second object of the Grand Army
of the Republic is to aid the widows
and orphans of deceased soldiers and
to educate their children. We remem-
Der their conversations on the picket
line, in the camp, on the march. We
remember how they looked IN the front |
Of battle, in the deadly conflict. and |
when they fell, We may 90 back to !
the scene of the wife separating from
her husband, the father from his son,
the news Of battle, the intelligence that
her dearest of all on earth was dead |
This sorrow is not over, and now we
have offered US an opportunity to turn
back some of this gloom. Noble mis-, /
sion! Who so fit to accomplish it as
those who were companions in arms to
,he lost oues9
One of the most common appeals
made BY soldier upon going into bat
lie was, 'If | fall, will you care for nv
wife and children 2" This appeal was
never resisted. With a full heart
promise was made, and the mission of
he Grand Army was to fulfill the
pledge. From the five years old up,
ifty thousand orphans made By the war
IRE needing aid. Many family was
Dereaved of its head. The Armv of the
Republic, within three, months, might
'aise million 10 meet the case ofI
hungry, barefoot, illy-clad, unschooled
orphans of soldiers. He would SANDER
very soldier in the house if he should
intimate that be would not be willing
o deny himself in order to be able to
contribute to this object,
He said that he saw eight hundred
hildren of soldiers at the Capitol of
Pennsylvania, and told all who saw
hem were thrilled by the sight, Now
here were four thousand children of
allen soldiers in Pennsylvania, who did
iot believe republics uDgrateful. It
vas duty we owed them, aud if it
Tas not paid soon, it would be too late
brewer.
Thirdly, to aid returned soldiers,
ailors, and marines in procuring en-
loymenk and to secure for them their
roper position in society. When the
len returned at the close of the war,
be land rang the welcome-in that
'ng array were many sad hearts ,
lany had no homes to which to 20, no
right fires and clean beds awaiting
lem. He was not afraid of contrsdic-
on when ne said that not three months :
fter the war elapsed before twenty !
lousand of these brave soldiers had
'st nearly all of their soldisrly pride.
q the great cities they had driven out
le organ-grinder, and taken bis place. v
the seven millions accumu- i
ted from fines and forfeitures during $
le war, was appropriated toN furnish r
'ldiers' homes, The Central National $
.sylum was at Dayton; a branch at t
and another at Esine. il
The objection was raised against the
rand Army that it was political in S
tuition. He was sure he was author il
ed to declare that the institution Z
ever had been controlled or used for
olitieal purposes They would never b
ok upon purer band Of patriots than il
lose soldiers discharged in 1866. v
hese men had sacrificed and psriled t
to cement the country, and these {
ere the men who composed the Grand b
rmy. We were now five hundred s.