The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-04-14
From Washington.

Washington correspondent, "Poro-
MAC" for the following copy Of the
rcxccll,nt address delivered by Sec'y.
Belknap at Masonic Tomiple in
Washington city on Wednesday eve.
April 9th. Tho occasion was n pub.
lie meeting in the Temple relative to
the death Of Major General Gcorgc
| II. Thomas
SECRETARY BELKNAP's ADDRESS.
Ladies and Gentlemen and fcllo,,
Soldiers Within the past week,
tho soldiers who served with one Of
their MOST honored comrades, and
the civilians who, knowing him by
reputation have always respected
his namo, have mot TO do homage to
the memory of the dead, and you,
his companions on many q hard
fought battlefield, retetcheihg the
memory ofa commander, whom to
know was u, love, we meet tonight
to cast our tribute of afectionato re-.
gard upon the grave of George Ell.
Thomas. Actual service has iamili.
arized many of you with death as it
came to tho soldier amid the havoc Of
battle you have seen it in tho field
hospital where the hands Of loved
ones wore not to nurse the dying sol.
der, and where the tender words Of
affection wers not heard to cheer his
departing spirit. You have met it
on the field where shot and she'll
screamed out the only requie m for
the dying hero, and tho excitement
OF those hours Of war gave no mo-
ment Tor Tegretful remembr ance /;
but Intervening years have made
you forgetful of the terrible realities
Of the field, and now, when death
comes to tho soldier who has surviv-
ed the perils Of numberless. conflicts
tho lip will tromble and the express.
ion of manly regret will tell of the
sorrow Of the parting. Not true
heart in this land failed to beat more
quickly when the telegraph announ-
eed tho sad message Of the sudden
death of Major General George II.
Thomas. Those who had served
with him in council, where on the
decision of the moment hung the fate
of the army, recalled his manly pres
encc and his solid worth. Those
who had been with him on tho field
Of action, whero musketry crashed
and the awful destruction of war ran
riot, remembered the imperturable
bravery of this iron man as he
watched tho contendihg armies, and
never by any seeming appearance of
apprehension expressed doubt
OF the resalt those who had
been the companions of his cam.
paigns and on his staff and learned
to reverence and love him, wept when
they recalled his presence and the
words ofhim whose harshcst words
were over kindly spoken. The men
OF his command-now scattered in
all callings everywhere-those men
who carried the musket and bore the
heat and burden of the day-the
men upon whose supporthe trusting
~ leaned whom disaster threatened,
and the sound of whose voices, as.
yelling their hurrahs, they went into
action, was music to his ears-they
gave to his memory the testimony OF
sheir revcrcntial love-they told of
his Roman firmness, his wonderful
GOODNESS, his plodding, persistent on
orgy, and his fatherly care of his
troops; and, among all who Lament
the suddcnness of his departure, mono
will gather around his grave with
truer sentiments ofsincere grieft than
the private soldiers, who have no
word for him but that Of tho most Of
| ftu:tins,,,fs ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Thv--,
who never knew him in military life,
but had read OF his character and
had heard recounted the stories of his
grand career, unite with his brothers
in arms in honoring his memory, and
vie with them in doing homage to
his name. The gatherings ofpublic
men, of the legislators Of the land
which Thomas fought to save, aud
the meetings announced to us as oc.
curing III all parts Of tho land, most
truly attest that our loss is one
whose magnitude is beyond ordinary
measure. Four years ago General
Thomas, happening in the Capitol,
was called into the House, and in clio.
quent and fitting words from the
Speaker, introduced to Congress.
Cheer after cheer arose from men,
bers and galleries in honor Of the
conqueror- hero, whom all delighted
to receive with their most earnest
salutations. He acknowledged the
compliment and modestly expressed
his grateful thanks. >As looked on
the scene from the gallery and will
lingly added my voice to the shouts
of those who welcomed the coming
Of this heroic soldier, as an American
citizen l rejoiced that there was
among us a man who brought from
the field SO many of tho attributes of
strength and power and modesty and
heroic virtue which history tells
US adorned the person and
increased the fame of Washington.
Like Washington he was firm and
decorous; like him he was dignitied
and decided; like him he gave his
Tune and talents to his country.
modcstly doing his duty, and asking
no reWard beyond that given him by
the consciousness of right, and the
satisfaction of unsclfish motives
Pure minded as child and tender
hearted as u woman-tirm MS the
everlasting hills-rigldly faithful in
his devotion to duty-earnest in ac-
ton, yet merciful in victory-alnonc
those happy influences which cluster
around the firesldo, and add to tie
pleasure of social companionship;
contact with our hero warmed into
life the coolest nature; and by the
attractions Of his manly heart he Of.
tcred TO all welcome SO purely
cordial, that all felt the cheerful in
fuence OF his corteous presence. In
action, daring and decided, he was
an accomplished soldier. Among
the more quiet scenes Of genial life
he was the faithful friend-eycrv.
where and always he was the noble
gentleman. Eulogy can never say
too much for him. No intcrtwined
wreath Of laurel and of cypress can
H. j.