The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-08

scene or an unusual and interesting gathering, one
| which has brought together large number Of the
| cOuntry's brave defenders and which viii pass
into history The pleasing reunion and social
festival OF IN the brief history OF the Society Of
the Army and Navy OF the Gulf. The visitors found
Newport In its most invit ny garb. and with I'M
eXceptiOnable and cOudless day and In the midst Of
hospitable and patriotic community, their whole
series Of festive exercises been most eminenty
| pleasing ana successful. 1t was the
THIRD SUCCESSIVE GATHERING
OF an organization OF many OF the surviving land
and water warriors who served in the Department
OF the Cult, and nearly hun lred Of the veterans
came here 10 participate. Little Phil Sheridan who
was made President OF the association. in the place
OF the lamented Farragut, was among the most re.
nowned OF the che.tains present, and all tho day
ana evening he was the lion OF the lions among the
arlsocracy and recreation brigade now quartered In
Newport for the season. others OF less also
had their admirers. for wherever such men as Gene
rails Burnside, Mcdowell and Forsythe promenad ID
| there was buzzlng aud nutterlng which they
| could not possibly have been unconcious OF.
| THE NAVAL HEROES
who attracted attention ana admiration there were
Admiral Thatcher, Admiral jenkins, Admiral Bailey
| ana a score or more OF commodOres, captains ana
heutenantS; but all forgetting, for the time being,
any distinction In rank, ana entering nearby aud
| unreservedly into the festive elements which the
| social occasion so abundantly afforded. The spa
cOus Ocean House selected lOr the headquarters
ana 1t was here that the "least OF reason and flow
of soul" exercises were gone through with and the
Academy o. Music, IN an obscure lane OF Bellevue
avenue, was honored with the heavy literary enter.
tainment and business convention. The latter
held during the forenoon, at which the only busi-
ness OF public interest transacted the election OF
GENERAL SHERIDAN FOR PRESIDENT
of the society," and the selection OF New York city
and October 10 as the time and place for the reunion
in 1872. The balance OF The day until evening was
spent by the visitors In viewing and participating
In the numerous delights for which Newport Is so
renowned. Some went riding few enjoyed the
novelty of bathing in the surf, and all INDUCED
or less In the human weakness OF watering place
iirtatlons much TO the delight of the visiting dam
sells who promenaGed and rode up and down the
avenue.
The afternoon having been thus mlscellaneOusly
occupied the warriors came together again at
O'Clock to participate in the literary exercises
which had been arranged for. The audience was
not large at the beginning, but twilight an dark
ness came the visiting cite of Newport filled the
Academy Of Music In every part General sheridan,
when he entered was received with cheers, and the
band from Fort Adams played ''Han TO the Chief"
| Oruer having been restored, Rev. DR.. Montgomery
offered a fervent prayer, and then Mayo Atkinson.
| In behalf OF the city of New York, welcomed the
than eoanence .". X lRsBnhs o. I0r uj jeenR
| the band was worked In here, alter which General
| Sheridan introduced as
THE ORATOR OF THE EVENING
the brilliant and dapper little Colonel Granville
| Halves. of Newport. Colonel Halves. in the be.
J ginning OF his Grafton, alluded TO Schiller's poem
| on the "Feast Of Victory' Notwithstanding the
beautiful imagery OF which the author believed
there was an fneXpressble sadness underlying.
The Army and Navy Of the Gulf, he sald had
| accomplished its mission. 1t was outshone IN
blazing by the armies OF the Potomac and the
West: but Baton Rouge, Port Hudson. Pleasant Hill,
ana the Valley OF the Lafourche bore most noble
| testimony to TIER valour. But lighting was not
their enemy It was the pestilence OF the Southern
| swamps which depicted their ranks by thousands
and thousands. or the Navy, he said that to relate
| its almost marvellous successes would be telling
| tale that every schOolbOy In the land Is IA.
mar with. During four years OF our war II won
more victories than the English navy has IN fun
| century. Pausing here to pay an eloquent and
touching tribute ~ the memory OF the unlaurelled
| dead, Colonel HAYES came down At once TO the
| theme of his Orati on which was
THE RELATIONS OF WAR TO MODERN CIVILIZATION
and It's necessity and Its character. He claimed that
war; in It's ultimate effects, was beneficial to nations
| and individuals, as the world Is constituted, and
that there are inevitable conditions in the life OF
| nation that need gunpowder ~ surely as the sky
| needs lightning. He admitted that very
! terribe but wrong was more terrible. From the
earliest times has been the source OF poetry,
eloquence, music and all refinement. Strange as II
| may SEEM from seeming evi good Is always CON-
ing. In spite, ,hen, OF our boosted civbzation. our
| churches, our Iree government. our high commits
sons education or our wealth, war. we fear. Will
still prevail Sad that Ii Is so, SAID the orator, or
! rather that there be such terrible necessity
for 1t. Would tnat we might think our own
| prosperous country would prove m exception
| and be saved. But do you, on consideration, be.
| iievc ltY IL there one OF YOU VINO, IN ncdrL
| does not anticipate ltj coming eveDts-quick
IN l7,o there have been eighteen years OF war,
| elusive OF frontier and Indian war one year In
gunary type. What think you viii he the ratures
Do YOU hope 10 escape lty DO you suppose for one
| moment that In the iuture there viii lie less than
ONE YEAR or WAR TO SIX or PEAcEr
| Can there be less danger think you. as population
encroaches upon lSboras religions the ever irult.
| ful source OF strife, come nearer and nearer to-
gether, and even now jostle one another danger
the large ciies increase I'D s,Ze ahd Their govern
ments. lall into the hands OF an osarchy.
| OF unpunished crlmnals-as corporations grad
usny OBTAIN control OF government, as they
| tho Union threatening In their graspng power TO
absorb the individual and all his rishts-wnen the
moral tone OF the community Is SUCH tnat ia.lrOad
thief makes us forget his crimes-as sectional
| dlyerses increase and the relations OF eacn 10 the
! general government become more and more senst
| tve-as these things are he taken into account
! to say nothing OF foreign environments, sensitive,
4 arrogant Quu prtttntiOuS ~ we nave "tcoWe
| through wealth and q tired military success-ae all
these tnlngs, say, are ~ be taken into accounts
there person who does not know In his heart that
the ratio OF war 10 peace will hereafter be increased
| IN this country rather than diminlshedY War wil
undoubtedly lie the lot OF thia rs Of every country
But we may be asked II this Is 10 continue foreyer-
| Will
| SLAUGHTER AND BURNING AND MURDER FOREVER
be our lot 2 We answer yes untu GODS own goOu
time shall come and The conflict between right and
wrong shall cease. II will come eventually, though.
| have spoken OF war "a necessity-as benehcat
and salutary-as bringing even material advantages
to nations and Individuals; yet v class OF men are
listening who, above all Others dread the terrors Oh
war. Through the disastrous influence OF war we
have learned lorbearauce, humility and moderation,
and the true peace meetings snail be the reunions
OF the armies OF the Potomac, the tennessee, the
| Cumberland, the James and the Gull. In place
| o the old has come new courage,
| which teaches the golden lesson OF Charity.
The true soldier bears malice, while he brooks no