The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-10-20

political world, there Is hu hMluluesS III
the thought that almost overwhelms me.
| am carried back to u thousand scenes OF
a few short years OF the last decade. Out
of the chaos and carnage OF then has
come the grand, prosperous and promis-
ing present. The diversity OF then is lost
in the unity and identity of now. He who
was our foe is now our friend; and though
we are this day met as late soldiers OF the
Union army, 10 renew the social relation
of the past, and by that means tit our
selves for a higher usefulness in the fu-
ture, yet we can say to him, who so late
was foe, we are friends. Our American
hearts are touched with common i'm
pulse, they vibrate as a single chord with
common pride our eyes behold com.
mon country and singlesaag; as citizens,
we worship at q common shrine. Thy
people are my people, thy God my God;
whittier thou goest may CO. where thou
Invest may live; wnere thou dicst may
die, and there may be buried.
am sure that it is in fraternal spirit
| like this that we are to-day assembled,
and It Is from this exalted stand that We
can look down the past and into the clear
upper sky of the future. While we feel
q commendable pride in the conscious
ness of duty well done in cause tending
to make this good world of ours better,
nevertheless we know 1t is not in the
heart OF any true soldier to wound the
pride Of conquered, honorable foe, and
It has been one OF the gratifying features
of my observation and experience that
since the war there has been among the
soldiers of tho two armies greater de-
gree of cordially and a much higher APP.
probation than before, and we can say Of
them Us We can Of ourselves, we love
each other for the dangers We have pass
ed. While we must ever !eel that that Tor
which they batlled was not the better
cause, yet we can Thank Cod for the re-
suits OF the war.
Ithas swept away from the body poi
tic huge monstTOsity that threatened an,
archy and humiliation. The system of
human slavery made bOndSmen of the
master and slave as well, 1t Aspired to.
absolute sovereignty over the con
sciences Of men, and threatened death to
Republican government and free inslitu
tons. 1t kept ahame the acrid, discOrdant
passions of men, and reveled in the pros.
poets Of ACKNOWLEDGMENT. II degraded
labor, capital and mind and was the
| PandOra's box whence came all our DO
nestle strife and national ills. The war
killed 1t, and with 1t let the bitter mem
cries OF the past be buried in an eternity
of forgetfulncss
And now, fellow soldiers and citizens,
let us stand forth clothed In our right
mind, and q higher, purer, holier CiViliz4.
ton. After we shall have mingled to.
gether on this occasion, let us go to our
homes and enter upon the duties Of an.
other year, inspired with new lite, and
with the grand idea that humanity to
man Is obedience to God. Let us teach
our children the blessingsol civil and re.
ligiOus liberty, and IRON the political rev.
olutiOn in which We have taken so active |
u part let us transmit 10 pOsterity the |
spirit Of progressive moral renovation.
Then indeed will our land become one
Respondent in beauty, uneQualed in glory,
and the abiding place Of truth, knOwl |
edge virtue and religion, and 10 that
grand final reunion Of our dead and living |
soldiers in the better land, the Master |
will shy of us "Well done, good and
faithful"
1t. Clarkson was then loudly called for,
and finally accepted the situation, and
said;
NR0tr S0liieH and Citizens! had not
expected to address you until tomorrow,
but many gentlemen who were expected |
to speak to-day Rre absent. | feel to day
like m Is inch she'll, Just ready to be shot
of, mud make big noise when shot.
Nothing so moves me rs to meet men
who fought Tor the same flag rs l. Know.
ing this | ain ready to speak to you.
None who have spoken have talked sol.
der talk; do you remember the line OF bat.
tic, when the forts looked ny big as that
mountain, and cannon mouths bi: enough
to drive q six mule team in. At, such
times Twas nlwaysssCArcd; some men say
they never cared for such things, that
they were brave ut such iimcs, but dill
care; you remember il, cannon above you,
cannon around you, F6rram II there
was Il tree IN the nGghbOrhood | wanted
it. have been In Lhirty.ninu battles and
skirmishcs, and thirty.nino times scared
and you have all been In the same fix.
Comrades, do you remember tho night
before the battle? How sou entered into
q covenant with cOmrale to care Tor
each other, TO take message to the loved
ones at home? here old icuds were for.
gotten and old quarrels scttled--you re.
member II. | had such COmradc
that could always tic to. Twas hit
twelve or fifteen times, but that don't
count, Tor killed as many OF them as
they did oil me.
l hope our meeting tomorrow will be
ten times as large as to.day--that we mny
raisc such fund as will Unablcus To fol.
low each other to the last long home.
Lieut.. Clarksonsaddress was very enthusi.
astiCally received, and was indeed Il very
happy little speech; VIC regret being una
bic to give II in full
After Lieut.. Clarkso.'s address, and
music, Capt &. j. Rawling was intro.
duCe1, who read tue following constitu.
tion and bylaws, which were unani.
mously adopted:
CONSTITUTION.
ARTICLE 1.
SIC /. This Association shall be known
by the maine and title Of 1.-THE Society Of
the Army Of West Virginia" and may In.
clude the Governors Of the State Of West
Virginia, previous 10 the close Of the war,
every officer and enlisted man, who has
at any time served with honor In that Ar
my, and been honorably discharged there.
from, or remains in service 10 the Regular
Army; also any officer and enlisted man,
living in what was the Department Of
West Virginia, hut having served in other
Armies, and having been ll1norally dis.
charged thcrcffom, who shall have given
bis assent 10 the Constitution and by.
Laws Of the Society and paid his initia.
ton fee.
SEc. 2. Honorary members may from