New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-05


struggles of life: it soOthes the brain into
undisturbed slumber when at night the
head reposcs upon the pillow. and it brings
to the spirit in sleep the mnistering angels
Of God, whose duty 1t is to I'LL the mind
with happy visions.
The man who has passed his life on earth
in the attempted faithful discharge of duties
calculated to benefit his fellow men, and
without the expectation of fee or reward.
laws up for himself treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves do not break through nor
steal.'
NV friends this is the second time within
nv history that l have been made the CRATE
ful recipient, at your hands, of so marked
an honor as this. Upon the first occasion
had been connected with our beloved asso-
citation fifteen gears; to-day that period has
been nearly doubled. | desire now to re
produce some of the language and ideas
used on that occasion. To be made
the honored recipient of such a testi
monlal as this; to have had it conveyed zs
language so full of eloquence and feeling:
to have been selected from among you for
so distinguished a mark of your consilera-
ton, is as grateful to my feelings as is the
high compliment it pays undeserved. This
beautiful evidence of your love and CONT
dence, intrinsically valuable n itself. is
made infinitely more dear to me because it
proclaifns in unmistakable language your
warm appreciation of the humble services -
l have rendered to our association in my
many years of connection with it. NV
Jealous and enthusiastic devotion never
claimed other reward than the verdict rem
lered on this occasion. The decided CON
viction that all that have done in behalf of
our organization receives its full approval
as manifested in this ceremony, amply re-
pays me for all the care and time and labor
l have devoted to this cause. Ever proud of
my connection with it; always. strongly
impressed with the paramount importance
OF such an organization as this in city like
ours, | have felt that in labOriDg TO sustain
it. was not only serving it, but that was
performing an unseltsh duty as a good citi-
| zen. In reverting to the period of my first
connection with our association, now thirty
years ago. and contrasting its condition then
with what it is to-day, my bosom swells
| with feelings of more than ordinary emo
| ton. And whether l refer to our organiza-
! ton as a fire departmen or as charitable
association the result attained by our united
| efforts is alike creditable and gratifying
| The position We occupy to-day is one of
| which we may justly boast. 1t should be q
| source of graduation and pride to every
| man who bas participated in bringing it
| about. that it has been his good fortune to
| have been an humble instrument in con-
| tributing to it.
The entire department, which is virtually
| but another name for the association. is a
unit in feeling, in Interest and in harmony,
and enjoys a repuAtion, both at home and
| abroad. for widespread public usefulness
| and high character, unsurpassed by any
similar organization in this country. With
out distinction of social grade or religious
| educaton: without respect to political af-
| tinlty or the accidental place OF birth, it's
members stand upon common platform,
| united in carrying out the holiest attributes
! of mans nature. What can not be ac
| complished for purposes of good! What
| limit can we place to the extent Of the
! mutual amelioratiOn we can effect, where
| 80 large a number of men are bound
| fraternally together for the cOnsummation
| OF a sacred purpose! Is not the reflection
| well calculated to awake the heliest in;-
| pulses of the philanthropist?
| An intimate connection with the admins
! tratiOn of q charitable association. like the
| one at whose head | have so long stood, is
| well adapted to call forth all the better ma
| terial Of mans nature, and to make him
feel that in the accomplishment of his mis-,
| sion on earth "a life of usefulness is the surest
| guarantee of happiness here and hereafter,
All men stand alike acceptable to the Gre
ator of the universe, however they may
differ in their form of worship, who bring
| into proper exercise those gOdlike attri-
butes, which lay imbeded in every bosom.
| The hairsplitting dogmas which creed has
given birth to, necessarily separate man
| kind into many divisions, but when they
are brought together into associations OF
| this kind, man is ever ready to recognize
| his colabOrer as a brother and to feel the
! convincing force of that irretutable apnor
| ism, that, 1--WE are alik children Of the one
| God
Practical religion. as manifested by ear
| ba Of +h1.
| Bible, in order that man may execute the
benevolent designs OF an aliwise Provi-
! dence. is, after sill, true religion. And III
| ASSOCIATE lns like the one whose members
now surround me, it is daily illustrated.
| We endeavor to mitigate the suferings OF
the sick; we relieve the distressed, and ex-
tract the sting from poverty; we give decent
seDuture to the remains of our deceased
brother: we follow him to the tomb, ants
drop the tear of painful regret over his de
parture: we cherish his memory, and con-
| stantly recur to his virtues, and forever
| after we contribute to the support of his
widow and his orphan children. Is this
comprehensive charity Is not our associa-
| ton properly named Is there a benevolent
institution in our country with a code OF
charity more enlarged and liberal than this
But now let me turn from the contcm-
plation of our organization as q charitable
Institution and hastily review it as q fire
| department. This day ushered in our thirty
! fifth anniversary. The period of more than
Il generation has passed away since our or
ganizatiOn had its birth. Most of those who
aided IN calling ii into being are now mum
bered with the dead. The alarm runc out
in the solemn silence OF the night which
| was once SO wont to call them forth TO
| duty now peals nOiselessly upon their ears.
| They have answered the general alarm Of
| the great Chief of the universe, and return
TO their earthly homes no more. Many of
| them met their death tas our roll of martyrs
| well attests) in the performance of their
selfsacriticing task with a sublimity of
courage for which the records of the battle
field furnish few parallels. They went
| forth not to seek 1.-The bubble reputation at
| the cannon's mouth :" they asked no gilded
trappings to mark their distinction among
| their fellOwmen they sought no title as :.
| reward for their invaluable services, but
armed with the conviction that they were
performing selfimposed duty, alongside
| of which almost all others that man per
| forms sink into insigniticance they met anG
grappled with their dangerous enemy, sur
rendering only when life was extinct.
Brothers, on this. our thirty fifth ami
| vprsary, again have we displayed to the
| raZe of our admiring tcllow-citizens, tbs
| beautiful pageant that our annual process
sion ALWAYS exhibits along the line of streeta
through which we have passed; the assem-
| bed thousands have given us renewed cyi-
dence of the estimation in which the Are
department of New Orleans is held By the
! entire population of the city. The thronged
| galleries-made radiant with the smiles OF
| beautiful women, the air resounding with
! the merry laugh of childhood, the sidewalks
| crowded with mingled humanity of every
shade and grade. again make I'D the General