Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-04-23

alone made civil war possible.
All this has been accomplished without any
but benifcent changes in the admirable system
of government transmitted to us by our fathers
II to have escaped these evils on the one hand,
or to have secured these blessings on the other
be any cause Of gratitude, that gratitude is due
to you, sir, and your brave companions, who
brought sucGor In the hour of peril.
And when the weary march and bloody strife
had been crowned with victory, complete victory,
these great armies peacefully disbanded, aud be-
came part of the people from whence they
| sprung. There were. indeed thousands of va
cant iiresides aud mourning widows, and weep
ing orphans and manned and shattered forms
to tell the sad and cruel story; but no lawless
violence. no savage revenge, no ambitious plot
| tings followed in the desolated track Of war But
| these heroes of hundred battle fields quietly
returned to their homes, resumed the peaceful
avocations Of ordinary life and those OF them
| who remain are to-day, our friends and neigh
| bors. The future historian will recount the
magnanimity and forbearance Of the American
/ volunteer. with no less admiration, than the
alacrity and devotion with wbloh he responded
to this country's call, or perilled his life upon
| the bloody field.
Now that peace has resumed her quiet SWAY.
and the energies of all good men are turned to
repair the Tavages of civil war. some would
erase from these flags the record Of those bat
| ties.
1t cannot be-it must not be. Justice to those
brave men whose deeds have made these en-
bems sacred who, beneath these banners, ce-
manted the bonds of reunion with their blood
And won for us lasting peace demands that
| those tattered flags, emblazOned with the record
Of heroic achievements should be cherished
| through all time.
But beyond all this our duty to our country. to
our children, to the principles which these men
have established union, freedom and equal laws,
demand that the record should be magniied be-
fore this and all succeeding generations.
would cherish no hate nor bitterness toward
any. would 80 far as consistent with public
safety, cover with the mantle Of charity the cr-
rors and even the crimes Of the misguided men
who, to establish, extend and perpetuate human
bondage, wsged cruel war against the life OF
the nation; but would never, no never, ex-
punge from the page OF history, nor strike from
these colors one syllable that records the valor
and devotion Of the soldiers OF the Republic or
warns towards them the hearts OF their country
men. with gratitude and love.
soldiers, proudly sensible Of the great homer
you Tonight confer upon US, we accept the
trust. We will keep these sacred relics with
tender care. We will gather from the lips of
tile living witnesses the scattered fragments OF
their story, and when time shall have destroyed
these poor shreds which the storms Of heaven
and the conflicts of battle have spared, that sto-
ry shall be read with admiration and gratitude
by generations yet unborn. And they shall
learn from the recordsof your achievements, to
reverence your memory and emulate your vir-
tues.
SPEECHES BY OTHER GENTLEMEN.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Spruances speech,
Col. Grimshaw, advancing to the front of the
stage, said:
Gentienea-We have history with us in the
person Of Judge Hall. He is an epitome of Del
aware. He is your best lawyer lie has held
the highest office in your State He is the head
OF your School System, and has made Delaware
what she is. / am inclined to think he is not
afraid Of noise, and now propose three cheers
for Judge Hall"
Hhe cheers were given with will by the au-
dicnce and those upon the stage, after which the
venerable Judge Withdrew assisted by those who
had helped him to seat. He is now 90 years Of
age, and this, we understand, is the last public
assembly he will ever consent to preside over
As Judge Hall was retiring, he was stopped to
be introduced to Gen. Hancock The meeting
was a very cordial one and both seemed very
much pleased with even 30 limited an acquain-
tance with each other.
Gen Adam f. King, being called for, advano-
ed and said that he hoped never to forget that
he was born in Delaware. He is now a citizen
Of Maryland, but better than this, he is also a
citizen Of free United States. This privilege
b q claimed to be due to the men who bore the
iag through the smoke and strife Of battle, but
not to dishonor. He agreed with Mr.. Spruance
that the commitment OF the flags to the
Historical Society was fitting and proper, for in
after years aged fathers will take their little
boys by the hand and leading them to the place
where these flags are kept will say" That
means, my son, land saved, and more-dsdi-
Gated to liberty forevermore" He repelled the
idea that occasions like this produce in the hearts
of old soldiers a desire TO once more engage in
the carnage of battle. claiming for the good SOL
der a Willingness and hearty desire to engage in
peaceful avocations The Southern soldiers he
said, had fought well, and he recognized them as
brethren.
General Hoffman was next introduced. He
said he felt it duty to come here and acknowl-
edgo the heroic deeds which had been accom-
plshed by the Delaware soldiers under his COM
mand, and Le recounted some of the many bat
ties through which he led them-at Fredericks-
burg, the ChickahOminy, below Petersburg, and
the actions about the Yellow House. He thought
that Delaware ought 10 be proud OF these regi-
ments.
Gen, Bingham folt it no less a duty to respond
to the command of Gen. Hancock now than
when On the field of battle, though he confessed
he did it more reluctantly. He was glad to be
here. He regretted that the Department OF State
had not taken charge Of the flags but felt as
enred that the Historical Society would treasure
them as it did the progress and industry of the
State Three years hence he hoped the Society
would come forward and lay them upon the al
ter OF Philadelphia in its celebration of centen-
ial Independence He thanked Gcd that the
decade between 1860 and 1870 had Witnessed
our civil war, and that in the next decade, be-
tween 1870 and 1880 occurred the centennial Of
American Independence. so that we can become
the same rs we were in 1776.
Bishop Lee then offered closing prayer, af-
ter which the band played the Battle Hymn OF
the Republic as the audience vacated the hall.
The exercises were interspersed with music
throughout.
ENTERTAINMENT AT THE CLAYTON HOUSE.
After the ceremonies concluded at the Opera
House, an entertainm ent took place, in honor of
General Hancock, in the grand dining-room of
the Clayton House, The company, to the NAM
Der Of about two hundred, sat down at 11:15
o'clock. The guest of the occasion occupied a
position at the head of the table, supported by
the members of his staff, and other gentlemen.
Ex-Mayor Valentine acted as Master of Ceremo-
MES, and after the supper, which, owing to the
lateness of the hour, was somewhat hnrriedly
disposed Of, speeches in reply to toasts were
made by Levi O. Bird, Esq, who declared the
Office of President to be the basis of Republican
government by General Hancock, who warmly
returned his Acknowledgements for the hospltali-
tv extended him by General A. Il. King, of
Baltimore, who said the proudest heritage he
coud leaveto his children would be the abilitysto
say that their father was a volunteer, and fought
under Hancock by Gen. II. H. Bingham, of
Philadelphia, who said he would repeat the sem
timent OF General King, II he had children to
receive the heritage by DIR. l., p. Bush, repre-
senting the Historical Society and by Col. A. Fl.
Grimshaw, and John o'Byrne, Esq The CONF
pany broke up shortly after O'clock full of sup
per and enthusiasm.
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THE PEMIMR RuHA