The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-10-30
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.

Again, comrades of the Army of the
Tennessee, as the year rolls round, we
have met to answer to the roll-call, to
renew our recollections of the past,
to enjoy for awhile in each others So
ciety the swiftly-passing present and to
plan and hope for the future. There is
special fitness, to my mind, in the
place and the time of this reunion. We
stand in the capital of this great State
which, by population, by enthusiasm in
the cause, and by geographical situa-
ton, was the keystone of the great
Northwest, dominating, from her
position of advantage, the navigation
of the waters of the Mississippi
and Ohio, and controlling largely the
access to those great national lines of
operation and supply rendered to the
nation by the Cumberland and the Ten
nessee, and so grandly utilized by the
intellect that formed, and the unfiinch-
ing will that led, the Army of the Ten
nessee upon the first experiment of
piercing one line of the enemy's de-
lenses and at the same time and by the
same movement thanking another. From
this vantage ground OF Illinois the first
direct, straightforward movement IN
the West was made, and the low delta
that terminates in Cairo has become
historic ground as the original base of
operations for both army and navy In
the great problem of clearing the Mis-
sissippi and forcing our antagonists
back to interior lines, which again in
due time were to be crushed and bro
ken by bolder movements, covering
larger areas of territory, demanding
more men, greater experience, and that
thoroughness of soldiership that can
only be attained from days OF
march and battle and nights OF
bivouac. But Illinois not only had
these physical advantages, this magni-
tude of Importance from her strategic
position-she was also fortunate at that
hour of peril in the possession of great
men in high places men OF large
of grand capacity for convictions
of absolute faith in right and JUS
tice, and in the successful outcome
of all that went to maintain the right
and to put down the wrong. Some of
these still live among us, and OF them L
may not speak by name some have
closed their mortal career, and OF one
such, L, standing here on this occasion,
will venture some few remarks, not
wholly inappropriate, trust, not who'll
ly unresponded to by those who hear
me. There was man, Governor of this
great State in those early days of the
war, full of high qualities and of rare
promise, with singular power OF at
taching others to him, of great elo-
| quence because of great convictions, OF
steady faith and earnest purpose, thor
oughly devoted to his country, and care
less of results so that the country be
sustained. How true and manly he was
purpose and will into the hearts of the
people how he met, detied and over
threw incipient treason at home, and
how the whole stormy patriotism of the
State rallied around him, the history OF
the time will show. That he was far
from perfect, we, his best friends, well
know. That the beauty and symmetry
of his character were warped and mar
red by his want of control over his low
err self, we knew then, and know now.
But after all is said that can be said 10y
moralist or philosopher, now that he lies
in his grave yonder at Jacksonville, no
soldier of Illinois, no member OF this
society, no true lover of his country but
will pass judgment on his career merci-
fully, kindly, and lovingly, and acknowl.
edge that one element of success In the
early days of the war was the fact that
Richard Yates was Governor of Illinois.
But there is a mightier presence here. Be-
| ,nnoth x,nn1ar MI tal m n
rest the remains OF q man so great, yet
SO simple, that the world but now be-
gins to realize the strong and rough
hewn power of the dead SO full OF
hemely wisdom, so patient to wait, SO
discerning of the popular will, so apt at
strong parallels containing the wealth OF
sound thought, SO persistent in beliey-
ing better of men than they seemed to
deserve, so humane and tender in his
feelings, so faithful to convictions when
once fully elaborated in his own mind
after painful and hesitating self-ques-
tioning, so apt to WELD with equal facil-
ity the high faculty of severe logic or the
easy play of natural humor. The great
President was citizen in his life of this
city, and the vast glory of the patriot,
statesman and martyr fills all this scene
to-day. Tomorrow the monument will
be unveiled, and from the eloquent lips
of our comrade, his Old and tried friend,
you will learn the outlines of a life and
character wholly and singularly Ameri.
can, sketch OF a man who by no posi-
bility could have been the product ofany
other nation, and scarcely of any other
period in the life of this nation. His
work, the work appointed for him to do,
was thoroughly done before the bullet
of the assassin pierced the long laboring
brain and those sad, patient eyes closed
forever upon the country he loved, just
coming forth stained with the smoke of
battle, but glorious all over with the
light of God. given triumph. Friend as
he was of all, yet specially, and with
singular tenderness, was ne the friend
of the soldier f; and, therefore, this re-
union is fortunate as to time, in that it
becomes a portion of the great cere.
monial which shall give fitting honor
to the martyr President.
Thus much have deemed it right to
say of the State and her dead--not, j
trust, in any spirit of invidious com
parison, for L know that in the great
struggle each and all of the States rep.