Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-10-01
FIRST EDITION.
Army OF the Tennessee.

A spEEoH by GEN. dnANT-THE pREsIDENT's RE-
MARKS WARMLY Observation-Disclosures BY
GOV. FLETCHER, GEN. SHERMAN, AND OTHERS.
DEs MONIES, Iowa, Sept. 3O--At the evening
session OF the Army of the Tennessee, yesterday,
the Opera House was crowded. An address OF
welcome was delivered by Hon. C. G. Cole. Gov.
Fletcher delivered tho annual ora,ion.
Eulogies were pronounced on members of the
Society who have died snce the last meeting.
Among the dead are Gems Morgan Smith,
Frank Blair, and Chester Harding.
PRESIDENT Grant being called, came forward
and said
COMRADES 1t always affords me much graft
tication to meot my comrades in arms OF ton and
fourteen years ago, to tell over again from
memory the trials and hardships of those days
OF hardsbips imposed for the preservation and
perpetuation of our FREQ institutions We be-
leyed then, and we believe now, that we have
government worth fighting for, and il need be
dying for. How many of our comrades paid the
latter price for our preserved Union ? Let their
heroism and sacrifice be ever green in our men,
ory. Let net the result of their sacrifices be de-
stroyed. The Union and the free institutions
for which they died, should be held more dear
for their sacrifices. We will not deny to any of
those who fought against us any privilege under
the Government which we claim for ourselves.
On the the contrary, We welcome all such who
come forward in.good faith to help build up the
waste places, and to perpetuate our institutions
against all enemies, az brothers in full
interest with us in a common heritage but we
are not prepared to apologize for the part we
took in the war.
1t is to be hoped that like trials will never
again befall our country. In this sentiment no
class of people can more heartily join than the
soldier who submitted to the dangers, trials and
hardships of the camp and the battlefield on
Whichever side he fought. No class of people
are more interested III guarding against a recur-
renee of those days Let us then begin by,guard-
ing against every enemy threatening the pros
perity OF free Republican institutions l do not
bring into this assembage politics, certainly not
partisan politics, but 1t is fair subject for the
soldiers, III their deliberations, TO consider what
may be necessary to secure the prize for which
they batted. In Republic like ours, where the
citizen Is the sovereign, and the official the
servant where no power is ixercisee, except
by the will of the peopleit is important that tile
sovereign, the people, should foster intelligence
that intelligence which IL to preserve Ills as a
free nation. If we are to have another contest
in the near future of our national existence, /
predict that the dividing line will not be Mason
and Dixon's but between patriotism and intel |
igence on the one side and superstition, ambl- |
lion, and ignorance on the other.
Now, the centennial year OF our national ex- |
stence, believe. is Il good time to begin the |
work of strengthening the foundations of the |
structure commenced by our patriotic fore
'sthers 100 years ago at Lexington. Let us all |
abor to aid all needful guarantees for the secu.
'ty of free thought, free Speech a free press,
,ure morals. unfettored religious sentiments,
md of equal rights and privileges to all men ir-
of nationality, color, or religion. En-
courage free schools, and resolve that not one
lollar, appropriated for their support
hall be appropriated to the support of
my sectarian schools. Resolve that
lether the State or Nation, nor both
ombined, shall support institutions of learning,
'ther than those sufficient to afford to every
hid growing up in the land the opportunity Of
good common school education, unmixed with
ectarian, pagan, or athestical dogmas Leave
lie matter OF religion to the family altar, the
hurch and the private school, supported entire
y by private contributions. Keep the Church
nd the State forever separate. With these safe
yards, believe the battles which created the
,rmy of the Tennessee will not have been fought
n vain.
Tho Presidents speech was greeted with ap-
lause which was repeated again and again.