The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-10-21
sMisEella11enus.
Grants Longest Speech.
WHAT HE J0T7E Ed DOWN AND
READ TO THE ARMY or
The 7ENNESSEE.

DEs MONIES, Iowa. Sept. 3o.-At last
evenings session Of the Army of the
tennessee President Grant being called
out, said he had concluded to disappoint
those who called on him. first in the ex-
pectation of getting short speech. and
had Jotted down something he wished to
say. He then spoke as follows.
COMRADES 1t always affords me
much qualification to meet my comrades
IN arms of ten and fourteen years ago,
and to tell over again from memory the
triuls and hardships of those days of
hardships imposed for the preservation
and perpetuation of our free institutions,
We believed then, and we believe now,
that we have government worth night
ing for, and, if need be, dying for How
many of our comrades paid the latter
price for our preserved Union. Let their
keroism and sacrifice be ever green in
eur memory Let not the result OF their
sacrifices be destroyed. The Union and
the free institutions for which they died
should be held more dear for their sacri'
fees. We will not deny to any of those
who fought against us any privilege un-
der the Government which we claim tor
ourselves. On the contrary we welcome
all such who come forward in good faith
To help build up the waste places and to
pcrpetuate our institutions against all
enem es, as brothers in full interest with
% in 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
soldiers who submitted to the dangers
trials and hardships of the camp and
the battle field on whichever side he
fought--no class Of people are more in
terested in guarding against recurrence
Of those days. Let us then begin by
guarding against every enemy threaten
ng the prosperity Of free republican in
stitutions.
do not bring into this assemblage
politics, certainly not partisan politics.
but it is a fair subject for the soldiers in
their deliberations to consider what may
be necessary to secure the prize for
which they battled In a republic like
ours, where the citizen is the sovereign
and the official the servant; where no
power is exercised except by the will OF
the people, it is important that the SOW
ereign, the people, should foster intelli-
Eence- that intelligence which is to pre-
eerve us as free nation. II 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 in
telligcnce on the one and superstition,
ambition, and ignorance on the other
Now, the centennial yearo of our national
existence believe is good time to be
gin the work ofstrengthen s the tounda-
ton of the structure commenced by our
patriotic fOrefatheIS one hundred years
ago at Lexington. Let us all labor to
aid all neediul guarantees for the secu-
rity of free thought, free speech a free
press, pure morals. unfettered religious
sentiments, and of equal rights and prvi-
leges to all men. irrespective of nation
Ality, color, or religion encouraging free
schools, and resolve that not one dollar
appropriated for their support shall be
appropriated to the support of any sec
tartan schools; resolve that neither the
Etate or nation, or both combined, shall
support Institutions of learning other
Lhan those sufficient to afford to every
Shild growing up in the land the oppor-
tunitv of good common school educa-
ton, unmiXed with sectarian, pagan, or
Atheistica dogmas. Leave the matter of
religion to the family altar, the church,
and the private school, supported en-
tirely by private contributions. Keep
the church and the State forever sepa-
rate. With these safeguards | believe
the battles which created the Army of
the Tennessee will not have been fought
IN vain. 0rt....
The Presidents speech was greeted
with applause, which was repeated again
and again. T'