The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-10
BEECHER AS AN EXHORTER.

| ltCtulc VI CO-lllSllU, WHICH, WitS 10 raise
funds for the State home for disabled
soldiers, proposed by the Grand Army
Of the Republic, was to be final
test of Beechers continued popularity.
After sundry ventures, more or less
successful: in the country, organized
efforts it was said. were made to pack
the house, and if 50 they were well d.
rected. But it would be ungenerous
to criticise motives when Beecher
spoke for noble cause and nobly aid
ed it.
At s clock the House was cram
med. 1t was not so overaowing as at
TiltOn's lecture: but took the shine
completely out of Tilton in the fashion
and wealth of the audience, beside
which charges for. admission were
much higher. All Plymouth church was
there, radiant with smiles and enthu-
siasm. Judge Nelson, who tried the
scandal trial, never took his eyes off
the great orator he SO much admires.
Scandal-trial ushers and others. whose
faces were familiar last year, were
prominent there, and 4 huge vase of
flowers before the stand transformed
the Academy into Plymouth lecture
room.
About 10 o'clock the gas was turned
on, amid terrific outburst of ap-
plause, Beecher advanced smilingly,
preceded by James Turner, depart
ment commander of the G. A. r., a
veteran with two wooden legs.
Beecher was perfectly unmoved by
the storm of clapping and cheering.
He looked pleased, dropped into a
chair, lifted one fat leg over the other,
and calmly surveyed the house.
Cheer succeeded cheer, after every lull.
Usher Murray, handkerchief in hand,
stood behind Mr.. Beecher and waved
them on to renewed cheering. When
all this was over, Mr.. Turner spoke of
420, 600 soldiers and sailors contribu-
ted to the war by New York state of
thousands of disabled "boys'' in the
poor-houses the failure of applications
to the legislature, and how the Grand
Army resolved on an appeal to the
people, and secured Hercules to put
his shoulder to the wheel-the Chris
tian knight of modern times. the mas
ter mind Of the country.
Then Beecher advanced, and cheers
were redoubled. He dropped a huge
handkerchief and roll of manuscript
on the desk, and tugged at his nose, as
he always does when commencing a
mental effort, and with that twinkle
of the eye which is so taking with an
audience commenced; 1T has been
the brightest privilege of my life that
| have always been permitted to plead
for those that could not plead for
! themselves. From the first day [ en-
tered public life my sympathies drew
me toward the poor and the oppressed,
and think | may say that whichever
gifts God has committed to my care
have given me no pleasure comparable
to that which have had in succoring
the needy and friendless. Tremen-
dolls applause. After this exordium
he went OH to speak of the loss and
the gain by the late war, the meetings
they had in the same place during the
WAL, with some reference to his adVos
cacy of the union cause in England
The evils were the physical results of
every kind of social disorganization in
the south (''and there is no south or
north for me, said lie, ''but one coun-
try ;" the evils Of inflated currency
and fictitious values, and then the
benefits by the abolition of slavery.
which was u victory for the moral
sense Of the country and respect for
each other gained by the north and
south.
At this point he made what seemed
all indirect personal allusion. and was
urroariously applauded. 1t is safe to
be right it does not hurt any one to
be unpopular. TO be popular. may be
hurtful, but he who stands by truth
and right in their higher forms will
live when his deriders are forgotten.
Then he paid tribute to the valor of
both armies, and said he would strew
flowers on the graves Of Southerners
II 1T would not be misunderstood, and
finally praised the services of sur
geons, chaplains and nurses of invis-
ible martyrs, mothers, wives, and Sis
tiers, who gave their loved ones. and of
our emigrant population. The lecture
was in his best style.
After al lmpassioned appeal from
Mr.. Tanner for subscriptions, they be-
gan to flow in rapidly in sums of $40
to $500; Judge Nelson gave 800,
Harriet B. Stowe $50, Rev. Fred Bell
800, five old settlers 800 each.
Snow said Beccher, ''This makes
SO, 230, and you mustn't go home, q
mothers son of you, until we get $lO,-
900. Then they made Beecher take
the floor. and he called on them to
''pony up" quick or he would sit down.
In half al hour the subscriptions
amounted, together with $1,000 re-
ceipts from tickets to $780,. Il
never earned SO much money in so
short a time,' said Beecher as he
picked up his hat and made his wav