Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-09-14
REUNION OF ONO SOLDIERS

hE ONINN VT OAIIO DOfDI hhbs
AN ENTHUSIASTIC DEMoNsTRAT1oN-20,-
900 PEOPLE GREET THE PRESIDENT
SPEECHES ny THE PRESIDENT, JUDGE
KEY, GEN. DEvENs AND oTHERs-AN
EARNEST PLEA FOR NATIONAL HARMONY,
FRATERNITY AND UNION.
The Ohio soldiers held their reunion at
Marietta last Friday, and an immense
crowd of people were present. The lead
ing feature of the day was the visit from
President Hayes aud party. The Presi-
dent was accompanied by Mrs. Hayes, his
sons Rutherford and Orchard, Gen. Key
and Gen. Devens. The distinguished guests
arrived at noon, and were met at the rail-
road station by from $4,000 to 10000 citizens
and visitors. The party were conducted 10
carriages in waiting, and escorted TO the
bead of a procession, where they were re-
ceived by veterans of the Thirtieth Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, who, with other veter-
an soldiers in line, numbered nearly 900.
The line of march was tbrouged with men,
women and children waving handkerchitfs
and cheering. Among tho veterans were
representatives of 10 Ohio regiments, car
rying their tattered battle flags. There
was single representative of the war of
1912, Mr.. Muzzey, of Guernsey coun-
ty, in the procession. When the process
sion returned 10 the starting point the Pres
idenlial party went 10 Gen. Smiths for
lunch. Aller lunch was concluded the Pres
idential party were driven TO the pavilion in
the park, where reception was held. In
the meautime the cUucourse of people
about the stand had swelled to enormous
proportions, estimated at 10000 10 1000.
In sight of perfect sea of human faces,
Mayor Palmer delivered brief reception
address and closed by introducing the
President. President Hayes then stepped
forward and was greeted with great cheers
by the men and waving Of handkerchieis
by the ladies. lie said:
Ladies, Fellow Citizens and Survivors of
the Great War: ] wish that / was prepared
to speak suitably upon this occasion. My
friend, Mayor Palmer, in his address in
forms me that in every speech made at this
great national reunion encourage ment has
been given 10 HAT spirit of fraternity which
it is the desire Of those associated with me
in the administration to do something dur
ing our term of service TO advance. We do
not in meeting the people propose to dis
cuss any of the great party questions which
divide the people who honor us with their
attention. [Cheers.l Questions OF admin
istralion and economic questions we leave
to be discussed before the people by those
who may be appointed by the respective
parties TO carry on those debates. But we
do feel that if in visiting our fellow citizens
in different States we can add anything TO
strengthen the sentiment alluded to by The
Mayor, 1t is right and proper that we should
do it. Applause. All who are familiar
with the history If our country know that
100 years ago there was no North, no South.
The fathers were one throughout the whole
country. Washington and jefferson were
side by side with Franklin and Adams.
Daniel Morgan and his Virginians marched
FROM Virginia TO Boston. They were at
Saratoga, and Nathaniel Green and his
Contnentas were in the Carolinas. The
whole country belonged to the fathers. 1t
is 10 that state of harmony, of fraterual
friendship, that we desire our country to
return. A voice, good for you" and
cheers We are for the Union AZ it is.
[Cheers.l We are for the Constitution az it
is, [Cheers.l with all its amendments.
a voice, "Thats it," Great cheers.l We
want the citizens of every State 10 feel at
home in every other State. [Amen, and
cheers.l If citiZeu of Vermont travels
TO Georgia or Texas for business or pleas
ure, we want him TO feel at home in those
States. [Cheers.l II a citizen of Texas
or Georgia travels NORTH, we want the citi-
zen to feel at home every where throughout
the Union. Now, my friends, do not pro-
pose 10 delain you. l have made a much
longer speech already than | intended to
when / entered Your town, but you under
stand the purpose. We may make mis-
takes in method, mistake measures, but the
sentiment we would encourage Is a sent-
ment of nationality throughout the Union.
[Applause.l We all regard the service of
that four years war-we regard that period
of four years as the most interesting OF our
lives. We fought tben-those of us who
were in the Union army fought-as we be-
lieved, to make this hereafter united PEG
pie, forever hereafter free people, and we
rejoice to-day to believe that those who
were against us in that struggle now are
with us on both of these questions, and
will forever remain with us on both of
these questions. tCheers, long and loud
And, now, my friends, you will desire TO
hear from some of those who are associated
with me in the government. Two mem
bers of the Cabinet are here-the Postmas-
ter G eneral, Judge Key of Tennessee, and
Gen. Devens, Attorney General. They
fought on opposite sides during those four
years, but to-day and here they are prepar-
ed to fight, if need be, on the same side.
loud cheers. And now l will introduce
to you Judge Key. l am sure he Is an able
man. am sure he is an honest man. /
am sure he is patriotic man. [Cheers.l
POSTMASTER GENERAL KEYS SPEECH.
Fellow citizens: l appear before you I'M
der peculiar circumstances. You have as
sembled here TO recite the victories You
have won in former days, TO recount the
triumphah results which you have achiev-
ed. appear before you as one OF the SOL
diery from whom your victories were won,
your triumphs achieved but, my friends,
the cordially with which have been re-
ceived makes me forget that we have ever
beeh enemies, and / assure You that |
would much rather meet you as meet you
here to-day, as friends, than in the coutiict
| of arms, as you have been met heretofore.
[Applause.l My friends, the flag fought
for Tour years has disappeared from the face
of The earth. The government attempted,
with my compeers, to establish, is no more.
We have but one flag, and that floats over
every foot OF our territory. We have but
one constitution and that is the constitution
as ii il. [Cheers.l Our quarrel, my friends,
was inherited. Slavery was established by
our fathers. 1t was established by the men
OF the North, as well as of the South, 1t
was relic of former age. As the age
progressed. as the country prog ressed, the
free States became profoundly impressed
with the idea that slavery was wrong, and
that 1t was great national crime, that il
WAS the sin of the age, that ii was sin
against heaveuand liberty. IA voice. land
1t was."l The people of the South had
been educated under different ideas. Their
statesmen upon their platforms defended it,
and their ministers before holy affairs taught
the people that ii was right, and other peo-
pie OF the Southern States believed it was
right. From time to time a con flict of opinion
grew up. We had adjustments. We had
the Missouri compromise, the compromise
of 1850; but it would not suit. At last the
free idea so prevailed that Lincoln was
elected 10 the presidency Of the United
States. The peoTle of the South, afraid