Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-06-12
Grand Army Reunions.


The Grand Army reunions at Springfield,
Mass, opened brilliantly on Tuesday Of last
week, with an attendance of many we'll
known military men. The opening noon
day parade was a success, and so also was
the evening reception. The real military
sentiment of the day was brought out at the
reunion and banquet of the Burnside expe-
dition of the Ninth army corps. thrill
ing incident of the banquet was the entrance
of General Joseph Hooker during the speak
ing, and his enthusiastic reception, the as
sembly rising to their feet and cheering the
old hero again and again. lie moved with
difficulty from infrmity caused by his para
lytic stroke, but he seemed to take keen
delight in the speeches and was evidently
touched by the heartiness of the welcome
accorded him. He was called TO his feet,
but excused himself from making speech
as he was weary with travel, and then started
slowly to leave the room. Before reaching
the door, however, he returned to say one
thing more; al thank you, thank you, ten
thousand times thank you" The attend
ance on Wednesday was largely increased,
the interest of the day centering about the
gathering of the Army of the Potomac,
with the Grafton by Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher of Brooklyn, and the poem of Mr..
Richard II. Stoddard of New York. Of Mr..
Beecher's address and Mr.. Stoddards adj
mirabe poem we hear no words except Of
unqualified admiration. The entire reunion
was marked with those outbursts of applause
which usually characterize such gatherings
whenever anything good is said or done.
Altogether, in point.of numbers, enthusiasm
and good spirit, the reunion of 1878 may be
set down as one of the pleasantest and most
thoroughly enjoyable ever held. The pith
of Mr.. Beecher's admirable Grafton was con-
tanned in his address to the veterans, as
follows:
lie (Beecher) was not one of those who had for
gotten the weary days of war, although now
the generation that knew the soldiers and hon
ored them is fast passing away, men are counting
popularity by doing despite to the army and the
men that saved the nation. lie was there to do
honor to these men. 1t was yours, gentlemen,
he said, "to belong to period in which we were
like to lose all the fruits of civilization. That
which the school, the pulpit, the forum had sown
the pen could not reap. Then was fulfilled the
prophecy of old, and the sword became sickle,
and reaped the harvcsts that were ready to perish
The desire to heal the wounds OF war, the wish to
conciliate and reunite those who have been ut
strife, is both humane and patriotic. But the
spirit of reconciliation may not be wisely guided
It certainly will not be II it CLOSES over the Grim
inality Of those who led the country into this
hict; the crime of disruption and dsunion; the
virtue and rectitude of the endeavor to maintain
unity and law, and the value to America and to
universal civilization of the results of the war 1t
began Ms war for the union of the United States,
1t ended as a war for emancipation and liberty.
1t began on the Southern part IA a war in defense
OF civilization based upon slavery; it ended as
war for free labor and the laboring man.
The recognition of these truths ought not to be,
must not be, a canse of offense. Taunts, vain
glorious comparisons, depreciation of the vigor
and bravery of the enemy, and whatever springs
from hatred, or revenge or se)fshness, should be
buried. But honest truth should be fearlessly
spoken. The South was wrong. The North was
right. This must stand out as clear as the
sun. Whatever was the personal recti-
tude, sincerity, heroism of the individual, the
Southern army was swept on by great under innu-
ences Of evil which overruled the will of indi-
viduals and made them the unconscious soldiers
of despotism. | am willing to strew
flowers upon the graves Of Southern soldiers rs
men, and under the influence of that generous
sympathy that we cherish for all mankind but
not as soldiers not AS the defenders of a lost
cause that was rightly lost; not on the same day
with the fallen champions for liberty Not with
my right hand chaplets for soldiers of freedom
and with my left chapets for soldiers of disrup-
ton, rebellion and slavery Mr. Beecher would,
however, rejoice in the social regeneration Of the
South which the war effected, and "on these new
foundations said he, we greet the rising South,
and with cordial confidence and fraternal SYM
patty rejoice to see her sons again in the halls of
legislation and to join with her in generous en-
uation for the future glory and strength of our
Union, undivided and indivisiblel'
AT the business meeting which followed
the following officers were elected for the
ensuing year;
President, General W. B. Franklin; vice-pres-
dents, Colonel W. G. veazey Colonel T. E. Par
sons, Colonel NJ. o. b. Lakeman, General james
A. McQuade, Colonel David j. Min, General H.
c. Lee, General IL. b. Sargent; corresponding
secretary, General T. F. Rodenbaugh; recording
secretary, Colonel Horatio c. King; treasurer
General NJ. T. Mcmahon. Albany, N. " was
selected for the next meeting from the three
places Portland Me Albany and Clicago rec
commended by the committee.