New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-11-18
COLONEL IyG&RsoLL on THE VoLUYrEERS
Lrom ~. sn.cch AZ ne araat Banauet IN chieaao.

IRON his Spscch AZ ne Grant banquet Chicago.
"The Volunteer Soldiers of the Union
Army They we're The defenders OF humanity. the
dcstToyers OF prejudice, the breakers OF chains and IN
the name OF tie future slew the monster OF their time
They finished what The soldiers or the Revolution COM
They have relt the torch that fell from their
august hands and filed the world arain with lght:
They blOtcd from stauc-bOOks The laws passed
by nypocrtes AT the nsiigauon OF robbers loud ap-
pause and toie VITA bfave ana Indignant hands from
the Constitution OF the United States that infamous
clause that the catcners OF their IelOwuen.
jdst. for statesmen to be humane, and for
politicians 10 he honest. They broke the shackes
from the limbs 81 slaves from the souls OF masters ana
from the Northern brain Tncy kept our country on
the map oI tine world ana our nag In heaVeh. lay,
pauseI Ihci rolled the stone nom me sciulcgrc OF
pTorrcss and found therein two angels clad Ia shining
garments-NatIOnality anu Liberty. Loud applauseI
The soldiers were me saVi9ls OF the KepuDic thty
were the hberaors Of men. In writing the PrOcama-
tion OF Emancipation. Lincoln. greatest OF Qua mighty
dead. whose memory Is as gentle rs summer ar Wneh
reapcrs sing amid gathered sheaves. copied with the
pen the grand hands Of brave comrades had writ
ten with their swords lArpiausel Grander tnan me
Greek, nobicr than the Roman the soldiers or the Re-
public. with patriotism careless ~ tue arr fought for
the T.ghts OF others. Tor the nobility OF liboI ami
battlcd that mother might own her child, that ar
aud that country should not DO many-leadcd
monster made of warning states, but a Nation,
wntor money was leaves, and life was only common
air. until one nas loaicd over one Republic, without
question. VIII Tree people voluntarily tax themselves
TO pay Nations debt ~ The soldiers went nome 10
their waiting wives, TO their glad children. and To the
girls they loved. They went back to the fields, The
had been cnno6led fChcers.l Mocking at reverses
laughing at poverty. hey made friend ~ toll. They
said. We saved the Nations life, ana what life with
honor I" They worked ami wrought, with all OF
abOrs ROYAL sons. that every pledge rhe Nation
made mi ght redeemed. And their great leader hay-
ing put shining band Of friendship, girdle casped
ana loving hands around the globe home nnd
ana lads, that every promise made In now
ring and gicam OF gold. Enthusiastic cheers
There is anotNr question SIN. VIII all the wounds
OF be healed answer, yes. The Southern ueope
submit Not to the dictatlon Of the Moth but 10
II Nations will and the verdict OF mankind. [Great APP
pause. They wrong and the time VIII come when
they viii sly that the people are the vctors who have
been vanQuished by the right. Freedom conquered
them, aud freedom VIII cultivate their fields, VIII edu
cate their children, Will robes OF wealth. will
ecute and flll their land with happy homes.
fApplause The soldiers Of the Union saved
the South az well as the North They gave
Nation. They gave us liberty here, and
their grand victories have made tyranny the world
: insecure upon the lips OF VOLCANOES. Zap
plause.
And now let drink TO the Volunteers, 10 those who
sleep IN unknown ana sunken graves. whose names
known only the hearts they loved and left OF those
who oft in happy dreams see the footsteps OF
turn. Let Us drink TO those who died where lfelcss
famine Knocked at want. Let Us drink to the maiDed
whose scars give modesty tongue. Let us drink to
those who dared aud to chance the aud keep
ing Of their lives Let drink 10 all the living aud 10 all
the dead-O Sherman and to Sheridan, and To Grant,
aureed soldiers OF this world, and last To Lincoln,
loving life like bow OF peace, spans and arches
the clouds OF