Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-08-13
GEN. GARFIELDS SPEECH


TO attend the conference Of leading Republi-
cans, Gen. Garfield was given a brilliant re-
ception and a serenade, by the Boys in Blue,
at the Headquarters Of the National Republi-
can Committee. An enthusiastic crowd throng-
ed the avenue and the surrounding streets,
and prominent Republicans filled the commit
tee rooms. Shortly after o'clock Gen. Gar
field arrived, accompanied by Levi p Morton,
Marshall Jewell, Senator Dorsey, Col Hooker,
Senator Don Cameron, and ex-Gov. McCor-
mick Cheer after cheer was given as he
passed along, and the shouts were redoubled
when the general appeared on the balcony of
the headquarters building to review the pro-
cession. When the various Garfield and Ar
thur clubs were settled in their respective
places, Gen. Sharpe spoke briefly, saying that
they had gathered to honor the man who for
four years was the head of the Boys in Blue
and an efficient officer under Grant, and who
was only relieved from his position when he
was nominated on the floor of the convention,
while he was endeayoring to secure the nomi-
nation Of a distinguished citizen from Ohio.
Gen. Garfield was then introduced and spoke
as follows, after the applause, which lasted
over ten minutes, had subsided
Comrades Of tie Boys in Blue and FelloD
Citizens If Neio York: | cannot look upon
this great assemblage and these old veterans
that have marched past us, and listen to the
welcome from our comrade who has Just
spoken, without remembering how great a
thing it is to live in this Union and be a part
of it. (Applause.) This is New York, and
yonder toward the Battery more than hun
dred years ago young student of Columbia
college was arguing the ideas of the American
Revolution and the American Union against
the un- American loyalty to monarchy of his
college president and professors. BY and by
he went into the patriot army, and was placed
on the staff of Washington (cheers) to fight
the battles Of his country (cheers) and while
in camp, before he was 2l years old, upon Il
drum head he wrote a letter which contained
every germ of the constitution Of the United
States (Applause.) That student, soldier,
statesman and great leader of thought, Alex
ander Hamilton of New York, made this re-
public glorious by his thinking, and left his
lasting impress upon New York, the foremost
State of the Union. (Applause.) And here
on this island, the scene of the early triumphs,
we gather tonight, soldiers Of the new war,
representing the same ideas Of union and glo-
ry, and adding to the column of the monu-
ment that Hamilton and Washington and the
ueTOtb vi tue ItNOlullOn IthIcu
Gentlemen ideas outlive men. Ideas out
live all things, and you who fought in the war
for the Union fought for immortal ideRs, and
by their might you crowned our war with vic
tory. Great applause) But victory was
worth nothing except for the fruits that were
under it, in ii and above it. We meet to-
night as veterans and comrades to stand sacred
guard around the truths for which We fought
(loud and prolonged cheering), and while we
have life to meet and grasp the hand of a
comrade, we will stand by the great truths Of
the war. ("Good, ""Good, and loud cheers
And, comrades, among the convictions of
that war which have sunk deep in our hearts
there are some that we can never forget.
Think of the great elevatiDg spirit of the war
itself We gathered the boys from all our
farms, and shops, and stores, and schools,
and homes, from all over the republic, and
they went forth unknown to fame, but return
ed enrolled on the roster of immortal heroes.
(Great applause They went in the spirit of
those soldiers of Henry Agincourt, of whom
he said: "Who this day sheds his blood with
me, to-day shall be my brother. Were he
ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condi-
ton" And it did gentle the condition and
elevate the heart of every working soldier
who fought in it (applause), and he shall be
our brother forsvermore.
We will remember our allies who fought
with us Soon after the great struggle began,
we looked behind the army of white rebels
and saw 4, 600, 600 of black people condemned
to toll as slaves for enemies; and We found
that the hearts of this 1000, 600 were God
inspired with the spirit of liberty, and that
they we're our friends. (Appause.) We
have seen white men bctray the flag and fight
to kill the Union, but in all the long dreary
war we never saw u traitor in q black skin.
(Great cheers Our prisoners, escaping
from the starvation of prison. fleeing to our
lines by the light of the north star, never
feared TO enter the black mans cabin and ask
for bread. ("Good," Good" 'Thats So"
and loud cheers.) In all that period of suf-
fering and danger, no Union soldier was ever
betrayed by black man or woman. (Ap-
plause.) And, now that we have made them
free, so long as we live we will stand by these
black allies. Renewed applause.) We will
stand by them until the sun OF liberty fixed
in the armament of our constitution shall
shine with equal rays upon every man, black
or white, throughout the Union. (Cheers.
Now, fellow citizens, fellow-soldiers, in. this
there is all the benefcence of eternal justice,
and by this we will stand forever. (Great
applause.) The great poet has said that in
individual life we rise ION the stepping stones
of our dead selves TO higher things" and the
republic rises on the glorious achievements of
its dead and living heroes to higher and no.
bier national life. (Applause.) We must
stand guaru over our post as soldiers-as pat
riots and over our country as the common
heritage of US all. (Applause.)
thank you, fellow citizens, for this mag
nificent demonstration. In so far as l repre-
sent in my heart and life the great doctrines
for which you fought accept this demon
stration as a tribute to my representative char
acter. (Applause.) In the strength of your
hands, in the fervor of your hearts, in the
firmness of your faith, in all that betOkens
the greatness of manhood and nobleness of
character. the republic finds its security and
glory. (Applause) / do not enter upon
controverted questions. The time the place,
the situation, forbid it. 1 respect the trad-
tions that require me TO speak only of these
themes that elevate us ALL Again thank you
for the kindness and enthusiasm of your greet
ing (Trcmendous cheorinpO