Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-08-20
GarfeId's New York Speech.

AT New Ork on the evening OF August
9th General Garfield was given a re-
ception by the Boys in Blue and thus
addressed his entertainers:
COMRADES AND BOYS IN BLUE, AND FELLOW
CITIZENS OF NEW YORK: / cannot look upon
this great esscmblage 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
thing it is to live in this Union and be part of
it, This is New York, and yonder toward the
battery, more than II hundred years ago,
young student of Columbia College was arguing
the ideas Of American Revolution and Ameri.
can Union against an American loyalty to
monarchy of his college President and Pro
fessors. By-and-by he went TO the patriot
army, was placed on the staff of Washington
to fight the battles of his country, and while in
camp, before he was twenty-one years old,
upon drumhead he wrote letter which CON
tanned every germ of the Constitution of the
United States. That student, soldier, states
man and great leader of thought-Alexander
Hamilton, of New York-made this Republic
glorious by his thinking, and left his lasting
impression upon New York. the foremost
State of the Union, and here on this island, the
scene of his early triumphs, we go there to-
night soldiers of a new war, representing the
same ideas of Union and glory, and adding TO
the column of the monument that Hamilton,
and Washington, and the heroes of the Revo-
luton reared.
Ideas outlive men. Ideas outlive all things,
and you who fought in the war for the Union
fought for immortal ideas, and by their might
I
ry was worth nothing except for the fruits
| that were under it, in 1t and above il. We
ought tonight as veterans ana comrades to
stand sacred guard around the truths for
which we fought. And while we have life to
| meet and grasp the hand of the comrade we
will stand by the great truths OF the war
| And, comrades, among the connections of
| that war which have sunk deep in our hearts
| there are some we can never forget Think
| of the great elevatng 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. They went forth I'M
| known to fame, but returned enrolled on the
roster of immortal heroes. They went in the
! spirit of those soldiers Of Henry of Agincourt,
| of whom he said "Who this day sheds his
blood with me to-day shall be my brother.
! Were he ne'er 50. vile this day shall gentle
| his condition" And it did gentle the
condition and elevate the heart of every
and he shall be our brother forever
more; and one thing we will remember, 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
| 100000 of black people compelled to toll as
slaves for our enemies, and we found that the
hearts of this 100000 were God-inspired with
the spirit of liberty, and that they were our
friends. We have seen white men betray the
flag and fight TO kill the Union, but in all that
long dreary war we never saw traitor in O
black skin. 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. In
| all that period of suffering and danger nc
Union soldier was ever betrayed by the BLACK
man or woman. And now that we have made
them free, so long as We live we will stand by
the black citizens. We will stand by them un
til the sun OF liberty, fixed in the tirmament
of our Constitution, shall shine with equa
rays upon the white and black throughout the
| Union.
Now, fellow-citizens, fcllow-soldiers, in all
this there Is a beneficcncc of eternal justice
and by this wo will stand forever The grea
poet has said that in individual life we rs,
"On stepping stones of our dead selves tC
higher things" and the Republic rises on the
glorious achievements of its dead and Twins
heroes TO higher and noblcr National life. W.
patriots, and over our country as the common
heritage of us all.
thank you, felow-citizeus, for this mag
nihcent demonstration. In so far MS | repre-
sent in my heart aud life the great doctrines
for which you fought accept this demonstra
tion as tribute to my representative charac
i ter In the strength OF your hands in the fer
vor of your hearts, in the tirmness of you
faith, In all that betokens the greatness O
manhood and nOblenoss of character, the Re
public finds its security and glory. ! do no
enter upon controversial questions. The time
the place, the situation forbid IT, / respec
the traditions that require me 10 speak Onl
of these themes which elevate us ALL Agail
1 thank you for the kindness and enthusiasm
of your greeting. tremendous cheering.l
BsS~ Mr.. Weaver, National candidate
for President, declares that the condi
tion of affairs South is far worse thai
| n ~ IL u