The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-06-17
Last Nights Dispatches.
GARFIELD.
Hls Speech at Washington.

WASHINGTON, June 16.-TLis evening
a serenade was rendered Gen. Garfield by
| the National Veteran Association. The
portico of the Riggs House was tastefully
decorated with flags and bunting and the
surrounding streets were brilliantly iIlu
minated with calcium lights, while at fre
quent intervals rockets and other fire
works were set off from the steps of the
treasury department as the procession filed
past. Cheers were given for Garfield and
| as that gentleman appeared on the plat
form accompanied by Attorney General
Devens they were renewed. Gen. Devens
in introducing Gen. Garfield. referred to
the great Republican Presidents. Lincoln,
Grant aud Hayes. and each name was
greeted with loud cheers. If. be conclud-
ed. you sought to find an example in one
person of the mode in which by our free
civilization the hope is given to the hum
blest as well as the highest born to aspire
By loyal aims. by high ambition. by noble
prophecies to the greatest Office in your
gift. Where would you seek it but in
James A. Garfield [Cheers.l | intro
duce to you therefore soldier who has
found the path lof learning no primrose
path, but has won his way along by steady
industry, soldier whose shield is unsoil-
ed and whose sword is spotless, states
man on whom rests no stain or dishonor, a
Christian gentleman respecting the rights
OF every man, because he himself is kind.
eonslderate and self-respecting always. [
introduce Gen. Jas. A Garfield. Loud
cheering.
Gen, Garfield said:
Fellow citizens; While | have looked
upon this great array, | believe I have
formed o new idea of the majesty of the
American people. When [ reflect that
whenever you find sovereign power
every reverenta heart on earth beats for
ii, and then | remember that here for a
hundred years we have denied the SOW
ereIgnty of any man. and in place of it we
have asserted the sovereignty of all in
place of one, | see before me SO vast a
coucOurse that it is easy for me to
imagine that the rest of the Am erican
people are gathered here Tonight. and if
they were all here every man would
stand uncovered in unsaddied fleet in the
presence Of the majesty of the only sover-
eign power 10 this government under
Almighty God. Cheers. And therefore
to this great audience l pay the respect
full homage that that in part belongs to
the sovereignty of the people. / thank
you for this great and glorious demonstra-
ton. L am not tor one moment misled
into believing that it refers to so poor a
thing as any one of our number | know
it means your reverence to your govern
ment, your reverence for its laws your
reverence for its institutions and your COM
pliment to one who is placed for a moment
in relation to you of peculiar Importance
For all these reasons | thank you. | can
not at this time utter word on the sub
ject of general politics. | would not mar
the cordiality of this welcome. to which to
some extent all are gathered, by any refer
ence except to the present moment and
significance, but | wish to say that a
large portion of this assemblage to night
are my comrades in the late war for the
union. For them / can speak with entire pro-
prlety, and can say that these very
streets heard. the measured tread Of your
disciplined feet years ago when the i'm
periiled republic needed your hands and
heart to save it, and you came back with
your numbers decimsted, but those you
left behind were immortal and gglorifed
heroes forever, and those you brought
back came carrying under tattered ban
ners and ipsbronzed hands the ark Of COW
enaut of your republic in safety out Of the
bloody baptism Of war. lCheers.l And
you brought it in safety to be saved by
1OuE sdlOI dl0 eU6 WIS0CuI Vi JOUE DIGtE-
reu who we're at home; and By this you
were again added to the civil army Of re-
pubiics. | greet you, comrades aud fellow
soldiers and the great body of distinguished
citizens who are gathered here Tonight.
who are tho strong stay and support Of
business, of prosperity, of peace. of civio
order and glory Of the republic. thank
you for your welcome to one who came to
England to be psrt of her glory, aud all
the nation spoke when it was said, "Nor-
mans and Saxons and Danes are we. but
all of US Danes" In our welcome of the
land we say tonight, of all nations of all
people, soldiers and civilians. there is one
name that weld US all into one; it is the
name Of American citizens, under the
Union aud under the glory of the flag that
led US to victory and to peace. Ap-
piause For this magnificent welcome l
thank you with all there is in my heart.
Loud cheers were then given for Gen.
Gar rield. ns he retired from the platform
and his place was taken by other speakers,
CRIMINAL.
BRATTLEBoRo, VI, June 16-The