The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-10-29
A Happy Speech by the Next President.


The Business Mems Club of Indian
apolis, to the number of about 400, paid
Gen. Garfield a visit at his Mentor
home. The club is composed of the
most prominent bankers, merchants,
and other business men of the capital of
Indiana. Their uniforms are linen dust
ers and three-cornered straw hats, the
costume being "take-off" on the Dem
ocratic Jefferson Club of indianapolis.
The Indiana visitors signalized their
arrival at Mentor by firing cannon
which they had brought with them on
a baggage-car. Having alighted and
formed into line under the leadership of
their Captain, NJ. M. McLain, ESQ.,, and
headed by their band, the column moved
up the long lane leading to the Generals
house. They formed in front of the resi-
dence, and, when Gen. Garfield appeared
upon the piazza, three rounds Of ring
ing cheers went up, and Capt. McLain
stepped forward and made speech, de-
failing the history of the club, its part
in the campaign, and eulogistic of the
wise financial policy of the Republican
administration. Three cheers were given
for Gen. Garfield when Capt McLain
concluded, to which the General re-
sponded as follows:
GENTLEMEN You have come as bearers of
dispatches, SO your Chairman tells ME, and |
am glad to hear the news you bring, and ex-
ceedingly glad to see the bringers of the news.
Your uniforms, the name of your club the
place from which you come. are full of Sug-
gestions. You recollect the verses that were
often quoted about the old Continental soldiers
the old three-cornered hat and the breeches,
and all that were so queer. Your costume brings
back to our memory the days of the Continen-
tails of l776, whose principles l hope you rep
resent. You are called the Lincoln Club, and
Lincoln was himself a revival, a restoration of
the days of '76 and their doctrines. The great
Proclamation of Emancipation which he
penned was the second Declaration of
independence, broader, fuller-the New
Testament of human liberty and then you
come from Indiana, supposed to be q Western
State, and yet IN its traditions older than Ohio.
More than 100 years ago gallant Virginian
went far up into your wilderness, captured two
or three forts, took down the British flag, and
reared the Stars and Stripes. Vincennes and
Cahokia and post in Illinois were part of
that capture. Your native State was one of the
first fruits of that splendid fighting power which
gave the whole West to the United States and
now these represe4 tatves of Indiana come, rep
resenting the Revolution in your hats repre-
scnting Abraham Lincoln in your badges. and
representing the victory both of the Revolution
and of Lincoln in the news you bring. I could
not be an American and fail to welcome your
costumes, your badges, your news, and your
selves
Many Indiana men were my comrades in the
days of the war. 1 remember regiment of
them that was under my command near Cor
NTH, when it seemed necessary for the defense
of our forces to cut down little piece of TIM
ber-seventy-fye acres. We unlocked from my
brigade about 1000 new axes, and the Fifty
first regiment of Indiana volunteers chopped
down more trees in half day than [ supposed
it was possible could fall in forest in week.
1t appears that in the great political forest from
which you have just come your axes have been
busy again. l especially welcome the axmen of
the Fifty-frst Regiment who may happen to be
here, and thank you all, gentlemen, for the
compliment of your visit and for the good news
you bring. do not prize that news half SO
much for its personal relations to you and to
me as do because it is revival of the spirit
of '76, the spirit of Abraham Lincoln it is the
spirit of universal liberty and the spirit of just
equal law all over this land, that gives your
news its great significance.
Gentlemen, thank you again, and shall be
glad to take you by the hand.
When Gen. Garfield had concluded
the visitors spent an hour or so in being
introduced all around, and, after this
was over, they again formed in line
and marched back to the train, giving
three more rousing cheers as they left.