The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-06-30
sHEEcH BY SENATOR PLUME,

CnLEOh DI SENh4On AAb-ADY
At the Soldiers Reunion. KizEin, Kss.
BIr. Prentis, in the Champion, gives
the following abstract of Senator |
Plumb's speech at the soldiers reunion
in Kirwin, Phillips county, last week
When the "recall'' was sounded, Col. |
Plumb was introduced and made an ex-
ccedingly practical, sensible, kindly
and patriotic speech, to which syRop-
sis does very meagre justice.
He spoke of this part of Kansas as the
skirmish line OF civilization. He had
been on that line at different times him.
self. Twenty-Five years ago he occupied
it at Emporia- The question then, rs
now, was a vital one; il was the bread
and butter question. "Will il rain
here? Is this a permanently productive
country, or not:'' They asked that
question at Emporia twenty
four years ago. There came drouih
of seven weeks. Settlers became
alarmed. Old man Hayes, of Council
Grove, who had been long in the coun-
| try as an Indian trader, told that bad as
| il was, it was the best year he had known
| in twenty-five. One alarmist waited
| ON old Solomon Phenis and depicted the
| horrible situation. Then the old man
evolved his theory. God did not think
it worth while, he said, to send rain upon
| a country where there was moth
ing but bufialoes; but now that
/ man had come, God would
send the needed rain. This, the speak
er explained, was his belief. Man can
| compel nature. At one time the Gov
| eminent proposed TO give up the
country west of the Tooth meridian.
He had seen the climatic changes in
Kansas He had resisted the idea. and
/ it was given up. He had lived through
the drOuth Of 1850; by far the worst,
all things considered, that had ever
visited the State. Men fled before it
but one, two, five. ten years afterward
they came back. They had found no
leave Kansas, for you will inevitably be
Obliged to pay fare both ways-yOu will
come back again Whatever happens
don't go to your -"wifeis folks" They
| do not wish to see you. Every young
man should make his own home I;
and good way from the old
homestead at that. He expected to re-
turn to northwestern Kansas next year,
| and the year after that, and for many
years to come; and with each successive
| visit he should see more men, more wo-
men and children, more homes, more
wealth, more happiness.
He spoke Of the reunion as represent
ing the past. the present and the future.
Here were men who carried the Ameri-
can flag 10 the halls of the MOntcZumas /;
here were those who had preserved to
the land liberty and union; here was
the coming generation. The register
showed men from every State and every
battlefield. Here were represented Fred
ericksburg, Vicksburg, AppOinattox, and
the march to the sea. Once moro these
old comrades meet TO clasp hands, to
pledge each other aid in q new cam
paign, the subjugation of the wilderness.
The speaker dWelt, as other speakers
had done, ON the bright side of the sol
dier's life; the brightness. the entlIusi-
asm, the joy, the gGiety Of It. And then
the friendships that were formed; the
attachment of the soldier to his cOmrade
ltrue as that of woman, stronger than the
tie of Jonathan and David.
A French philosopher had said that
the only thing we cannot be cheated out
of is what we have spent. Thus il was
with the soldier. What he had given
his country was still his. He cannot be
robbed of the priceless riches of memo
~. The history of the war, however,
cannot be written until the individual
stories have been given. The history
must be made from the sacrifices and
experiences of ALL He had gone
to see President Grant with q
private soldier of Wisconsin regiment
The President and the ex-volunteer dis
cused q certain campaign. Said the
President, in conclusion: "YOu have
| given the ciearest most accurate account
of that movement / have ever heard
Two corpOrals could agree; two Major
Generals would fall out. The private
soldier had no personal aims or ambi
lions; his but to do or die; his story
would be the real history of the war.
The concluding portion of the eena
tors address was a review of the present
condition of the country; its influence
abroad. No living American would
ever see another war. No foreign pow
er would assail US. We had settled the
fact of selfprescrvation at homo
coming to our shores every year
They were satisfied of the perpetuity o
our institutions This country, moreover
was to be the protector of republics OF
this continent and in South America
. But for us, Macmillan and monarchy
would have prevailed in Mexico. II
saving ourselves we have saved the con
tinent.
The soldier of the Union would hav,
Justice done him. The government
moves slowly because 1t is a government
!, of the people. We must be patient
The soldier was not mercenary; b.
l wanted only what was in the contract
and that he would receive. The sol
dier would be, must be the best Of citi
3 | Zens, and If his lot has been cast II
8 Kansas, here let him remain, to gathe
l about him all that makes life precious
! here let him stay and build for himsel
}. and those who should come after hin
I the home of the brave and free.
The senator's remarks we're listenet
h to with profound attention, broken, a
3 times, by hearty applause. He produC
!. ed an excellent impression.