Morning journal and courier., 1881-10-08
Connecticut Army and Navy Club.

Their Third Annual Reunion Held Last
 Night at the New Haven House-ElO-
 quent Addresses-A Large Gathering
 From All Parts of the State. !
 The third annual reun1on of the Connecti- cut Army and Navy club was held last eyen- ing at the New Haven House. As usual there was large gathering and it was an occasion ! of note. At the preliminary meeting held in the par lors of the hotel General Franklin presided. An oration was delivered by Colonel Homer B. Sprague on s'Poet Soldiers" It need not ! be said that it was scholarly production en- riched from keen and thoroughly stored I mind, and written in very attractive sstyle. It was listened to with great pleasure. Col onel sprague is principal of the Girls High School, Boston, was formerly principal of the Adelphi Academy, Brooklyn, N. r., and pre- viously was principal of our State Normal School he served the country as Colonel of ! the Thirteenth c. V.
 l The following were elected officers for the l ensuing year:
 President-GeneraI Joseph R. Hawley
 Vice Prestdents-Colonel D. c. Rodman, Groton General E. S. Greeley, New Haven; Colonel O. D. Blinn New Milford; Captain V. B Chamberlain, New
 Secretary and Treasurer-Captain J. c. Kinney, \
 ->Member of Executive Committee-General Frank l D. SIoat, New Haven.
 The banqueting began at about 10 o'clock. The attendance comprised men of prominence | from all parts of the State, including gentle men of note in the learned professions, in business, trade and commerce. Many served with distinction in the war. General William B. Franklin, of Hartford, presided at the main table on the right, General E. s. Cree ley, toastmaster of the occasion, at the main table on the left. At General Frank1in's right sat Governor Bigelow, at his left Colonel H. B. Sprague. At General Greeley's right sat Lieutenant Governor Bulkeley, at his left Col onel Torrance. At the opposite ends of the tables were General l.. A. Dickinson, of Hart
 ford, and Colonel J. W. Knowlton, postmas- ter of Bridgeport.
 | Among the New Haven members present
 were Gen. Geo. M. Harmon, Gen. Geo. H.
 Ford, Gen. Frank D. Sloat, Col. Rutherford
 Trowbridge, Col A. c. Hendrick, Adjutant
 Geo. F. Peterson Col s. J. Fox, Capt. Chas.
 E. Hart, F. J. Hart, Capt. B. E. Stevens, B.
 B. Brown, Frank Munson, Dr. Wm. Fl.
 Thompson of Fair Haven, Dr. P. A. Jewett, ! Frederick Waldron; former New Haven men
 were present-Geu. Erastus Blakeslee of the
 old First Conn. Cavalry, and Capt. Theo. R.
 Davis of the old Fifteenth C.. V. From other | parts of the State there were-Gen. Edward ! Harland of Norwich, Gen. J.L. Otis of Leeds, Mass. Col Tubbs of New London, Col. Stiles
 Stanton of Stonington, Capt. H. P. Goddard l of Hartford, Gen. 5. F. Blakeslee of Hart | ford, Gen. Wm. I. Aiken of Gov. Bucking-
 hams staff, Norwich, Col. Chas. D. Blinn, New Milford, Major H. M. Hoyt, proprietor of the Bridgeport Morning Neaos. Col. Camp
 of Middletown. Prayer was offered by
 Chaplain Upson, of Preston. The banquet
 was one in keeping with the high reputation
 of Moseley's New Haven House. The hall
 was finely decorated in red, white and blue
 bunting, which was furnished gratuitously
 for the occasion by Messrs Brown, Bolton & Co.,, of this city. The arrangement was by
 Col. Healey Frederick Waldron and John ! McCarthy. An incident worthy of note is
 that waiting upon one of the club was by
 chance his old servant in the war times, 16
 years having passed since they parted.
 Gen. Franklin, the president, after the
 banquet summoned the assembly to sing America" which was sung with great spirit, all standing. Gen. Franklin then an
 nounced Gen Greeley, of New Haven, as l toastmaster.
 Gen Greeley made a brief address and
 gave the first toast.
 ''THE MEMORY OF PRESIDENT GARFIELD"
 To this toast, in the unavoidable absence of
 Gen. Joseph R. Hawley, Capt V. B. Cham
 berlain, of New Britain, responded. It was
 beautiful address, eminently fitting and ap-
 propriate, often deeply pathetic, and fre- quently rising to genuine eloquence.
 I After fine passages relative to the depth of
 sorrow felt by this nation and other great 1 nations at the assassination, the suffering
 and the death of President Garfield, the
 speaker paid tribute of admiration of the
 high character of the dead chieftain, his
 statesmanlike views, his pure domestic life, | and his nobility as man. The national sit-
 uation when Lincoln fell was compared with 1 that which of late saw united people weep
 ing over the grave of President Garfield. 1 "A peoples heart was his funeral urn."
 Captain Chamberlain had just begun his
 address when members started up, the flag
 over the picture of the late President having
 caught fire from the gas jets underneath.
 There was quick work, but the flags were
 burned.
 THE PRESIDENT. David Torrance responded. He rose to personal explana- tion, happily introducing his main effort. The nation's recent great sorrow was re-
 ferred to in eloquent words. President Ar
 thurs task was difficult one. This was not the time for criticism. The old Greeks said, s'Count no man happy till he is dead" So
 let us wait and see. If we give President Arthur our whole confidence and support I
 have no fears of the result. He has been
 tried and proved himself worthy of trust-
 To succeed a Garfield is a great task, but President Arthur is a man who will worthily
 fill the high position he occupies. l THE STATE OF CoNNEoT1oUr.-In the ab-
 sence of Governor Bigelow, who had been
 present but had been obliged to retire, be- l ing too i'll to remain, the task of response de- volved upon Lieutenant Governor Bulkeley. Without time for preparation, Lieutenant
 Governor Bulkeley did full justice to the sen- timent and the dignity of the occasion. His l remarks included reference to the high posi-
 ton of the State in the struggle for national independence, to her military prowess and val iant deeds in the war for freedom. Again on other battle grounds Connecticut bore
 noble part in 1872. in Mexico, and again how noble in the great rebellion, furnishing men abundantly and heroes of national renown. In the future as in the past Connecticut would
 be bright star in the constellation of States
 in a reunited nation.
 THE CITY OF NEW HAvEN.-To this toast General Greeley, in introductory words highly 1 acceptable, called upon General F. D. Sloat
 to respond. General Sloat was greeted with
 warm welcome. and responded eloquently,
 frequently arousing demonstrations of ap- l plause He referred to the historic record of { | New Haven, it's time-honored university with it's national fame to the great development of manufacturing and commercial interests
 within her borders A humorous alusion to it's loss of it's position as a semi-capital, ex-