Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-09-07
AN ABLE, ELOQUENT AN
HUMOROUS SPEECH.

HUMOROUS SPEECH.
The Massachusetts regiment of vol.
nnteers, which served in the Mexican
war, celebrated the 23d anniversary of
their return home, on Tuesday, the
18th OF July, at Nastasket Beach,
Boston Harbor. Among those present
was General W. W. II. Davis, editor of
the Doylestown, PA, Democrat, the first
Adiutant, and afterwards a Captain in
the regiment, whc being called upon,
addressed his companions in a speech
which they highly applauded. We
make the following extracts, which
will be found to contain much that is
interesting and instructive;
"The bones Of man ys6f our comrads lay mould.
ering among the mountains, or upon the plains,
Of Mexico. In our hearts, let them be fondly re-.
membered!"
"The knights bones are dust,
And their good swords rust
Their souls are with the saints we trust"
But In spite Of saddeued memories-
There's feelings within US that loves to revert
To the merry old times that are gone"
How all the events connected with
the regiment, and its campaigns, are
stamped upon the memory When
Massachusetts was called upon for a
regiment, was young stranger out
at Harvard, giving my time to con.
nings of Rush, and maxims of Kent. |
could not withstand the appeal. The
Quaker blood had brought up from
Pennsylvania, rose to the enlisting
point, and thought the country would
go to the "demnition bow. vows" did
| not become one of her "boud soger
boys !" 80 | marched into Boston, one
afternoon, ascended seven pairs OF
stairs in the old Scolley building, which
has gone to its final account, and sign.
cd Captain Crowningshields roll while
| held my breath. Thus the deed was
done. ] marched back to Cambridge
a little taller, and little broader and
II little everything else whstling as |
went, "The Girl | Left Behind Me y
for in common with other young men,
/ had girl to leave behind. After
that, what the boys call "drilltary
drum.sticks" bad more charms for me
than law. What tribulations we met
in recruiting and organizing the regi-
ment The Mexican war had fewer
friends in Boston, than the one which
broke out fifteen years later. If there
were q colored individual under that
wood-pile, somehow or other be was in
the wrong end of it for us. But we
circumvented all our enemies our
company dogs whipped the dogs OF the
town boys, and we filled our ranks in
spite of anti.war people hiring our men
TO desert
The regiment being full and muster.
cd in, how well you remember subse.
quent events; the embarkation on q
cold Winters day in Boston Harbor
our voyage at sea, with its incidents Of
pleasure and pain; the landing on
Brazos Island, where we first met the
realities of soldiers life, and noticed
a slight disinclination for what your
townswoman, Mrs. Partington, calls
the "tainted field" and where the
drifting sand put out our fires,
sweetened our coffee and seasoned our
pork our march to Matamoras to
Camargo, where we quonched the thirst
with the mule-impregnated waters
of the Rio San Juan; to Walnut Springs
and Monterey, the way being marked
by General Taylor's mie.stones and
thence to Buena Vista, where "Old
Zack" politely informed Santa Anna
that he "never surrenders." We now
rctrace our steps, by sea and land, to
Vera Cruz, the gateway to the Capi.
tol we march through the burning
sands of the terra cdlieRtc TO Jalapa
over the Sierras, and across the arid
tablelands to Pueblo; through this
beautiful valley, in sight of the won
derfnl pyramid Of Cholula, with cool
breezes from snow covered mountains
tanning our heated brows, to the Cor.
dilleras, which we cross at an elevation
Of 10000 feet, and descended into the
lovely valley of Mexico. These scenes
and events are so indelibly impressed
upon the memory, they can never bo
forgotten.
The Mexican war forms part Of the
history of the country. The policy
which led to it, II any there were out.
side of an honest desire TO maintain our
just rights, and the motives that die.
tated the treaty of peace, tho results
which followed, are subjects for impair.
tial criticism, but this is neither the
time nor tho place to indulge in it..
This much, however, it is permissible
to say that no sane man would think,
for one moment, Of giving up the fruits
OF that war. And here, in this city of
Boston, where the opposition was the
bitterest, | doubt whether one man
can be found willing TO place things
back as they stood before the Mexican
war. 1t gave the country new land
of Ophir on the Pacific, which enabled
us 10 tap the commerce OF the East,
and which we will ultimately control,
il Congress can be made TO understand
the secret Of fostering American ship.
ping it extended our southwestern
border TO the Rio Grande del Norte,
and secured to us the great central re.
gion of the continent, rich, beyond
compute, in mineral wealth But the
most remarkable feature of the war is
this, that at its close the United States
bound herself, by solemn treaty stipu-
lation, 10 pay a money value for terri
tory already hers by right of conquest.
II is seldom such lberality marks the
close of foreign war, but the yenor.
Gus policy Of our government on that