Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-08
THE REUNION
OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE
AT CINCINNATI.
The Closing Day-Grand Banquet at the
Great Music Hall-The Numerous
Toasts-Response ofex-
President Hayes.
A PLEASANT MEETING OF SOLDIERS.
ARMY OF Thn TENNESSEE.
The Closing Day OF the Reunion at Gin
cinnati.

CINCINNATI, o., April THE Society
OF the Army OF the Tennessee at its bust.
ness meeting to-day, reelected General
Sherman President, Col. L. NJ. Dayton
Recording Secretary, Gen. A. Hicken.
looper Corresponding Secretary, and
Gen. NJ. +. Force Treasurer. st. Louis
was chosen as the place for the next
meeting. which will be held May 10th
and llth. 1882. Col. Williamson, o.
Iowa, no y in the Land Office at Wash.
ington, was chosen as Orator. General
Sherman read long paper sn military
discipline. The reception at Col. bay.
tone residence this afternoon and the
banquet tonight closes the reunion.
The elimination OF the fourteenth
reunion closed with banquet tonight at
the Burnett House. $50 persons sat
down to the tables, OF whom
not more than twenty were
not members OF the army
during the war. The diningroom was
filled with flags, many of them being
battle flags of Ohio regiments. Table
decorations were profuse and significant,
representing nearly all the implements
of war, IS we'll as badges OF the differ.
ent army corps OF the Army OF the Ten
nessee. After partaking of the m,1iu ex-
President Hayes was called on, in re-
sponse to the toast, "The States"
Ex. President Hayes responded to the
first toast, "The United States" lie
said:
| Mr.. PREsIDEST-One OF the most elo-
quent and best known speeches Of Mr..
Clay was in reference to the war OF 1872,
in reply to the question, What have We
gained by the war;" II the same qucs.
ton is asked in relation to the great con-
tlict OF 1861, 10 eloquence is required to
give emphasis to the answer; the suiii.
cient reply is found in the single phrase
| OF the sentiment Just announced. III II
| is asked, "What have We gained by the
war for the l'nion2" the answer must be
"Our gain is the United States" How
large part OF all that exalts our
patriotic pride when We look at the pres
| ent condition OF our country and think
| OF its future is the fruit OF the war OF
1861. The war established not only that
the people OF the United States are one
people, that they are free people, all OF
whom have equal rights, and that their
| government IL supreme within its
sphere on every acre OF American soil,
but also gave to intelligent men at home
and abroad confidence in the stability
of our institutions and in the capacity
| OF our people for self government, which
| is working, and has already brought ex.
tension and gratifying changes in this
country and throughout the world.
The war taught ourselves and
the rest of mankind that faith
in the fitness OF the people To
govern, which is essential to the main
tenance oil free government here and to
its adoption by other nations. Our in
crease in wealth, population and terri.
torial extent, and in other elements OF
physical progress, we easily trace to the
triumph Of the Union arms, but the
statistical tables which exhibit the
strength OF our country and its resources
afford very inadequate means for meas
uring the progress we have made and
are now making by reason OF the war.
| Before the war, twenty or twenty-five
wears ago, many well informed people
| i'm this country denied, and many
more doubted the fundamental
maxims OF our free institutions.
In other countries the general
Judgment was against popular govern
ment. This skeptcism exposed our ex-
pertinent in republicanism to double
peril. Those who are active in public
| affairs and who distrust the wisdom oi
the people, resort to sophistry, intrigue
and corruption TO attain their ends. AT
the same time good citizens who lack
confidence in popular judgment, lose
their interest in the government and
neglect political duties. The tendency
of this state of things is to supplement
the opportunity and power OF the dema'
rosue by the apathy OF the good citizen.
Confidence in the people is one oil the
main props OF a government by the peo'
ple. As faith in the humanity, justice
and wisdom OF the people increases, the
arts OF dishonest politics give place TO
fair debate and intelligent discussion,
and good citizens will be found at the
front OF political movements. Our civil
war. on this head, gave TO us and to the
world much.needed lesson. In the
| hardest stress OF the war the private sol
| dier and the private citizen were often
wiser and frmer than their leaders.
The mastery leadership OF President
Lincoln was rooted, in hls perfect
knowledge OF the people, and IN his
implicit trust in their heroic and
undying patriotism, on this rock the
United States stands hereafter. The
strifes OF the party and our political
differences will hardly touch the iunds.
mental principles, or even the forms oil
onr institutions. More and more the
conflicts of the party will be over the
mere questions Of administration, i'm.
portant questions undoubtedly, hut
they are not vital. They may be
decided either way. and not involve the
| life Of the Republic or the force
| even OF our Government. The
United States since the var and because
of the war has entered upon career
which is open 70 no other nation. here
the people with almost entire unanimity
believe that our form OF government Is
for us better than any other and are sat.
istied with the principles on which It
rests. Our standing army is small and
inexpensive. 1t is hardly larger than
ia required TO keep the peace and
preserve order among the jarring ele
ments OF the population in our newly
settled Territories. Ii is never wanted
for aggressive warfare and it is no longer
needed for defense. No other great na-
tion OF modern times has ever paid It's
national debt. The war debts OF the
Revolution and Of the war OF 1872 were
paid of. now with steady but rapid
steps we are again accomplishing the
same feat with the enormous debt which
represents the cost OF the rebellion.
In conclusion, may We not confident
ly believe that the United stAtes.s not
only more prosperous and powerful, bot
also a wiser and better people, because
Of the war. | believe that our country.
men. and all the world besides, have
many added reasons in the results ol
the war for gratefully invoking blessings
upon the United States.
Other toas.s and responses we're a