Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-13
A SEA OF FLAGS.
Parkersbmg UnflrIs all Her Spare
Bunting to the Winds,
And Offers a Hearty Welcome to Her
Visiting SoIdiers-yesterday's Re-
union of the Army Of West ~
Virginia.
FUlL REPORT OF THE DAYS DOINGS,
specal Dispatch o, he Register.

| The annual reunion OF the Army OF Wes'
Virginia was inaugurated here to-day under
the most auspicious circumstances. The
morning dawned clear and pleasant, giving
promise. of a glorious autumn day. As
Old Sol, in all his glory and splendor,
lighted up the Eastern horizon, and as his
generous rays reflected over onr own beau
tiful city, the echoes of the National salute
of thirty-eight guns awakened the drowsy
denizens to life and activity. Parkersburg
never looked better. .--
The City Is One Sea OF Flags
and many Of the private dwellings and
business houses are tastefully decorated
with bunting and evergreens. The fore
noon was devoted to the reception OF guests
and the assignment to quarters. The trains
and boats each brought their quota Of Wis
itors, and by noon our city presented a
busy scene. At two o'clock the programme
| was opened at the beautiful wigwam pre-
| psred for the occasion, and which has been
tastefully decorated, as only the ladies OF
| Parkersburg can do. Facing the speakers
stand West Virginia's noble motto,
Montani semper Liberi
| stood out in bold relief, and at other points
| in the wigwam were displayed appropriate
| mottos.
Gen. George Crooks, Commander in Chief,
| being absent, the Vice President OF the AS
sociation, Col. w. H. EnOchs, OF lronton,
Ohio, was introduced by Capt. {. b. Smith,
| and spoke as follows:
| "Fellow comrades-In the absence of our
| glorious old commander, who is loved and
| bonored by all the soldiers OF the army OF
West Virginia, / assume the duties OF the
occasion, and am glad TO greet you once
| MORE
After an appropriate and eloquent prayer
| by Rev. Snodgrass Col. Enochs introduced
| Ex-Governor Stevenson, who welcomed
the soldiers in his own happy way. Fol:
| lowing is q brief but imperfect Synopsis OF
Governor StevensOn's speech.
"LApIEs, SOLDIERS AND FELLOW CITIZENS
| There is no word in the English language,
or any other language, more significant
| than the word welcome. 1t brings
| thoughts of home, friends, happiness and
| heaven. To you, in behalf of our city, |
| extend to you that welcome in the truest
| sense of the word. The welcome for sall 1t
| matters not whether you are from this state
| or country or any other country; welcome
| for you all, no matter whether you iolloW-
! ed the fortunes of the blue or the grey, or
| are for Democrats, Republicans, Green
hackers, Temperance or labor reformers,
and for fear might miss some one l will
| include the
Great Army of Political Scratchers." )"
The Governor here paid beautiful and
| deserved tribute to the ladies who graced
| the occasion with their presence, and in
| cluded them in the general welcome.
Soldiers, as you clasp hands to-day, re-
member this reunion calls us back to the
! unhappy war, and as you in the hour OF
danger met face to face and hand to hand
in the contest that was to determine
whether that flag should float over com.
! mon country united and happy or tralied
IN disgrace, thank God it still waves over
a united and prosperous people. The re-
| union brings thoughts and scenes OF sorrow
TO many. As we mingle with the living
the graves of our fellow soldiers are green
with the grass of many years, and all that
we might enjoy the best Government under
the sun.
There IL no NObIer MartyrdOm
than for man to die for man, and no
epitaph more glorious could be inscribed
| than, This man died for man." As the
speaker concluded very pleasant episode
occurred. Col. Van Bukey confronted the
| Governor with a suspicious looking parcel
| concealed from view in the folds OF news
II.
lin behalf of the ladies OF Parkersburg,
whose merits you have lauded none too
highly. present TO you this beautiful
| token OF their appreciation OF your gallant
and meritoriOus military record, and the
| Colonel unfOlded q massive sunttower and
| presented the Governor, who received IT,
| and in his pleasant way returned thanks u
the fair donors, and concluded with happy
| quotation.
General Thos, L. Wilds, of the One Hun
dredth and Sixteenth Ohio, was the first 10
Respond TO the Address Of Welcome,
and referred TO the times in years gone oy
when Parkersburg welcomed the Army OF
West Virginia. 1t was when the Confed
crate force under Jenkins and others
threatened TO descend upon the city. We
| meet to-day to shake hands again, and are
| proud of our record for bravery and endur
ance We are welcomed in the memory OF
our brave comrades whose blood mingled
with the waters OF the kanawha, the Shen'
andoah, and many other streams, ana we
perpetuate their names and honor on this
occasion. We saved this nation, and
Planted IL Upon n Rock
that will never be broken.
Hon. C. ID. Caldwell then spoke as fol
lows: SOLDIERS OF THE ARMY or W EST ' III
GINA: We have again met in annual re.
union ON the soil over which, with wearIed
feet and anxious hearts, we marched and
fought in years gone by. We then met
under a sky whose sun was darkened oy
the smoke of the conflict OF arms to con
tend for an unseparable unlon-tor secur'
ing all enlargement of American citizen,
ship-for making this country land oi
universal freedom, and TO secure priceless
| civil liberty-a union strong enough 10
Afford Protection 10 Every Citizen,
whether governor, farmer, woodman, me
cbanic or pauper. In all that long and
bitter contest no grander, or more heroic,
or patriotic effort was put forth than by
the army of West Virginia, both IN times
of darkest war and in the dawn OF return
ing peace How could 1t be otherwise! Go
out TO our grand towering mountains, and
into our beautiful valleys and visit those
royal cabins whose thatched roofs shelter
race of men noted for their untiring indus
try. uncomfortable bravery, matchlesS elo'
ouepce and undaunted chiyslry, and you
will find that when the great lnternatlonai
contest begins, some of those CABINS VIII
furnish stalwart sons to the ranks OF ooth
armies-born soldiers-adventurous men
of iron and steel, OF oak and rock. Friends
those war clouds have
Suuk Down Behind the Horizon ol
Time.
We met to-day under more propitioH;
canopy. We meet as. citizens, not as sol
diers. We come from broken ranks, mo-
from tented field or perilous ridge OF BAT
lie, or careworn and fstigued from Picke,
duty. We come from the quiet walks oI
civil life, from farm and shop, the store
and the rich cavernS of the mine. We
come with love for all. The habiliment:
of war have been laid away. The spear anC
sword have been turned into hooks anC
plow shares. The soldier OF yesterday |
the citizen of to-day. The soldier OF th'
North and South are mingliug together a.
over the land. Human slavery has beer
settled forever. Our arms and aspiration
should be to repair our war shattered IN
terst and
Strive for General Prosperity.
twill not come through legislation, reso
Iutions, conventions, idleneSs or inactivity
but through fields of golden grain, over the
bands of humming wheels, through fur
mace doors and forests of giant timber
along the watery avenues OF the country
Our flag is the flag of the Union, and on
! hope that the American flag may endur'
forever. We welcome the soldier L
our city today; its gates are unbsrred. ou
people are generous, kind and patriotic
\