The Evening critic., 1882-09-15
THE WEIRs REUNION.
An Eloquent speech by Col. n. W.
FltzgernId Of this CITY.


Hartman, Senator Rollins, A. Thompson, Sec.
Rotary of state Col. A. II. Young, Ex-Governor
smith, and other distinguished gentlemen.
Notwithstanding the rain ten thousand people
were there.
AT the reunion, Col. n. W. Fitzgerald, OF this
city, delivered tho following eloquent address
Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN; l
confess to some degree Of embarrassment,
standing as 1 do In the presence OF 80 large
concourse OF mon whose deeds Of heroism In
defense OF human rights prove them worthy
sons OF those pioneers In tho cause Of freedom
who left their homes among tho granite hills
Of New liampshire to follow the immor-
tai Stark III that grand crusade against
tyranny one hundred years ago. might
forget for tho time tho presence of these dis
tinguished leaders OF the hosts OF liberty,
around whose honored temples cluster 80
thickly the fadeless laurels OF victory won In
battle for tho right, but when reflect that
stand before an audience so largely composed
OF tho
sons and Daughters of New Hamp.
shire
tho blood.stalnod but glorious past arises
grandly before me. remember Bunker Hill
and Bennington, and as the panorama OF his.
tory unrols before my mental vision, | SEQ tho
patriot slres OF these sons and daughters of
the old Granite state, sturdy mountuineer5
fresh from their farms and llresides, humby
clad and poorly armed, but with courage In.
vinclblo and patriotism TINT knew no bound,
meeting in deadly conflict the brave leaders
OF the most warlike and powerful nation on
the globe.
Feilow.cltizens and soldiers OF the State OF
New Hampshire, congratulate you on your
heritage of tho historic deeds OF your fathers;
but while offer tho congratulations TO you
who were born In tho shadow OF these hills
and tread by patrlmonial right soil that holds
the dust of immortal doad, do not forget
that tho heritage OF fame which you enjoy is
A Common Inheritance of All Amer.
leans.
We who hail from the younger States OF the
West claim kin with you OF the old colonial
commonwealth. Your fathers and ours were
brothers; sons OF the same soil; sharers OF the
came privations; comrades In arms on tho
same tented fields OF daring and danger. That
your fathers remained In tho shadow of the
roof.tree while ours sought home In the then
Western wilds did not break the tie OF brother
hood which bound us together. Our pioneer
ancestors were not prodlgal sons; they did not
emigrate 10 foreign countries; they simply
moved Into an unlmproved and hitherto un-
claimed section OF Uncle Sans vast estate.
They carried civilization with all 1t held that
was good In the East, Into the Wilderness, and
by their industry, their intelligence and their
virtue that wilderness has been transformed
Into garden of beauty. Where were once un.
broken forests, trackless and Wild, now popu-
lous cities stand, and
States Reveling An Wealth, People
aud Resources,
the grandest empire OF the world, have been
added TO that glorious galaxy Of continental
commonwealths OF which New Hampshire Is
an honored member.
Fellow.cltizens OF United America, kinsmen
OF common patriotic ancestors, comrades of the
Grand Army Of the Republic, soldiers OF free.
dom, we are one people. We have common
Inheritance, common interest and common
destiny. When stark led tho hosts OF freedom
at Bunker Hill and Bennington, he contended
not alone with the soldiers of Britain, but also
with those mistaken, disloyal citizens OF this
| country known as Tories. But whom the vic.
| tory was won, and the glorious results OF that
victory became apparent the Tories repented
OF their sins and became loyal citizens of the
new republic. Our fathers forgave them, and
at the end OF n single century II would be
task as bootless as 1t were Idle to attempt to
Trace the stain of Tory Blood
In the veins OF any citizens OF this country. so
hope and believe 1t Will be task as fruitloss
and as idle, n century hence, TO attempt to
find stain of rebel blood In the veins OF de-
scendants of those mistaken sons OF the South
whom We, my comrades, met In battle but
few years agonc, while we who marched to-
gethcr beneath the spotless folds OF that grand
old flag, resolved TO preserve the inheritance
bcqueathed us by our patriotic sires, liberty
and union, or perish In the effort. There
shall live memories of our common purpose,
the mortal hardships and perils Will find us
together In bands stronger than those OF ordl'
nary brotherhood, and we shall continue to
| meet at stated intervals In such reunions as
Si But time is rapidly wearing off the years.
| The frosts OF age are already leaving their
| suggestive imprint on many hero's brow 1
| see before me. We are slowly but surely
nearing the last encampment OF the Grand
l
| ranks are being thinned by the silent but re.
| morseess stroke OF the
| InvincibIe Scythe of IneXOrabIc Dcs-
tiny.
But we who thought only OF our duty TO our
| country, when envclopod In the smoke OF bat
tie and the hurtllng missiles Of death fell fast
| about us, think only Of duty now, duty to
| our country and our comrades. We have
| proven true the American maxim, "Eternal
| vigilance Is the price OF liberty" We should
| remember that II Is also the price OF Justice.
| II is said that republics are proYerbial Tor
| ingratltude. Let us see 10 IL that our repub-
| lie shall prove an exception. We were SOL
| diers yesterday; VIC are citizens to-day. We
fought for liberty; let us vote for justice. All
| over these broad lands are the widows and
| orphans OF our dead comrades. Everywhere
| are brave men who went forth to battle with
| youthful vigor and patriotism, who returned
| broken I'm constitution or maimed in body or
limb. These arc wards of the nation. These
worthy hosts OF
widows, Orphans and Inyalids
| are Justly entitled to be fed, clothed aud
| housed by the republic. pension to these
| Is not a gratuity, but a debt OF the Nation.
Keep this before the people; and the Congress
| man or other public oflcer who shows the
| slightest disposition to repudiate this debt or
| any portion OF II, no matter who ho may be or
| TO what party he belongs, should be made to
understand that we, OF tho brotherhood whose
bonds were cemented In blood, Will vote
| against him.
Comrades OF the Grand Army, soldiers OF the
| Republic, fellow citizens OF New Hampshire,
am glad TO have been with you to-day.
shall always be glad OF these reunions that
bring us together. While life shall last may
we ever enjoy them here; but whom the
shadows that never leave shall gather around
our earthly blvouac, may we stack arms by
that bright stream where the truce flag Of
eternal peace waves over the white tents oI
the veterans who have gone before us,
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