The National tribune., 1883-10-11

" AAhJdlI4s ~ OAt3 bs 0sS Ii
ton, and so remarkable for beauty of language |
fervor and patriotism that the emotions of the
great audience were visibly aroused, and their
admiration found vent in hundreds of amens"
at its close. The giee club of Post No. 3, con-
sisting of Mrs. j. Sharp Mcdonald, Miss Lon
Alexander, DR.. j. Guy McCandless and Profs.
George Alexander and Harry Horner, then
sang Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom"
after which President Collier made an address
OF welcome.
GENERAL +. 8. OSBORNE
was then introduced. He expressed The thanks
of the Department of Pennsylvania for the
homer conferred by the reception accorded the
members By the two great cities and by an
honored member of their bench. Yes" he
said you are welcoming the representatives Of
great ideas and great deeds. There are men
all around me in this audience who were with
Mcclellan ON the Peninsula; men who were at
Antietam at Fredericksburg, at Chancellors-
vile and at Gettysburg; and there are men
here who fought under that flag pointing to
the tattered and faded colors of the Sixty
third regiment. and being interrupted by long
continued applause), beneath whose folds and
in defense OF which Que of the most gallant men
that ever lived, General lexander Hays. shed
his life-blood. How the hearts of Western
Pennsylyaniaus swell with pride at the men,
tion of such names as those of RipDey Black
and Hays! The Grand Army of the Repub-
lie is the geatest educator and organizer we
have in the land to-day. We teach liberty,
fraternity, charity and loyalty to the stars and
stripes, the flag which means freedom every
where, and is beacon to cheer downtrodden
humanity and illustrate the true greatness
attainable by freemen."
"The Star Spangled Banner" was then sung
with excellent effect, and President Collier in
troduced Corporal Tanner, who suffered the
loss of both legs in the war, as a man who
should be "eheered from now until the resur-
rection morn"
CORPORAL TANNERS ADDRESS.
Corporal Tanner then made oul-stirring
address, which charmed his hearers by its elo-
quent delivery, caused tears to flow by the
pathetic incidents narrated, moved everybody
to mirth by its witty stories, ana withal con-
tanned large amount of good sense and yalua-
bic information. He said: Some people think
we make a little too much hurrah on Reunion
day, and occupy more time and attention than
we ought to. Let such turn back twenty years
and remember how they watched for the news
papers and waited on the slow and tedious
clicks of the telegraph instruments. Did we
occupy two much attention when the fate of
the Nation hung on our efforts at the front?
All around me are men who have marched I'M
hlnchlngly against sheets of belehing flame.
Who owns this country should like to know,
own six feet by two of ground when we die,
yet this country is ours, and we mean to leave
it as an heritage to our children. Yet, while
we are all heroes, of course recognize among
those present many fellow-chicken thieves and
pig stealers, but l am prepared TO sustain the
correctness of such conduct from moral point
Of view. Many of them had an experience like
my own. | was but seventeen years aud SIX
months old when l ran away from my home and
went to the war, and the railroad train which
carried me was the first had ever SEEN The
old gentleman, my father, was III favor of the
Union, but opposed to its preservation by force
Of arms We had an argument on the subject,
after which I removed my part of the family
into the army. The Christianity which de-
veloped in the army is something to which I
never fail to refer. just after being wounded
/ was placed in shed with five Others. The
party had lost just seven legs in all, and / do
not think the Lord Almighty ever concentrated
more suffering in the same space. One Of the
men, whose side had been torn away by shell,
picked up some partially decayed fruit, aud
passed it piece by piece to me- ] showed it
along, and, just as / was about relieving my
frightful thirst by biting into of the apples,
the gallant fellow threw up his arms and slewly
stiffened out in death. That was practical
Christianity for YOU"
The speaker likened the sentiment prevail
ing throughout the country to that of miners
II. Ii.
train, who gave three cheers for the fellows
what fit He said that soTne law makers were
working out an alleged reform of human nature,
applying tbs DaTwinian theory TO the civil
service, by holding examinations and appoint
ing to Government positions only those who
passed most creditably. This, he claimed, was
in violation of section 1754 of the United States
Statutes, which provided that such positions
should be given to old soldiers and sailors
where capable The nen-observance of this
section was the cause of more blasted hopes
| than any other law in the land. He said that
soldiers were not kickers.'' but that they
might be excused for being petulant and angry
| at such treatment.
THE PRINTED PENSION LIST.
He denounced the printing of the pension
| list, with the accompanying insinuation that
soldiers were frauds, and said that the men who
| fought in the war were more anxious than
| anybody else that none but deserving men
should receive a pension. He said that the
/ only blot on the Nations escutcheon was p0lyg-
| amy in Utah. which the old soldiers were pre-
| pared to wipe ont if they got chance All
| brave soldiers and noble men could forgive the
| horrors OF war, but none could ever forget one
| drop of blood that was spilled for the preser-
| vation of the Union. He characterized Deco
ration Day as one of the safeguards of the Ma
/ ton. The standing army of this country is
! less than 25000, but by means of the memories
| kept alive by Decoration Day the Government
| is kept secure in the belief that an army of
| 15,000,000 can be gathered on call. He closed
with feeling tribute to women, "the lint
! piekers of the war and Gods ministering
/ angels"
| Adjutant-G General Stewart read letter of
regret from Commander-in-C Chief Robert c.
Beath, who was kept away by business engage
ments although earnestly desiring to be pres
! ent. Chaplain Sayres was called for but de-
| elined to say more than that the Grand Army
association had increased to 10000 from 900
| in 1876, and that he looked forward to the day
when the membership in this State would ex-
| ceed 60,000 After singing the national hymn,
| the meeting adjourned.
| Central Pennsylvania Grand Army Day.
| Special correspondence National Tribune
| DANYILLE Pa Oct g.