The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-18

!
full marine band furnished music Tor the
occasion, assisted by a glee club of twenty
singers. The music was martial in character,
consisting principally of soldiers songs of
the rebellion. The rendition of the familiar
airs aroused much enthusiasm among the
veterans who frequently lent their voices
to swell the choruses. At the principal
| table were seated the officers of the society
and distinguished guests, among them
Generals Sherman, Mcclellan, Rosecrans,
Slocum, Schofield, Bingham and Van Vleet;
Rear Admiral Rodgers, General Schenck,
General Walker, Senator Miller, of Califor-
nia Commissioner of Pensions Dudley, and
Charles Dudley Warner. General Mcclellan
made his appearance some time after the
banquet began, and as soon as he entered
some one called out, Three cheers for Little
Mae" They were given heartily, most of
the guests rising to respond. The old COM
mander of the Army of the Potomac bowed
his Acknowledgement of the greeting, and
passing down the rear of the guests, shaking
hands here and there with old friends, took
seat next to General Sherman.
The first toast, The President" was drunk
| standing.
AN ARMY AS AN INVESTMENT.
The next toast "The Army of the United
States" was responded to by General Sher-
man. After reciting the achievements of the
great armies of the East and West during the
civil war, he spoke OF the regular army of to-
day, picketing the whole continent with but
10000 real soldiers, and continued as follows:
IAN army, however, is not to be measured
in importance by its numbers or its muster
rolls, but by the animus, the soul which in
spires it: Be it ever SO small, provided it be
true to its destiny, true to its country, it
becomes in time of danger the Promethean
spark which gives life and energy to the
whole. Its true office, in time of peace is
not so much to do the police work imposed
on it as to guard the sacred fire committed
to its Keeping, so that when danger does
come this spark may kindle flame in the
breasts Of the hundreds of thousands of
brave and patriotic people who always rally
at the call of their country and compose the
battalions regiments brigades, divisions
and army corps OF obedient, self-sacrificing
soldiers spdM ,,.a and thu thus make up an
mac, capable of fighting great battles,
winning great victories, enforcing peace and
rescuing the country from the tolls and
tribulations of long and cankered peacep
Such has been the army of the United States
from the beginning Our past national his
tory is secure, and | need no other assur-
ance than what read in your eyes that no
true patriot regrets dollar spent in the
revolutionary war, the war of 1872 the
Mexican war or the civil war. AS to the
future, we are now veterans. The young
look up to us for example and advice, and
we will be recreant to our trusts if we
fail to warn them of the danger
OF too much confidence or of too little pre-
caution. The day of the millennium has not
yet dawned and the world is full of dema-
gogues, dynamite fiends, fools, hypocrites
and mischief-makers. The greatest security
to life and property the largest measure of
human happiness, are possible only when
government is fair representative of
the mass of the people, with
power suihcient to protect the
quiet, Industrious family as against
the profiigate, reckless. disturber of
the public peace. To be right in a contro-
versy is comparatively easy. but the object
of all good government is to enforce the
| right, and since the beginning of recorded
time an army has been found the best nstrtl-
ment for the service OF this power. l trust
the men who govern us will not commit
the fatal mistake of concluding the soldier
is a thing of the past because, so
long as man is man, so long will
force enter into the economy of government,
and no government on earth can be perfect
which cannot enforce by physical power it's
own laws and DEGREES promptly and thor
oughly, and the army must be that force
active or passive. 1t is matter of vital i'm
portance to republican America that in our
free country, where parties assume such
seemingly angry antagonisms, there should
be maintained one body at least toward
which men may turn with safety as always
true and loyal to the constituted authorities
of the naton.'"
Rear Admiral Rodgers answered fer the
Navy.
General John T. Miller, United States SEN
ator from California, responded to the next
toast, THE Armies of the West" He said
the Armies of the Cum berland and the Ten
nessee shared with the Army of the Potomac
the spirit of self-sacritice. They were ready
to perish that the Union might live. He
spoke of the battles of the armies of the
West, and of their commanders. of Grant,
Sheridan, Rosecrans, Mcpherson and others,
and at the mention of each name the veter-
ans loudly cheered.
GENERAL MCLELLAN's SPEECH
The next toast was ''The Army of the Po-
tomac," to which General Mcclellan was to
respond. As the name of their old COM
mander was announced, and he
arose to address them the vet
Grams sprang upon the chairs and broke into
cheer after cheer For two or three minutes
the clamor was deafening. Men pounded
the tables, stamped with their feet, and
shouted themselves hoarse Viewed from
the gallery during this space of time the
banqueting room was surging, tumultuous
sea of heads, arms napkins, hats, and even
crutches, with which their owners were
wildly gesticulating in their enthusiasm and
excitement. General Mcclellan stood
calmly bowling during the tumult, and when
it showed signs of lessening, stiled it entirely
with wave of his hand. In noise deep
with feeling and speaking in a measured
tone he began his greeting to his
old command Every voice was hushed and
every ear listened closely to his sentences.
The attention given him was only broken
when. the veterans indorsed his statements at
| intervals with their applause, which was in
no wise stinted, He said:
"In days long past and gone forever when
we were young and strong, full of life and
hope, with the future all before us, there
were such relations between us that it seems
to be too cold and formal to address you sim
ply as Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen Our
| chairman often brought to me INTELLIGENCE