The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-05-25
EXTRACT FROM GRAFTON
DELIVERED BY
MAJOR MARTIN MAGINNIS
Society Of the Army of the Potomac.
Wednesday, May 16, 1888.

Mr. President and Comrades Of the Army Of
the Potomac:
Surely, comrades, as you again came down
to the Potomac, and to your eyes again APP
peared the white vision of the Capitol,
around which, phantom-like. have clustered
memories that have attended you through a
long peace, amid the struggles of existence,
in the fields of every day endeavor, in the
temples Of gain, where trade worshIps at the
affairs of profit, and speculation kneels to the
divinity of dividends, surely the stones of
twenty years were rolled away, and out Of
the sepulchre Of each comrades past, came
forth a young, an ardent, an heroic spirit; a
youth, who had laid down his scheme of life,
abandoned his career, and with the spirit
of a patriot, and the devotion of a martyr,
offered himself to that country whose startled
hills were echoing to the guns Of Sumter,
and whose first appeal, and first command to
the men of our generation, was: Orally on
Washington"
The faces before me look from the hills of
middle-life down into the valley of declining
years, and the heads are sprinkled with silver
sand dropped from the hour glass of flying
Time. Are these the same who marched
down the rough-paved Avenue, Strengthened
themselves as they passed the reviewing
eyes of the majestic Scott, and cheered the
kindly welcome of Abraham Lincoln? Who
played at Congress in the Capitol and stood
guard over the White House? The boys
who looked out on the shining fields of glory
of which the world was made ? For dreams
of distinction came with thoughts of sacrifice,
and death was forgottenin the hope Of honor,
and with these burned as pure a patriotism
rs ever warmed the heart of man.
Planted by the Fathers in the centre Of
their United States, revolution had moved
the capital to the frontier. Worse! Seces-
sion was behind as well as in front of it. 1t
was an outpost in the enemy's country-gar-
risoned only by the Government. Secession
had gone back to the sacred soil, but 1t said
with Cataline, II go! but return; and from
this fair city will rule new empire, of which
slavery shall be the cornerstone" Wash
ington was of no great commercial importace.
Our only use for capital for some years was
the direction of the war. This might have
been done as we'll elsewhere. For ofense or
defense Washington was stragetically weak.
Its capture by the British was one of our
shameful memories. But its foundations
were laid with those of the Union 1t con-
tanned the archives of the early days of lib
erty. 1t was hallowed by association with the
venerated dead II was the sacred city of the
nation. And the loyal people determined
that never again should foreign invasion or
domestic insurrection profaue its holy places
never should the Government be driven from
its ancient seat, or any flag but that "OlG
Glory" wave over the battlements of the
Capitol.
What shall be our theme in this presence
Among the memories that revive in this re
union, there are no differences of creed oil
politics. We had none at the front but love
of country. Shall we open the batteries Of
| argument against the sophistries of secession
which would destroy the very principles OF
all Government, and dissolve great nations
| founded in the necessities and hopes of hui
mainly, by ingenious logic or bubbles Of
| construction? Every passing year makes
more dingy the thin gliding of that folly. l,
| it necessary to denounce a revolution against
| Government, which never injured one Of
the discontinued, or interfered, except t.
|
! happiness? The memory of slavery, ant
the arguments on which IL was sustained, are
| trampled under foot by the men who tough
| for it. The North would have to raise ;
| greater army to restore slavery than was re
| quired to put 1t down. The stars in thei
courses fight against slavery and light on thu
eternal march Of freedom.
There Is no need to defend the justice o
| that war which has given us q Union allow
| the disturbances of threats and beyond tn,
necessity Of compromise, or sustain the wis
dom which desired war that we might hav,
perpetual peace, against the folly that clam
ored for peace that we might have perpetua
| war.
The military history of our campaigns is
road beset with thorns, involving criticism
on Generals who are members of this society
and on statesmen who had large following
in their lives and are honored by the countr,
| In their deaths. Let critics and historian
perform this ungrateful task. shall Civ
only honor to our superiors in the Cabine
and in the field. From our organization ant
| first campaigns under Mcclellan, TO our fina
| victory under Grant at Appomattox, ant
during all our vicissitudes between, ever.
General who did his best and whose hear
was true to the Union deserves well of thi
society and of the Repnblic.
There grows up in every army body o
men, who, meeting on the field in all tn
emulation of good soldiership, and in cam
| In all the glow of good fellowship, who
sharing together dangers and pleasures, sol
row and Joy, become bound forever by tn
ties of comradeship. They are inspired b.
one purpose; their regiment is their home
their army is their sanctuary; their countr
the world which they would die to save. Fol
lowing all the campaigns, surviving ali II
accidents, they become the representatives O
the army, and the witnesses who attest it
history.
1t is boosted that the best blood of tn
South was in their ranks. Well, the bes
blood and brains of the North were in our:
The intelligence and courage of the countr
were in all our armies. The orators of GU
pulpits, the lights of the bar, Senators an
Representatives tot ay were privates in tn
Army Of the Potomac. The day has com
when these, in the due order of time and ma
ture, have taken their places in the contro
of private business and the direction of pull
lie affairs. And the time has come whe
they will tell the story of that army as 1t was
and not as 1t was misrepresented, 1t Is a sa
but glorious story of bootless efforts, useles
sacrifices and final success. Worn out il
marches without objects; wasted in battle
that had no results; tainted with inactivity
baffied by interference and delay 1t struggled
fought and bled to victory. For as this wa
the peoples war 1t turned out to be the pee
pies fight. No Alexander, Caesar, or Nape
leon arose to monopolize It's glories an
claim its victories for himself alone.
So far as the Army of the Potomac wa
concerned, there never was an army tina
owed less to brilliancy of leadership or tn
inspiration of genius. What it lost was ofte
from the iaches of Its direction; what IL wo
it dearly paid for in its own patriotic bloc,
| We honor all our other armies-but thi
was the great army of the Union. 1t wa
confronted by the great army of the Rebe
lion. 1t held the dragon by the throat Will
Others struggled with the lashings Of II
folds. In the history of the war it is entitle
TO the right of the line. And we will devot
this hour to the vindication of the discipline
the loyalty, the devotion and the undaunte,
heroism of the Army OF the Potomac.
For IL came to pass, that when the Rebe