Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-25
THE ARMY OFTIiE POTOMAC.
Closing 1ncidents Of the Veterans, tie
Union

WAsHiSoToN, d. G., May 17.-Members
Oh The society of the army Of the Potomac
were taken TO Mount Vernon to-day on the
steamer George Loary, the United States
steamer Tallapoosa and the revenue cutter
Ewing. Many women accompanied the
party Refreshments we're served on each
OF the boats and the trip was enlivened by
speeches aud army songs. After remaining
TWO hours at Mount Vernon the veterans re-
turned to Washington. A banquet tonight
ut Abner's Summer Garden closed the re-
union. About four hundred members of the
society and citizens Of Washington were
present. The Marine band furnished music,
assisted by glec club of twenty singers,
rendering familiar airs. They aroused much
enthusiasm among the veterans who fire.
quently joined In the choruses AT the
principal table were the officers of the socie.
~ and distinguished guests, including Gen.
erals Sherman, Mcclellan, Rosccrans, Slo.
cum, Schoteld, Bingham and Van Vet,
MAJOR Maginnis, George Alfred Townsend,
Rear Admiral Rodgers, Generals Schenck and
Walker, Senator Miller of California, Judge
Edmonds, Commissioner of Pensions bud
ley and Charles Dudley Warner.
The first toast, THE President" was
drunk standing. Gen. Sherman responded
| w tho 'ohot ihe hinlfs AS u INC future
he said, "We arc veterans. The young look
up to us for example and advice, and we
shall be recreant to our trusts il we fail TO
warn them OF the danger of too much conf
dence or too little pl ecaution. The day of
the millennium has cot yet dawned and the
world Is iullo OF demagogucs, dynamite, tiends,
Tools, hypocrites aud mischief makers. The
greatest security to life and property and the
largest measure OF human happiness are pos
sible only where the government is fairly
represen alive of the mass Of the people, with
power sufficient to protect the quiet, indus
tiious family as against the profgatc reck-
less disturber If the public peace The Oh.
1ect OF all good government Is to enforce the
right, and SINCE the beginning OF recorded
time the army has been found the best instru-
ment for the exercise Of this power. All
need now say is, l aud those who
hold the army in our keeping
wish nothing but what is of adj.
vantage to our people, or what may add
10 the security, glory and fame of our CON-
mon country II may be the time is near
or has actually come when the soldier should
take back scat, but trust the men who
govern us will not commit the fatal mistake
oi concluding the s)ld'er Is a.thing OF the past,
because 30 long Us man is man 81 long will
Z force cutter Into the economy Of government,
and no Rovernmt Mt on earth eau be per.
feet which eau not enforce by physical
power its own laws and DEGREES promptly
and thoroughly, aud tue army must be that
force, active or passive. 1t Is q matter OF
vital importance to the republic that in oul
free coIntry where parties assume such
+. seemingly angry antayonlsms there should b.
: maintained one body at least toward which
men may turn with safety as always true
and loyal to the constituted authorities Of The
nation. Such has been, is now and mus
ever be the army of the United States.
Gen. McClellan was enthusiastically re
ceived. He alluded to the seven days tigh
AS made in obedience to orders from Wash
lngton t. cover the advance Of rcinforcements
which never came, though the enemy camt
instead, Fortunately, this had been iorcseei
and days before transports with supplies hat
been sent to the James to await the army.
Maj. Maginnis's Address, "wednesday
Ia his address before the Society Of tn,
Amy Of the Potomac, Maj. Maginuis, afte
reviewing the stirring events ia witch tn,
army had participated, and touching fire.
quently upon well remembered incidents O.
he pust campaigns said Surely, comrades
as you again came down to the Potomac, ant
9 10 your eyes again appeared the white vision
!, OF the Capitol, around which, phantom like
have clustered memories that have ATTENDED
YOU through long peace, amid the struggles
| of existence, in the fields of every day en-
I deavor, in the temples Of gain, where trad,
, worships at the affairs of profit and specula
ton kneels to the divinity of dividends
, surely the stones OF 90 years were ROLLED
away, and ont of the sepulchrc of each com
, rades past came forth u young, an ardent
an heroic spirit; youth, who had laid dow
= his scheme of life abandoned his career, ant
) with the spirit Of patriot and the devotio,
OF d martyr offered himself to that country
. whcse startled hills were echong to the gum
OF Sumter, and whose first appeal, and frs
+ command to the men of our generation, was
Rally on Washington!' The faces before
me look from tho hills of niddle.lifc dowr
into the valley of declining years, and the
/ heads are sprinkled with silver sand dropped
from the hour glass of flying time. Ar,
these the same who marched down the rough
= paved avenue, Strengthened themselves Us
they passed the reviewing eyes OF the maies
tic Scott, and cheered the Kindly welcome OF
Abraham Lincoln Who played at Con.
gress in the capitol and stood guard over the
i White House, The boys who looked out on
i the shining fields OF glory of which the world
, was made! For dreams OF distinction came
with thoughts Of sacrifice, and death was
, forgotten in the hope of honor, and with
these burned as pure q patriotism as ever
But, comrades. the result is worth it all.
Who could have dreamed that problems, in.
volvng not only the government, bat society
ITSELF could have been 90 soon and so salts.
factorily settled2 Romance and poetry
will embellish and the ivy Of time make pic.
turesque the herosm Of defeat; but every
passing year will make more plain the de.
cree of the God OF battles, that the lost cause
was Justly lost. Even now, those who
fought us glory in the strength and greai ness
OF that nationality, which they proudly share
and would willingly dstend. They gee the
hand Of Providence in the defeat Of cause
that would have left America, like Europe,
. group Of warning states, and, sharing in all
lis privileges and blessings, rejoice in the
i success of tie war for the Union. This re-
Cancellation and renewed allegiance
eonquering monsrchieS haze failed 10 win in
centuries Of endeavor-:s the glory of the re.
public. Peace has been greater than war.
The skiliul hands of science have brought
INTO use unknown powers of The air and mys-
terious forces Of the earth, and the lovely
hands OF art are GROWING our country with
beauty. The numbers end wealth OF
our people have nearly doubled. SO has
our territory for the condemned deserts of
the West turn out 10 be granaries of bread
and pastures of meat for the world The
torbldding rocks of old Biographies, have re-
solved themselves into mines Of silver snd
gold, and, under their frownng peaks, are
found parks, canons, waterfalls and geysers;
the sublime glories of nature the pleasure
grou1d Of mankind. The genius of America
has united our distant coasts with bands OF
steel, aud planted her feet on those blue pre-
cipises, which old explorers used TO call ''the
land of The shining mounlains, beyond the
Western plains" TO this city where they
had met, the comrades of many years were
called, that they might part. You crossed
The Potomac, and, turning your backs upon
its banks, marched in review up the avenue.
Tha. river Of steel wave after wave, passed
the White House aud moved Ly the Csnitol