The National tribune., 1883-11-15
OLD TECUMSEHI
His Reception by the G.. A. r. and His Splendid
Tribute to the Order.

characteristic speeches, overfowing with patri-
otto feeling and hearty regard for his old sol
diers. The large Post room was filled to over
flowing by 1880 o'clock. and over 1000 Grand
Army men greeted the General on his appear
ance. Koltes, Steinwehr, elisa, Riker, Hooker,
Cameron, and Meade Posts were present in full
force, and nearly every Post III the city was
represented by a delegation A brass band
added to the enthusiasm of the greeting ex-
tended TO the General by a series of military
airs. General ii. A. Barnum presided and
made a speech before the arrival Of the guest,
in which he stated that General Sherman had
declined a serenade, and had objected to hav-
ing the reception in any public hall he
wanted the speaker said, to meet the boys IN
one of their own Post rooms, where he could
look them III the face and feel that none but
soldiers were present.
General Sherman appeared in the hall at S-30
o'clock, accompanied by Major E. w. BrueDing-
hansen, Colonel George f. Hopper, and General
c. K. Graham A thousand veterans sprang to
their feet and gave voice to cheer which
shook the walls of the room. This was repeated
again and again. while the band struggled in
vain to make noise that could be heard above
the din of human voices. When the first en-
thusiasm had exhausted itself, Maj. Bruening-
hausen presented the General to the chairman,
and he took his seat on the platform. He was
dressed in plain black and wore the corps badge
of the Grand Army on the lapel of his coat
General Barnum addressed few words of well
come TO the distinguished guest, and General
Sherman then rose, thrust his hands deep into
his pockets and made speech to the boys
which was interrupted at almost every sem
tenee with demonstrations of applause.
ATTENDING his OWN FUNERAL.
He said:
As you see. have responded to your call, al
though 1t is somewhat unpleasant for man to
celebrate his funeral ff4uekfaF It is rather
lucky, though, on the other hand, for man TO bc
shie to see his own funeral. am always glad to
meet with soldiers whether there is of them
five thousand or fifty thousand. There was time
when We used TO order you about pretty roughly,
but now you returning the compliment and
ordering US about. Applause. You take us from
the theater and from our dinner parties, but
would rather you as see you now than to dine
with the yanderbits all the nabobs of the coun-
try. Three rousing cheers. You and and all OF
US assisted III doing what believe will rebound TO
the honor of the country and the wel-being of the
whole human race TO the end OF time. Washington
and his sturdy men fought the war OF the youth of
our Nation. Since then we have had other wars
that of 1872, IN which the only engagement worthy
to be called battle was that of Jackson at New
Orleans. and our Indian wars; but none of them
approached the grandeur of the war of 1861, In
which you aud were the actors:
assure you that when first heard the ruInors
OF war in 1861 was almost stanpeded / could
scarcely see fifty yards ahead of me- I was in
Louisiana. and some of the young men under me
engaged in reasonable talk / reproved them,
but their fathers 70 see them and they talked
worse treason When saw that they really meant
fight said TO them: Gentlemen, there is any
lighting going on want to go tother side.'
and went. recognized that the question at stake
WAS whether should be free men or slaves If
we had allowed the Southern gentlemen to die
tate TO us at that time we should have been white
slaves. The Anglo-Saxon race couldn't stand that,
you know; our German and Irish friends could
never consent to be slaves, and SO you and fought
To make cur freedom seenre for all time to come
The people Of the North did realize that there
was 10 be war, think, until four i've months
after the war had actually begun. The taking of
our forts and of our mints did not arouse
them When / came to my own State Of Ohio
found the people plowing to plant their corn /
said TO them: Don't you know that war has come
upon the land?h and they laughed at me for fool.
lLaughter.l Isuppose / was fool then. But the
first fire on Sumter awoke all from ourlethargy,
and from that time the American people have
acted nobly. In the grand drama which followed,
you. comrades, were the prominent actors.
WHAT SOLDIERS HAVE DONE SINCE THE WAR.
Twenty-odd years have passed, and new gem
Grafton mas grown up. Boys OF that day vote now,
and the destinies of country have passed from
our control, because we are few az compared with
the new generation. Therefore il is that it is good
Tor you to meet and recall and keep alive the
memory of yonr noble sacrifices Not that there is
any danger that such war viii occur again ia
this land, but because it is good TO let children
know that In 1861 the Nation was threatened with
the slavery OF the majority by the minority at one
time, when the Grand Army was first organized,
had serious doubts ofth wisdom of maintaining
society of the soldiers of the war, but
satisfied that you did wisely aud well to organize
for social and patriotic purposes. lApplanse.l I
have been travelling good deal lately and have
found place in . wanderings which think none
OF you ever saw. Il is called Spokane Falls. Five
years ago it consisted of one little store, snd @
mighty mean store at that. Now ii has handsome
brick houses and is an important station on the
Northern Pacific Railroad. Ii aspires TO be the
metropolis of the Pacific. WAS waited on in Spo-
kane Falls by Grand Army man. who said the
boys would ike TO have u little talk with me- |
said: Oh, yes; III go down to the crossroads
and have stsle chat with them" But he said
VIC r,.Frer H.,4J f-raI
both, and / found that in Spokane Falls the
Grand Army numbered 20l members. We talked
as we are talking now, Of the Influence of your
society IN the new Northwest 1t wRs the same in
the little city OF Seattle, Puget Sound; In Port
land, Oregon; in San Francisco; in Los Angeles
and in Albuquerque, which was little more than
an adobe town two years ago. Wherever went
found that tbs members Of the Grand Army were
the lawyers, the judges, the merchants the leading
men OF the place. do believe that the soldier ele-
nnent has paid to the United States in advancing.
civilization full compensation for the Sl3 month
which you drew during your service in the army
iApplause
II WIS hard for you boys who were marching
and counter -rnarehing-and you did good deal Of
counter marching sometimes ri laughter3- but you
fighting the battle to-day of right against
wrong, and OF civilization against barbarisn We
want make THIS country 50 safe that every man
woman and cniid In u may feel secure from all
harm, and claim that at the head Of the column
which is fighting this line in behalf of civiIiza-
ton, is the Grand Army OF the Republic [Cheers
1t is leading in the fight with the game success that
attended the assault at Yicksbnrg and ct Atlanta
We were all In the same boat then, and we are all
~ she same boat now. Applause. / shall always
be happy to meet you or any of your comrades of
the Grand army of the Republic in your Post
rooms. viii come to greet them always at their
command, reversing the old rule. wilIno longer
command youI but you may command me.
AS the General closed the great crowd sprang
to their feet and gave vent to their enthusiasm
by nine rousing cheers and tiger. Comrade
Herman w. Thum. of Koltes Post than sang
Marching Through Georgia." the band and
| the veterans Joining in the chorus, while Gen.
Sherman beat time to the familiar music with
his feet. a general shaking of hands followed,
the General standing on the platform and grasp
ing each man warmly by the hand as he passed
him. The reception was concluded at $50
O'Clock, and General Sherman left to visit the
family of Colonel ]. G. Smith, who died at the
New York Hotel on Friday. Among those
who participated in the reception were General
n. w. Day, Colonel John r. Nugent, Colonel
George f. Hopper, Colonel James a. joel, Ma
jor James B. Horne and Colonel Ferdinand
Levy.
General Sherman started for st. Louis Satur-
day afternoon.
SHERMAN ON TIE REGULAR ARMY
On Thursday, the 9Th inst, General Sher-
I man paid farewell visit to General Hancock
at Governors Island apd attended a meeting Of
| the Military Service Institution, at which he
spoke as follows:
This Is curious world we live In and there il
| no peace for the wicked or-or for the happy
either 50 i wish 70 encourage by the wisdom Of