National Republican., 1883-05-18

THE PRESIDENT,
which was received with rousing cheers and
drunk standing, while the band played " Han
to the Chief
The second toast was
THE ARMY,
and Gen. W. T. Sherman was called upon to
respond. As the hero Of Atlanta aud the
march to the sea rose to his feet he was
greeted with tremendous cheers, and although
he waved his hand for silence the applause
sill continued until the griz2lcd warrior
said that he was accustomed to being
obeycd when he issued an order, and
that unless there was silence he would
not utter word. That had the desired
effect, and as the applause ceased and the vet
erdns settled back in their chairs. Alter set
ting forth his claim TO membership to the
society because he commanded brigade IN
the army of the Potomac at the first battle OF
Bull Run and believed that he had had some
thing TO do toward producing the opportunity
for the last grand triumph at AppomattoX,
Gen. Sherman said:
81 believe it would be better if we could
consolidate the memories of all our armies
into one, and that one the army of the
union leaving TO our antagonists to writc
their own history, which at best can only be
an apology. While welcoming into our fra
ternity all brave and honorable men who will
unite with us in the future labor of building
up our common country, we can afford to
smile at tho futile efforts of men like Davis,
Toombs, and Early, who seem to think that |
the world is all wrong because they had not .
the making Of it,
lie then sketchcd the history Of the army
VI the United States, and the necessity for its .
always being in proper condition to aid in .
the maintenance Of peace, whenever threat .
ened for whatever cause, He said he had .
spoken TO this toast very often, and IL looked .
hs il each generation was repeating the same .
follies and same wisdom as tho previous; thft .
he took q pride In the army; that .
I he trusted that the men who govern
us would not commit the fatal mis-
take of concluding that the soldier is n
thing Of the past because so long as man is
man so long long will force enter into the I
economy of government, and no government
on earth eau be perfect which cannot enforce
by physical power its own laws and dccrccs
promptly and thoroughly; and the army
must be that force action, or passion. He
closed by saying:
In this battle between war and peace, we
desire TO make of the army body of men
worthy to bo styled the grand high sheriff Of
the nation, and for one rejoice that so many
of our old comrades of the armies of the
union remain Ill the councils of the nation,
or mingle in assemblagcs like this which
make up public opinion, to bear testimony to
the great Importance Of keeping alive that
knowledge Of the art of war, and of those
habits which become essential and must be
repeated WnenBNcf au army Is Callcu lnlO eA-
istence to maintain the honor OF the country
abroad, or its peace and security at home.
=" 1t is also n matter of vital importance to
republican America that in our free country,
where parties assume such seemingly angry
Rntagonisms, there should be maintained one
body ut least toward which men may turn
with safety, rs always true and loyal to the
constituted authorities of the nation"
A party OF gentlemen then sang "The Star
Spangled Banner" jim the chorus Of which
the large assemblagc. joined. The singers
were: +. Knoop, l.. j. Meyers, first tenors
w. G.. Penny, Joseph Jouy, n. ii. Camp Sec
ond tenors; L. j. Whipple c. p. Belt, first
bass w. A. Widucy, Charles w. Hancock, b.
W. Sunny, second bass; $. IL. JcCko was the
accompanist aud Mr.. Whipple sang the solo.
The third toast was
THE NAVY,
% which Admiral c. X. p. Rodgers responded.
1t was the fortune of the navy, he said, to be
near the army of the Potomac i'll grave emer-
gcncies and amid stirring events, and IL al
ways gavo the earnest and fraternal support
that one branch of the profession of arms
owes to the other. But, gentleman, that i'm
provised fleet of steamers of commerce,
ferry boats, and cattle drogherS,
and every floating thing that would
carry n gun, effective as il proved in our civil
war, would have availed little against the
well-equipped ships of a naval power. Let
us take heed, therefore, and be better pre-.
pared when we next draw our swords, for
we shall find foes swift to strike our unde-
Tended ports and coasts heavily and without
hesitation or delay. So far as l know, we
have now not one very good gun Of even
moderate caliber on shore or a1oat, and,
what is worse, l fear we have not tho
trained artizans and the forges to make
them. We have not one large and Of
Gcient ship of war, and our few good
sloops are not of the best type In addition
to its immense fleet, England is at this mo.
ment building twelve great ironclads. France
is building sixteen, and the Italians are build
ing two Of the largest irOnclads in the world,
with steel armor neatly nineteen inches thick.
We in this rich country, with its enormous
sea coast have been standing still.
Our ships and guns are old and bad, but
am glad TO say that the personnel of the navy
is excellent and full of promise. have been
an officer for fifty years, and in my opinion
the personnel Of the navy was never so good
as il is to-day. Veterans of the army of the
Potomac, offer you the most cordial greet
ing OF the navy, its hearty thanks for your
great example, and it's best wishes for your
future happiness and for your safe return to
your homes.
Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," was
then sung, aud the next toast was TO have
been "Our Invited Guests and to which the
attorney general was to responds but as he
was not present, the following toast, to
"TuE ARMIES or THE WEST"
was read, and Senator Miller, of California,
responded in n brief but eloquent speech,
in which he mentioned some of the achieve
ments of the armies which in the west kept
pace in their patriotic devotion, their hard
ships in the field and their successes with the
brilliant record of the army Of the Potomac.
The armies of the west, he said, were COM
posed Of volunteers ready to die that the ma.
lion might live, willing to perish that the
nation might be preserved, Who has not
heard of Donelson, of Shiloh, Of Chaplin hills,
OF Pcuyvillc of the bloody field at Stone
river, and the battle stormed heights of
Nicllsburg? Who does not remember the
dark days of Chickamaugua, and who for
gets the names OF ROseCrans and Thomas?
Who will ever forget the slopes Of Mission
ary ridge, the crest of Lookout mountain, or
the great and glorious march from Atlanta
to the sea2 What galaxy of names! Grant,
Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas, Rosecrans,
Buell. Anderson, Schohed, Hooker, Logan,
Mcpherson, Blair, Burnside, lIaleck, Pope,
Slocum Crittenden, and hundred more
And what shall We say of the dead. All un-
covered We stand when we speak of those
who tent in the silent camps. There is a
soldiers paradise, and wide are its gates.
After singing Marching Thro Georgia,
the next toast was announced us
"THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC"
When Gen. Mcclellan rose to reply three
times three cheers were given, and the wild.
est enthusiasm prevailed. 1t was some min