Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-05-23

ing and passions Of the war, should
slumber in the graves of the buried DEAD;
that the survivors of the army OF the
Union, and the survivors of the army OF
the South ought no longer to be foes, but
friends, and are no longer foes, but friends,
countrymen and brothers. Applause.
In the warmth of your fraternal greet
ing, you asked US not of our hopes, OF our
motives, or of our aspirations in the time
gone by, and met us as men. who IN the
time past were foemen worthy OF your
steel, who in the present, were friends
worthy of an honest hand-clasp, and OF a
place by an honest Preside lapplausel, and
who in the future, are to toll side by side
with you, to secure the welfare and per-
petuate the glory of a common, united
country. IApplause.
In the same spirit we welcome you 10
our midst, to our country and to our
homes, asking nothing of the past, think
ing only of the present, and trusting con-
fidently in the future.
From our stand point, trusting that the
merciful providence (which shapes our
ends. rough-hew them as we WILL" will
find for us, in the blessings of restored
union, compensation for the agoniss OF a
losing struggle, and consolation for the
pangs of defeat [applausel; and be.
lieving that the event indicates that
in the destiny of our country,
there is mission to be fulfilled,
for the benefit of human happiness and
human liberty, that needs for Its final &C
complishment the efforts OF the sons OF
the North and of the sons of the South,
battling together with united hands and
united hearts [applause], inspired by the
memory that in all the crises of our coun-
try's common history, her sons came forth
in countless thousands to offer their lives
in response to what each believed the
sacred call Of duty.
From that, you so kindly invited and
welcomed US; have come so far from your
homes to permit us to welcome you; from
that, contributions in thousands, head ed
by the illustri0uS commander in Chief OF
the armies of the Union lap
plausel, fron general and private,
from soldier and civilian, from man,
from woman and child, have come
from the North, within the last few days,
to build refuge and home where the
mangled Confederate soldier, whom for
obvious and necessary reasons. government
tai aid cannot reach, may spend the rem
enant Of his days in comfort and ease. IN
stead of misery and want; from that you
soldiers of the Union are hero, in sight,
men, to visit us as soldiers of the Confod-
eracy, and propose before your return. to
stand for brief space with barred brows
and bowed heads at the graves of
Lee and Stonewall Jackson [applause];
1 lnfer-yea, verify believe, that as
time rolls on, and as the passions
evoked, and the interests involved in
the conflict perish, that the deeds of
the heroes on either side will be gathered
in common treasury of glory. to illus
trate the genius. the valor and the devo-
ton of the American people. Applause
In this belief, this hope, we have an ex-
ample. In cur mother country, whose
civil strifes were as bitter and as fierce as
ours, historian, poet and novelist, record
as part of the sum of England's glory, the
deeds of the men who charged with Ru-
pert, and who stood with Cromwell, who
conquered with Cumberland. aud who
persisted with the clans of Lochiel. His
tory will repeat here what it has recorded
there; where the descendants of the men
who fought for the discrowned Stuart at
the Boyne, and died for his exiled son at
Culloden, have borne the English banners
to victory in every cline beneath the
sun.
Peaceful transports have borne you
swiftly hitler, over the fields which you,
and we, in the time past measured with
the weary steps of marching soldiers. The
long years since then have silvered locks
of raven blackness have dimmed eyes
that pierced the dun clouds of battle with
eagle sharpness, and stitfened limbs that
the bugle-call sent rushing to the charge
with bounding feetness. But time which
works such swift decay to the form of the
soldier, does not so deal with the scenes of
!, VI LrfV hno 1iv,r
and restoration. And so we trust that
the view of those fields and landscapes,
arrayed in their spring mantle, smiling in
the bright Southern sun, and still more
brightly illumined by the blessed sun
shine OF peace. will efface in your memo
ry their aspect as you viewed them when
darkened by the clouds and SCARED by the
tracks of war. Applause.
We hope that our hearty thanks for
your initiation of the relations of friend
ship between the 2S5h New York and the
5th Virginia, and for your unstlnted hos
FATALITIES to us, and the welcome with
which we greet you, will cause you ever
to remember US in kindness, as your fell
ow-citizens in peace and still more kind
ly to forget us as your stubborn adverse
ries in the old, by-gone days of strife.
May the event of our meeting prove
that 'The more we know, the better we
forgive"
But at last our deeds must speak for US
more truly than our words.
Knowing, as I well know, the feelings
which burn in each heart of the SURVIVORS
of the 5th Virginia, [ say for them, to
you of the 2SJh New York, Thanks, y
and welcome.
After the applause following the closing
of Capt. Bumgardner' address, the fol-
lowing response was delivered by
COL. e. F. BROWN OF THE 2sTH,
who said
Capt. Bungcrdaaer, Comrat7es Of 5M Va.,
Ladies and Gentlemen et'tte City of stauaton
and the great Commonwealth Of Virdiaaia::
Your welcome of our little band of old sol
diers-the remnant of the 2Sth Regiment from
the State of New York-is SO hearty, SO COM
plete, and in all respects so surprising, that
we stand before you in amazement. Your re-
ception and this grand demonstration over
powers and bewilders us completely. We are
plain people, coming from the rural districts
of Western New York. We were once soldiers.
We are now citizens. Our daily bread is
earned by our daily labor. By your kindness,
by this unexpected demonstration and by the
eloquence of your welcoming address, we are
suddenly transformed into heroes. We are
made to feel that we are losing our identity
as plain citizens and beginning to wonder if
all this is reality or a dream. Since it must
be real and not "a vision, we must undertake the
task of explaining to you why we are here to-
day, why we make this pilgrimage of seven
hundred miles at this busy season. At the
outset, let me tell you our visit is peaceful
one. The days of strife and bitterness are
ended, and we are here to tell you this face to
face.
When one year ago the Fifth Virginia and
Twenty eighth New York met on the shores of
Niagara, the people of that vicinity witnessed
a scene they will never forget. Our meeting
was cordial. The day of contention, of i'll
feeling, of jealousy and unfriendliness ended,
and shouts of joy were heard rivaling even the
roar of the great cataract. The olive branch
of peace was extended in good faith, and in
equal good faith accepted. Wewere there for
a purpose as we are here to-day. No such
gathering of active participants in the late