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

say that twenty years ago in this lovely
month of May, 40 full in general of bud
ding life and joyous expectation, your
speaker lay, on the plains of Spotsylvania,
! almost in the embrace of death from a
wound inflicted by Hancock's corps.
How impossible it would have been for him
then to have even dreamed that sixteen
years thereafter he would be striving
might and main to elevate to the Prasi-
dency of reunited country the noble man
and distinguished general who command
ed that hostile corps, or that he would be
standing here to-day with words of sin
cere greeting on bis lips for men against
whom he stood in battle array at Cedar
Mountain. Yet these things have been
so ordered by Him Of whom it is written
''He maketh the wrath of man to
praise Him, anG the remainder of wrath
doth He restrain" If then the men who
stood twenty years ago with arms in their
hands leveled at each others breasts, ex-
tend to each other to-day those same
hands, ,oith their hearts in them, and grasp
each others palms In token of enduring
friendship and restored fraternity, what
should be done with those intriguing dem
agogues and pestllent politicians who
find their strength in the weaknesses of
the people, and thrive on the vices of the
body polite, who warm themselves into
life by reinaaming the smouldering en-
berS of our civil strife. which should new
er be stirred. unless for the patriotic pur-
pose of keeping alive therefrom a beacon
of warning against the dreadful dangers
that always Turk in sectional animosities
My countrymen, ours is glorious
heritage. The complex system of govern.
ment framed by our fathers-who "build-
ed we are told, 'better than they knew"
constitutes noble temple consecrated to
rational liberty. Let us endeavor to pre-
serve it in its original harmony of proper
ton. Let us beware how we strengthen
and it may be ouerload-one part of it at
the expense OF another, lest the whole
fabric should tumble into ruins. Let us
labor to exclude from its high seats all
save those who win them by integrity and
merit. Let US drive from it all
who would make it ''a houss of mer-
chandise. :" Let US strive-Herculean
though the task be-to cleanse it from all
corruptions, and thus make it a fit
ting abode for impartial and even
handed Liberty, smiling on all her chill
dren alike, exacting from each an equality
of service, dispensing to each an equality
of benefit, and rejoicing to behold them
once more dwelling together in that spirit
OF confraternity and unity in which to-
day and here 1.-THE North gives up, and
the South keeps not back"
Once more l say to you our honored
guests. in the name of this whole people,
all Hail and Welcome friends
The following address of
HON. e. L. PITTS OF NEW YORK,
was delivered in behalf of the citizen
guests of the 2Sth New York in response
to Col. SINNERS address:
ADDRESS OF HON. E. L. PITTS OF NEW YORK.
Ladies and Gentlemen Of the Old Dominion :.
I have never had prouder trust than that
committed to me by the citizen guests who par
ticipate in this reunlon-to return to you
thanks for this magnificent demonstration,
and the warm hospitality with which you
have received them. The Fifth Virginia have
won the greatest victory they ever achieved
(applause) they have overcome the remnant
of the brave 2Sth veterans; they have con-
quered us, and the millions of people we left
behind us. Applause) This greeting you
have extended to us we will take home to our
hresldes, where it is impossible to estimate the
good it will do. May Providence shower its
choicest blessings on the man who invented
the idea of this reunion, and may there never
again be war or rumors of war to disturb
its blessed effect. 1 speak the feeling of
every man and woman among us, when l say
that we thank God that we have lived to see this
day. elbow your fercest, winds, for this is
the land our fathers loved the land of lib
erty."
Many of us are treading for the first time on
Virginia soil. We had heard of your grand
Shenandoah Valley, your thrifty people, of
the educat- onal interests of your city. We
had heard of your city and knew that it was
an outlying post of that great territory out of
which lnnumerable empires have been carved.
We had been told in youth that it was son
of Virginia who led the ragged and foot-sore
troops of the revolution to liberty, and of
whom it was said that he was ''first in war,
first in peace, and first in the hearts of his
| countrymen." Our school books had told us
that the hand of a Virginia wrote the Declara-
ton of Independence. Your Washingtons,
your Lees, your Patrick Henrys, with our Liv-
tington and Alexander Hamilton, had labored
| with fidelity in laying the foundation for q
| nation which now numbers sixty millions of
people, and thirty eight stars to shine on
| God blessed national banner (Applause J
But my countrymen all the glory, all the
| grandeur, all the greatness of Virginians be-
| longs not alone to Virginia. It is part of
the heritage of every American citizen. You
cannot circumscribe such glory in mere State
limits. Can you blame us, then, that when
you tried to confne it to Virginia, we were
| ItoV W give up GuOSo lueluO-
| ries. Thank God that it is all now in the past,
| that the old war days when brother sought
the life of brother are ended. applause.
Oh what blessed privilege it is to be citi-
| zen of this great Republic. This Republic
which protects all its people, which holds
| charity for all and malice towards none.
Thank God each of us here can say this day.
L am an American citizen, (applause) and we
can repeat that with the courage displayed by
the men of the North and the men of the
South, we are combined, superior to any force
| the whole allied world can sent against us.
(Great cheering We of New York have an
Empire State at home, with it's millions of PEG.
pie, its wealth and its teeming industries but
we come not as citizens-of New York. We
take no pride in being New Workers,
compared with the pride we take in being
American citizens. Applause. He who
spake as never man spoke has said, 'let the
dead bury the dead" We honor those who
honor their dead, but let us bury with their
bodies and out of sight all the luminosity and
bitter memories of the past Peace hath her
greatest of these are the victories won by
Southern and Northern soldiers over them
selves, over the animosities and hatreds of the
war. Greater is he that conquereth himself
than him that taketh city, and that great
ness you Virginians have shown to-day. APP
plause.] Brave men after battle is over can
90 no more, but clasp hands Applause
Great blessings, great benefits impose on us
most solemn duties. We should go forth from
this reunion with high resolveto eliminate all
passion, all prejudice from our hearts, and to
make our country SO strong that it shall sweep
from its path as tornado all that oppose it.
Again, in conclusion, I say that thank God
l have lived to see this day, the day when 'the
children clasp hands where their fathers
crossed blades" Great and continued cheer
ing
KILOGRAMS.
Maj. Newton then read telegram from
Hon. H. L. Greenleaf of N. Y, sending
his regrets and "a cordial greeting to all
here"
RESQI.uTIQN OF tn NRS EPOA5 TILE