St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-26
That gentleman

Mr.. Chairman, comrades, anu SeutieineH
an / ladies. To me is given topic as broad
as the continent on which we lives, as deep
as the ocean that aves our shores. We are
blessed with numerous shrines where our
people and the people of all nations go to
breathe their audible prayers, but
there are other shrines to which
the homage paid Is the nom
age of silence Our country is one Of these,
The subject is too great for me to attemptto
speak upon. Shall speak Of its length, of
its breadth, of its rivers, of its lakes, its
mountains, its glens and dales, which are
the greatest its soil the richest, its people
the happiest. Shall | speak of its wondrous
people. We are among them, for where in
the world shall we find grander or nobler
people than in this very city. Applause
Shall we speak of the country OF ours as the
land and nation we helped to save! Where
has been the day in which the certainty of its
future prosperity has been illustrated as 1t
was to-day, when in the association OF 2o.OO0
soldiers drummer boy was chosen
another welcome from me tonight. l may
here repeat my assurance that the city OF
Minneapolis has been more than glad to have
been honored with your presence. We have
tried our best and tried not in vain to give
YOU such welcome as you deserve. When
you consider the age OF our city, that it was
in 1851 that the first child was born in the
city of Minneapolis, that of the forty-one
senators and lat representatives OF our leg
slature but one was born in Minnesota, you
see that we are young but promising L
trust your acquaintance with us has been so
pleasant that you will be glad to come again.
| understand that some of you intend to
transfer your residence to our city. We
think none of you will regret it.
The next toast was the Grand Army of the
Republic, and was neatly responded to by
Comrade John KountZ, of Ohio. He began
by saying that he was fatigued by the feat OF
the week and was unfit to make a speech.
He believed all would agree with him in the
statement that the Grand Army, as it rests
upon the grand principles Of patriotism. was
the noblest body of men on the globe. We
are united in the triple bonds of fraternity,
charity and loyalty to preserve and cherish
the memories of the battle field and struggles
Of war, to revere the memories of those brave
comrades who fell for their country's sake by
our side and to render material aid to our
INDECENT brethren. l will ask Gen. Grosy-
enor, of Ohio, to finish this speech. Loud
Applause:
Being thus introduced Comrade Grosvenor
said: 1t has been "a long time since Comrade
Kountz employed a substitute. Laughter.
In fact, the only time l can remember was
when he employed wooden substitute for
his missing leg. l hope you will all appre-
ciate that Tor young man like Kountz, who
has gone through what he has during the
past few days, it is indeed surprising that he
is here tonight at all, you would excuse him.
Let me make right here the prediction that
at our next meeting we will look
back upon the work of this
encampment with goodly degree of graft
fication to us all. 1t is no eXaggeration to
say the Grand Army is to-day the mightiest
organization in the world. When it came
home from war it was crowned with laurels
from victories of war, but the victories
of war are insignificant when COM
pared with the victories achieved
by our organization in peace, and there is
no better place than Minneapolis in which to
make this proud statement. She is a child
of the war, the type of the spirit of the war,
the spirit of patriotism and hospitality. All
this was made possible by the deeds of our
armies in war and the mplishments of
the G.. A. R. in peace. We have right to
come to Minneapolis. We have a
right to 90 to Dakota to the Rockymountains
and say this is our country. We saved it
and we made it. The g. A. r. is not only
lingering here as the exponent of the princi-
plies of war, but to teach such lessons as that
war for the dismemberment of the Union
never again shall be possible. The speaker
spoke in praise of the street display on We'd
nesday and pronounced it the most magni-
ficent work the G. A. r. has
done, and is now doing Hethen re-
ferred to the noble work the auxil-
larry, the Ladies Relief association. and be-
lieved that he was authorized, in very ten
der manner to thank you for the honor con-
ferred on Ohio yesterday, in singing out the
man who made the g. A. r. in that state
what it is, and promoted to the front rank,
one of Ohio's choicest women.
Ohio people are modest or they would greatly
rejoice at their good fortune. He spoke at
length upon this topic and was quite ex-
haustive.
AS he concluded Gen. Sherman entered
the banquet hall, and the band struck up the
irrepressible s'Marchng Through Georgia.
in which all the vets joined, the General
being no exception.
Post Commander Paul Vandervoort re-
sponded to the toast: ''The Women's Re-
lief association He had installed the first
officers in that organization and was well
uCltu lOl opCCCu upOll buCLlC. liz
claimed that the organization was no longer
an experiment, bnt an established success.
He advocated establishing an auxiliary to
every G. A. R. post in the country,
and expressed his confidence
in the result ultimately. He
spoke of the benefits to be derived from
the relief association. The old soldiers had
too much pride to admit of their begging
ana the ladies were admirably adapted to
getting funds A soldiers home had been
built in Massachusetts by the G.. A. r. and
Woman's Relief association without dollar.
''The Volunteer Soldiers was the toast
which followed and the eloquent Corporal
Turner, of New York, was called upon to
respond. He spoke of old war "reminiscences
of the volunteers that fled through the
streets of Minneapolis on Wednesday, stat
ing that in the ranks of that day were
represented some of the most gallant smoke
house raiders and chicken stealers that ever
lived He was somewhat hume rous at times
and at other times he was quite pathetic.
He is fine talker, and holds his audience at
his perfect command.
Gen. w. 7. sherman's toast was ''The
army" When he was introduced the cheer
ing was deafening. He began by uttering
few words of thanks for the many kind
nesses which had been extended to himself
and party during his stay in Minneapolis,
and referred to himself as the late Gen.
Sherman. He said l am now through
with the army and war. 1 intend to take it
easy the balance of my life and enjoy all the
fun there is going. Concerning the army,
let me give assurances that l have left it il
good hands. Sheridan is brave,
careful and efficient officer. Be-
sides there are three excellent
major generals and six splendid
brigadier generals, and so might continue
going down the line and complimenting the
1000 officers of the regular army.
The banquet hall was reluctantly left at a