Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-01-06
THE INSTALLATION
Of the Officers of the Grand
Army Post Last
Night
Calls Out a Large Number of
People who Were we'll
Entertained.
Installation of Onfcsrs of U. 8. Grant
Post, No. IL, q. A. r.

Installation Of Oficsrs of U. s. Grant
Post, No. IA, @. A. X.
Promptly at the hour set last even
ing the comrades of U. S. Grant Post,
No. IA, headed by the Fifth infantry
band took up the line of march to the
court house, and to the soul-inspiring
strains of when we marching
through Georgia" the veterans step
ped out with all the swing and vigor
of the old days. On arriving at the
court house the space allotted to Wis
itors was found to be filled aud before
the services commenced there was lit
orally standing room only" The
room was most tastefully decorated
with the national colors and stands of
arms, while on each side Of the speak
er's platform was draped the tattered
standards of the Fifth infantry EN-
blazoned with the names of battles Of
both the Mexican and the civil wars,
in which the regiment had participant
ed. AS soon rs the Post was ASSEMBLE
ed Post Commander II. T.. Webster
arose aud briefly introduced Captain
Henry Romeyn, of the Fifth infantry,
who delivered the following address:
Comrades Of the Grand Army OF the
Republic, members Of brotherhood
Dapllsed IA blood aud tested by fire,
u noDler than which the world never
saw. We have met on this occasion
10 renew our binds VI feaity to each
other, to pledge anew our loyalty 10
the land We love, and Tor which 50
many of our comrades gave their lives,
and ~ install the cOInrades OF your
choice ia the official positions to
which, for the coming year, they have
been chosen. Though but few in
numbers here, yet IL Is good to know
that all DER the length and breadth of
this great aud goodly land, posts OF
the Grand Army are thickly placed,
aud that hundreds OF thousands of
comrades who stood by IL In the dark
days Of war, are now banded together
In peace, sworn to uphold the govern
nient they helped 10 save. and TO care
for those whose loved ones fell In the
field or have since succumbed to dis
ease contracted there, aud who may
heed aid and comfort; and striving to
keep alive, for p0sterity, the feeling of
loyalty which animated their hearts
in thOse trying hours, that they may
know the price their fathers paid that
liberty might live, and our land be, In
truth, the land of the free.
Let US turn back the leaves of MEM
ory's book, and roll backward the
scroll Of history for quarter of GEN.
fury. Heads now silvered with age,
bore the hue of youth; steps now fall
tering from wounds, disease or age,
were theu firm aud buoyant; eyes
now dimmed, or alas! closed In the
soldiers last sleep, were bright and
clear, faces now scanned and SCARED.
were smooth and ruddy-hued with
health. Reared among the surround
ings Of peace, the denizens Of our
happy homes dreamed Of war, as
something that was common enough
in other lands, OF internecine strife as
something Mexican In character; but
neither of them ever liable to trouble
them OF theirs. or render II necessary
to put forth any military strength TO
avoid, or put down. The will of q
people, AS expressed ut the ballot
box. had declared TO the cause
of slavery, that IL should not
pass the bounds IL then had;
that while II should not be disturbed
In the territory IL then covered, IL
should spread over no more. Then,
over the southern horizon, dark clouds
began to gather and mutterings of
threatened storm to be heard, still the
North was incredulous. Why should
brothers 20 u war with each other?
Accustomed. themselves, to submit to
the will Of the majority, and with an
intelligence which could decide for
itself the right or wrong of the cause 1t
might espouse, they could not conceive
OF u portion Of our population willing
to be led by few hot-headed leaders
into war to destroy the government
their fathers had lsbored 30 hard to
build up. and In which all had COM
mon interest. The chief executive of
Of the nation, OF less firm mould than
he who bad years before placed his
heel on the head of the notification
serpent, parlayed and tsmporized
when he should have ordered, and the
spring Of 1851 saw a fifth part of the
states Of the Uniun determined upon
Its destruction. AZ length, in April,
over that fortress In Charleston harbor
and upon the heads of It's loyal de-
tenders the storm cloud burst. At the
first roar men stood aghast, dazed aud
stunned. Then rose the battle cry of
people reused at last from the
dreams Of peace to the stern reality of
war. ITO arms!" was the cry from
Maine TO Oregon, and from "Mason
and Dlxon's line" to the Great Lake..
When II was known that seventy-five
thousand men had been called for, the
North said, Surely that will be SUM-
Gent, aud ninety days will see the
recreant members of the great sister
hood again In their proper places.
ashamed of their senselees escapade
and willing to remain peaceful for the
future" On the other hand the
South, astouished that the promised
peaceful separation had proved 10 be
but the harbinger Of war. still reposed