Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-05-28
eELcIcH POST @. A. R.
Presentation OF asa Elegant Bau-
ner from MRS. Geiclch.

mer from Hr&s 9eichcns
Some months ago new Post of thu
Grand Army was instituted in East Loi
Angeles and the members gave It th'
name Of Gelcich Post, in commemora
ton Of that old aud highly esteemed
soldier, DR.. V. Gelcich, lately deceased
The widow Of Dr. Geleich, desiring ia
some way to testify her appreciation fol
the gallant band that had chosen hel
husbands name, made an elegant ban.
ner and on last evening it was presented
to the Post at the hall in East Los An.
geles.
Nearly the full membership of the
Post was in atten dance, together with
many ladies and friends of the order.
Tne hall was brilliantly lighted and
handsomely decorated with flowers.
Commander McKeag called the Post
to order aud introduce Major Horace
Bell, commander of s anton Post, who
had been requested by Mrs. Gelcich to
make the formal presentation of the
banner.
The Major paid high tribute to the
United States soldiers who marched
forth to battle for the perpetuation OF
the Union, and said; ''The pillar Of
light, my comrades, which guided the
footsteps of this grand army was this
our country's flag, the star spangled
banner. Behold it's glory. Let your
heart throbs respond in burst Of patri-
otto pride when you gaze upon its bril-
liant stars and its beautiful stripes.
(Unfurling the banner Comrades, you
see the inscription on that banner; Gel
cich Post, No. 1906, G. A. r. The noble
gentleman, the Christian warrior, V.
Geleich, whose name honors this Poet,
was one of those llberty-loving Euro.
peans who came 10 this country thor
oughly imbued With the spirit Of free
dom. A little over one year ago this
brave man marched shoulder to shout
der with us in honor of the dead,
To-day he sleeps with the heroes who
have gone before. We feel the buoy
ancy that we did twenty-five years ago,
and we are all apt to forget that the
frosts of winter begin to settle upon us
and tinge our hair with silver, but when
a good eomrade as the noble Gelcich is
taken from us it reminds that we have
but short march to make until we
make our report to the Grand Com
mander Who rules the universe"
Comrades, it becomes my duty on the
part of the widow to present to you
this banner, which she sends to you
with a patriotic heart, full of gratitude
to you for having honored the name of
her husband. That name will be hand
ed down TO the end of time through the
medium of this Post. 1t will be filed
among the archives of our glorious
country. Mrs. Gslcich feels deeply the
honor conferred, and in the privacy of
her chamber, out of a full heart, she
sends up applications to the Command.
er on High for you and every comrade
of the G. A. r"
Commander, take this flag in the
name of the noble lady who sends it.
You love it and have risked your life for
it. Cherish it on account of the noble
deceased comrade Gelcch and his widow,
for the love you bear it and for the risks
you ran for it. l charge you and your
successors in Office to honor the memory
of comrade Gelcich for his noble deeds,
and when you look on this flag think of
him whose name it bears and of her who
presents it.
"Vincent Gelcich was the most chart
table, Just and generous man 1 ever
knew, and l knew him as comrade,
brother, a friend and neighbor for
more than twenty years. Such
is the voice OF all who knew him. He
was a man who would sacrifice health
and wealth and work day and night for
the suffering of all classes. His charity
was SO boundless that it encompassed
the whole world. Remember him;
yrieve for him and honor him."
Comrades, | charge you that on
zach Memorial Day you make his grave
| particular object and with loving
hands strew it with the flowers of
'pring."
"This is a sad pleasure. One year
lgo to-day our lamented comrade was in
The front rank of those preparing to
strew the graves OF the dead heroes with
flowers as we now prepare with sorrow
laden hearts to strew his last resting
place with tokens of our sad remem-
brance. | know, comrades, that it will
be labor of love for you to pay respect
TO the memory of the noble comrade.
Major Bell spoke at some length in
general terms of the war, one sentence
being: ave are now one people. If an
outside nation should attack US, those
who fought to tear down this banner
during the war would be as ready to fly
to its succor as we who fought so hard
to uphold it," The Major closed amid
much applause.
Comrade White received the flag ON
the part of the Post, and desired Ma ior
Bell to convey to Mrs Gelcich the warm
est thanks of the Post for the beautiful
emblem. "The Post will cherish it and
prize it for the sake of her husband and
herself. 1t shall be placed ON our walls
to remind us of them, and every Memo
lill day it shall be draped in mourn
ing. When we are through with
it we will bequeath it to the
Sons of Veterans, to remind them of
their duty to the order. If we are ever
again called to the field, it shall be our
orihame OF war and our battle cry shall
be, "Gelcich and Liberty" The Post
thanks you, Major Bell, for kindly maxi
ing the presentation, and can assure
you that we will ever cherish and uphold
this banner"
Commander McKeag announced that
the Post had accepted an invitation to
attend memorial services at the Asbury
NJ. l.. Church, at eleven o'clock Sunday
Also that at nine o'clock
Monday morning the Post would meet
and proceed to decorate the grave Of Dir.
Geleich, and in the afternoon Join in the
general memorial exercises with the
other Posts.
After partalsing of refreshments and
spending an hour in social intercourse
the guests reluctantly separated.