The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-20
peeial co,reponaenee ettAs lalealpsneer.

cd to by Prof, +. II, Crago in his usua
iuimitable style. Tho line was then
formed and the march taken up for the
rink, where tables had been bountlully
Supplied by the hospitabls people o.
Washington county. Alew selections were
rendered by the band, during which time
the ladies tiaished their preparations for
dinner. About six hundred people were
fed at the tables, aud afterwards the rink
was cleared and chairs were provided to
seat the audience, The exercises were
opened by Prof, Crago, giving an epitome
Of the history Of the Ringgoid Battalion,
which was listened 10 with much interest.
After selection by the band, Major +.
Hudson Mckee, olthe FRS! West Virginia
Infantry, delivered the following address:
MAJOR HUDSON M'KEG's GRAFTON.
COMRADES AND FELLow,CITIzESs:-
There arc times when silence is golden
times when thought Is more significant
than speech times when the still emotions
OF the soul is sweeter music than that
which can ever be sung. II gathered
treasure In the great store.house Of the
worlds riches make glad the happy pos.
SCISSOR, ought not the gathering here to-day
Of this rHmnant OF that heroC band OF
brave and generous men be signalized as
time Of enthusiastic re- )iCugP Enen let
US rejoice that you have lived to 500 the
golden days OF peace aud plenty; rei1ics
in the memories Of the past, with all it's
history OF defeat aGd victory; r'j1iCs in
being permitted to share in such honora'
Bile service, believing that our notion has
no greater glory than her soldier citizens.
Another year has registered upon the
dial.plate ol time. AS the light OF these
passing days recede, each Coinrade Bees
The shadow OF liie's evening come little
nearer. Comrades, let us journey back
through memOry's years, little more
than a quarter OF century, to that day
when duty sommoned us from quiet homes
among these Keystone hills-lor this re-
Prospect brings to each Of us to-day o les.
son OF precious memories. Did 1t ever
occur to you that there was anything re.
markable in the manner tho boys (for
most Of US we're boys) hurriedly arranged
affairs and went, with parents cons ,nt
and sweet.heart's smile, in q moment
0ue Of tho most beautiful things recorded
in the sacred book, illustrating obedience
aud duty, is, where abraham, when he
was called to 20 out into place which he
Ishould afterwards receive for an inherit.
ance, obeyed, and he went out no. know
Ing whittier he went !"
You, my comrades, were called ;you obey
ed. You went out not knowing whittier
you went. II the greatest test OF mans
loyalty to his isgovernmentc can be measured
py comparison, 10 one whose obedience
has rendered his name immortal, and
whose example Of faith marks him as a
patron saint in our Holy Christianity,
then will there not come to each OF you to.
day that quiet satisfaction Of having obey.
ed the call Of your country? Faith OF
confidence In q agjVernment means some.
thing. When you pressed that parting
kiss on your mothers tear.wet cheek, and
received a fathers parting blessing, nc
questions, no doubts, no contingencies
we're expressed. IL was gol Look at the
boys who are leaving homo to-day, see
the preparation, the inquiry, tbs investi'
cation, the doubling, ths uncertainty. All
this the result Of possibility the young
man may mistake his calling,-a want oI
confidence.
THE JEWEL or LIBERTY.
You, my comrades, have been sChooled
in the faith Of the Pilgrim fathers, al
mothers knee, around a thousand FIRE
sides. You were unconsciously qualified
and prepared for the holy work Of keeping
the "jewel Of liberty in the family OF treo.
dom.h Your parents had faith In the
government and COuA lenc9 In their sous.
They had ceased to chant and sing the
songs Of the revolution, but they had not
forgotten to teach those sons that
"should again the wAr.trunp peal,
Then shall traitor ilFmnGSI zeal,
rg I'm iailh aud patti ItEAl,
Prompt IOS rik5 the blow;
Then SIall VAlOrg AUrk 69 d1ne
Lie Inc re s1ail ba The ION,
vi hA bat lie lOu tnt aui WOn,
Twenty Vars ago."
Your going was their prid9, your con.
quering their Joy, your return their vic.
tory, your presence here, their ceaselesa
benediCtion. 80, as noble sors Of honored
Bires, you can remember with pride and
satisfaction that you have kept, without
regret, that holy commandment: "HonOr
thy father aud thy mother, that thy days
may bs long upon the land which the
Lord thy God giveth thee" That moth.
ers tear-wet kiss, aud fathers parting
blessing, oil twenty-five years ago, now
laden with thank Offering floni sixty
millions ol free, happy and prosperous
people, comes to each oi you to-day, an
honor that kings and princes might de.
sire.
But another thought Of these awakened
memories. That indefinite engagement
that you entered into: "For three years,
or during the war" marks an epoch In the
history Of eaOh man, BY this you ceased
10 be CltiEsns, Then you became Ooldiers
and as soldiers your history Is written.
Not only written, but preserved In the
archives OF the nation. That history re-.
yeals the fact that you have made the agB
In which you lived tue most important Of
the generations Of tnsn. You have wit.
messed the mightlest events VI all times.
You have participated In and listened to
The discussion oi tho gravest problems
OF our national dOstiny. You were among
tho chief actors Ia that conflict which de-.
Cided forever the question nl human lib.
bIbl upuh WIS ubhtiutut A4uW kTbht Jtlld
history will appear, lot the millions who
have passed their peaceful llyOs without
Incident, aud those as yet unborn atteBt,
In the long future,
But what OF this waf, its causes and re.
BultsV Let us frat assume, without argu.
ment, few simple propositions, that
Beli government 10 the natural condition
Of an adult society; that the end Of all 20.
Clal compact 10, OF Ought 10 be, To give Ia
every child born into the world the iaifeBt
chance 10 make the most and best Of II.
SELF that Law can give II. That liberty and
law are the two pillars upon whcn rest
the great national structure, that makes
Tor uB to-day q name among the nations.
These were the accepted truths that ware
taught in thousand Pennsylvania school.
houses, and proclaimed from more than a
thousand ol her pulplls. They we're pro.
lmulsatSd BY pflS0t and lawyer, 20 that all