Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-06-11

I lHcSt piI 1OI
whom we can provide nothing that is
too good; to them / extend a special
welcome. | welcome you veterans in
the name of all, of every man. woman
and child. not only of this city, but all
who have come here from other homes
to participate in the pleasures of this
Reunion.
l have heard it said that our schools
teach learning. that our churches teach
religion. but that there is no special
temple either OF learning or piety
where is taught patriotism and loyalty.
1t may be so. 1t may be true too. that
this very organization supplies that
want 1t ma be that each annual Re
union will beget an increased love of
/ Country and more exalted patriot
ism. 1t is to be hoped that this will be
so. Anything that viii keep alive the
| fire of patriotism is worth all ii costs.
| should feel that l were trespassing
upon your time if | should detain you
any longer You will have longer and
better speeches to listen to than | can
make. | hope you will all enjoy the
Mineral Point Reunion. trust it will
occupy pleasant place in your minds
and, long after this day shall have fad
ed into the pas. YOU Win recall it as
/ one of the GIN pots of YOUR mem
! cries.
In closing my brief remarks | can
not help saying that, while | could
| wish to have spoken better, | could
not, either for myself or the cOmmu-
nifty which | am proud TO represent,
have spoken more freely.
! Again, | extend to you, one and ali,
Il hearty welcome.
, He was responded to by President
| {. H. Baxter. who spoke as follows:
Nh MAYOR: On behalf of the asso-
citation which have the honor to rep
resent us president allow me to thank
You for those eloquent and touching
words Of welcome. They do credit to
your head and heart; and as | take it,
represent the feelings and sentiments
of your people towards the old vet
Grams assembled here to-day. | think
can safely say, we fully appreciate
your hospitality. and the significance
and meaning Of this grand, this en-
thusiaStic. this almost atTectiOnate wei
come. The elaborate decorations that
! we behold on all sides, costing SO much
of time and money, and the cordial
manner and greeting of your citizens,
the homes thrown open for our comfort
and accommodation, and the assurance
Of esteem and regard YOU express are
grateful to our hearts. They speak to
us of your loyalty and love of country,
and devotion to the same great princi-
pies of Justice and humanity for which
we fought, and for which our comrades
gave their lives, and are evidences that
you love liberty and hate oppression,
and if occasion required YOU would be
ready to maintain them with your
lives. In this light we accept your
| hospitality, and thank YOU from QUIZ
hearts. We shall carry with us to our
homes the idea that there are few bet
| ter places on earth than Mineral Point.
Your men energetic and liberal, Your
women courteous and refined. and all
classes patriotic. and loyal to the old
soldiers whose stay among YOU has
been made So pleasant by your kind
ness and consideration.
Comrades: In all human probability,
this will be the last time | will have
the opportunity of addressing you as
president of this association. You
have for the past six wears continued
t. re-eect me, comforting a great honor
which | fully appreciate, and thank
You for. But | now feel that the time
has come when | should step aside,
and encourage the election of some
of some one OF our members more
worthy. and better qualified to discharge
these pleasant duties that have SO long
devolved upon e-therefore | will
say to YOU now, am not a candidate
for reelection. The position to which
You have SO frequently assigned me has
seemed to require that | should make
some remarks to YOU at these annual
gatherings. 1t has always been a task
would gladly evade, because | felt
as do to-day. that there are others in
our association better qualified to dis
charge this duty: for this reason my
remarks have always been brief, and
for the same reason they will be so
to-day
In the past when | have addressed
you. the thought that has been upper
most in my mind, was that | might
not only be able to renew and keep
alive the old associations of friend
ships of army days, but kindle anew
the fires Of patriotism and love of
country in our hearts, the hearts of
others. and to say something that
would be of sound practical benefit to
YOU, this is my purpose to-day.
1t is natural for us upon these Occa-
sions to look back and review the past,
the scenes and incidents of the day,
the familiar faces of old comrades, the
strains of martial music, the old flag
floating in the breeze, thrills our hearts
and inspires our feelings and we are
no longer the gray-haired veterans, but
the boys of 81, ready to go to the front.
In memory we live in the past. We
fight its battles, endure its hardshipS,
and although we personally, feel we
did little, we glory in the fact that we
were part of that grand army of liberty
! that preserved the union, struck the
shackles off the slave, and made liberty
and law supreme in our native land.
In imagination we are again at Shiloh,
at Vicksburg or Anteitam. We march
with Sherman to the sea, or with Grant
to victory and peace at AppomattOx.
But. my comrades, we cannot dis
guise the fact that we are growing old;
even the youngest of us show the gray;
time is making sad havoc in our ranks.
Here and there. one after another is
dropping out, and it is only a matter
of a few years before we, too, shall
follow the boys that have gone before,
and pitch our tents upon the shore"
Death, the Great Destroyer, is no re-
Specter of persons. STee we last met
in reunion he has seiz I'D many victims
at the front, the rear, aNd on our TANKS;
not only from the rank and file, but
from among the more illustrious who
So often led us on fields of victory or
defeat Mcclellan, the great engineer
and organizer, was quietly and unex-
pectedly taken from his peaceful home
in Na1- Te~SaE-. Ia0ppaI- tho bY-a va