Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-06-14


ing Of this grand, this enthusiastic, this
almost attectionate welcome. The elab-
I crate decorations that we behold on all
sides, costing So much Of time and mon
/ ey, 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 exceedingly grateful to
our hearts. They speak to us OF your
+ loyalty and love Of country. and devo-
/ ton to the same great principles of JUS
/ tice 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 0 cca-
| sion required you would be readyto main
/ tain them with your lives Ia this light
we accept your hospitality, and thank
you from our hearts. We shall carry
with us to our homes the idea that there
are few better places on earth than Min
eral Point. Your men energetic and
| liberal, your women courteous and re-
fined, and all classes patriotic. and loyal
to the old soldiers whose short stay
among you has been made so pleasant
| by your kindness and consideration.
Comrades: In all human probability,
this will be the last time | shall have the
opportunity of addressing YOU as presi-
dent of this association. You have for
the last six years continued to re-elect
me, comforting great honor, which /
fully appreciate, and thank youfor. But
now | feel that the time has come when
| should step aside and encourage the
election of some of some one of our MEM
bers more worthy, and better qualified
| to discharge these pleasant duties that
have so long deyolyed upon me-there-
fore | will say to YOU now, | am not n
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 an
nual gatherings 1t has always been 81
task / would gladly evade, because |
felt as | DO to-day, that there are others
in our association more able and eloquent
In the past when | have addressed
you. the thought that has ever been up
permost in my mind, was that | might
not only be able to say something to re-
new and keep alive the old associations
and friendships of army days, but kindle
anew the fires of patriotism and love Of
country in our hearts and the hearts of
others, and to say something that would
be of practical benefit to you, and this
is my purpose to-day.
On these occasions we naturally 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,
thrill our hearts and inspire our feelings
and it seems we are no longer the gray
haired veterans, but the boys of 81,
ready to 90 to the front. In memory
we live in the past We fight again its
battles, endure its hardships, renew its
friendship and although personally we
feel we MAY have done 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
imagination we are again ut Shiloh, at
Vicksburg or Antietam. We march
with Sherman to the sea, or with Grant
to victory and peace at AppomattoN.
But, my comrades, we cannot disguise
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 matter of few wears
before we, too, shall follow the boys that
have gone before, and pitch our tents
upon the other shore Death, the
Great Destroyer, is no respecter of per-
sons. Since we last met in reunion he
has seized many victims at the front, the
rear, and ON our TANKS; not only from
the rank and file, but from among the
most illustrious who so often led us on
fields of victory or defeat. Mcclellan,
the great engineer and organizer, was
quietly and Unexpectedly taken from his
peaceful home in New jersey. Hancock,
the brave and gallant officer, suddenly
from his post of duty in New York,
Grant, the great and good by lingering
disease, from Mt. McGregor; and the
world has witnessed the sublime and UNI
paralleled spectacle of fifty millions of
free people in mourning at his bier. This
remarkable exhibition of love and graft
| tude to our great commander, in con
nection with this demonstration here to-
day, confirms my opinion that the great
heart Of the nation is still loyal and true
to it defenders, that the people appre-
catc our work, that our sacrifices have
not been in vain.
But my fellow citizens, we are not
here to-day simply to review the past, or
revive its memories: there is still work
to do, there are still battles to be fought
and victories to be won, for God, hui
manity and our country. The events of
/ the last few months remind us that there
are still grave and complicated questions
and issues to be met and solved, requir-
ing high standard of intelligence and