The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-12-04
\ ROYAL TIME.
Post, Toledo, O., Cheers Com
mander-in-Chief Fairchild.

| On the evening Of Nov 10 Forsyth Post,
! GAR, Of Toledo, o., celebrated its 20th anni-
! versaTy aud gave a magnificent reception TO
/ Commander-in-Chief Fairchild and Depart
ment Commander Concer. The exercises were
4 held az Memorial Hall, which was crowded TO
/ its utmost capacity with veterans and their
! friends. Past Commander-in-C Chief kountz pre-
/ sided. After a cordial welcome from Mayor
\ Forbes Comrade Kountz briefly reviewed the
history Of Forsyth Post. lie said:
! Twenty years ago tonight. and but little more
! than a year after the roar OF artillery had died
away, and the rolling of the battle-drum was no
longer heard la the land and the defenders Of the
Union had cast aside the vcstmonis Of war, l3 sur
Nvors 81 the army met in the Office Of Col. J. A.
Chase IN tins city, aud were mustered into the
/ Grand Army Of the Republic by Capt. Henry Il.
Howe, Special Mastering Officer on the staT of DIR.
j. ~ Stevenson, Of Springfield, H., the originator
and founder OF the organization. II Is gratifying 10
| note that all the charter members, save one are
still among Us, and have kept the faith from that
day 10 this. The Post selected its name in honor
of Lieut.. =. ID. Forsyth, "A Toledo boy who
killed IN Libby Prison. Since its organization 325
members have been transferred 10 other Posts aud
ll comrades have answered the last rollcall. Vet,
Notwithstanding these losses il is still among the
largest Posts IN the Grand Army.
Forsyth Post inGugurated the movement for the
establishment of the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors
Orphans Home, and Il also took the first steps to-
ward this beautiful Memorial building which has
been creCicd IN honor of the soldiers aud sailors
who went 10 The war from this County But our
greatest pride is Ia The record the Post has made in
relief work. Since it, organization ID has expended
more than $4,000 for the relief of suffering soldiers
their widows and orphans and its blessings
every day being felt 10y The surviving soldiers OF
the war; but neither the occasion nor the time will
permit me 10 give even brief outline of its beneh-
Commander in -Chicf. your command, now num-
boring more than 100000 Of the survivors of that
grand aud patriot army which, under Providence,
saved the Nation and accomplished more for liber-
~ and civilization than any other army ia tire
worlds history, is not an army with swords and
musllcts whose pathway is strcwn with destruc-
uon ana sorrow, but an army whose mission Is
peace, and love, and friendship; an army which
strcws the path Of suffering comrades with help and
hope, ana cheer, and an army whose sweet and
tender charities are well known throughout the
land, from the hills of New England 10 the Golden
Gate on our further shore. With such record,
may il no, justly be said that your command is the
grnndcst army the world ever saw?
The Grand Army Of the Republic rests upon n
record OF loyalty and patriotism that must inspire
the rising generation 20 love and TO Ycncraic the
Government IL fought to preserve, as the best and
frecst In the world, and the organization will work
and endure until the last sHrN-ivor yields 60 the
last tattoo. Again, Commander-in-Chief in behalf
Of all my comrades. ] say welcome a thousand
welcomes, 70 Forsyth Post.
Gen. Fairchild then advanced to the front
and was greeted with tremendous applause
In his eloquent speech he said:
] bow my head in reverence rs stand here In
this beautiful Memorial bail which YOU have
erected la honor and 10 the memory Of those brave
boys who served in The late conflict, from this
Post, and for Grand Army men everywhere. I
thank you citizens Of this County, FOR thus honor
ing our noble comrades. am glad 10 be here to-
night with Forsyth Post, and still more glad 10
be here as occupying The proud position of Com
mandcr Of the Grand Army OF the Republic. 1
glad 10 bring this great Office once more back
70 Toledo. honored il once was by your brave
Commander in way that never has been and
never VIII be surpassed
bring back the station and set il down 10y your
brave drummer boy Of Toledo. And. comrades,
right here we have the strongest proofs OF the
good influence of the Grand Array. 3'here
three clements OF our organization-Charity, 10y
atty aud Fraternity, and 10 these add
Equality. 0OlOnCls generals and men of all
ranks in the army, but here we are simply pri-
vates nothing more. The Office of Commander
in Chief has been held by brave Major Generals
and officers Of high rank, and yet it is but little
over Two years ago since great commander,
Ulysses :. Grant served willingly under the brave
drummer boy ul Toledo.
Next year Il may fan 10 a man IN another grade
yet There Is but one grade, that Of cOmrade /
have been asked why IL that $4,000 of Us sol
dicrs have banded ourselves together and what
keeps us SO united. Ny answer is, because,
rades, you love each other better than any other
men Ia the world. ] care not whether we fought
IN the East or the West whether this man was ia
Virginia aud that man IN Missouri, we all touched
elbows and are To-day comrades In the fullest
sense. The Grand Army of the Republic was born
OF Fraternity. Ia every other society fraternity is
born OF the society. The fratCrnal feeling existed
just as strong between us before the formation Of
the Grand Army.
To-day the strongest power in the United
States Of America. We are banded together for
good only-nevcr FOR harm. We do not ask people
to honor us. There are just brave people in the
country to-day we Were aud there are thousands
Of brave young men In this city who wonld spring
10 arms just readily did, should their
country need them. We have no patent ON loyalty
but do claim this: When sbOuldefcd our
musl.eis and went away to war we were told bv
neghbOrs thut II VIC would 20 and preserve
the unity Of this country, we would be taken care
of should amy of us be disabled and that il any
should fall, orphans and our widows would not
be suffered 10 beg on the street That is what we
were told.
] am not going 10 complain but YOU know COM
rades, thnt there old soldiers in the pooThouse
to-day. Thank God, Ia "A few months there will be
no such thing IN this great State OF Ohio. Widows
and orphans have been known 10 beg on the streets
but. thank God, tllat, too. ia passing away. The
Grand Army OF the Republic stands back and re-
minds the people OF Their promises, and points out
the cases OF need and distress
MIR. Chairman, / do not agree with some who
sneer and say that this Grand Army business is
played out. The Grand Army wants the Govern
meHt 20 take the soldier by the hand and give him
a suitable pension when lac his disabled. IL wants
every widow aud orphan whose husbands and
fathers have given up their lives for this country
10 have a pension. That's what we want and that
Is what we are going have. We do not want 10
pension ahc-bodlcd men. We do not want tie
healty soldier 20 20 To the Treasury and coin his
patriotism at the rate of $ per month.
m, rms w9ri, ol charity y going on everywhere;
along, and God helping us we Will keep on until
we 50 down TO our grave.
The Grand Army, as Comrade Kountz has beauti-
fully said, u on mission Of peace aud good will
We have no l-ieellng for those who fought against
/ us. We were The bet friends they ever had. We
saved them from total destruction. from political
suicide, from that horrible. damning curse OF
slavery which hung upon their shoulders ID isthe
only war ever heard Of where the defeated party
won the greater victory. We had our farms our
schools enjoyed life aud were given in marriage;
we had no slaves. II was the South that we fought
that we might free them and place them on a level
! with ourselves.
/ You remember how the North helped Memphis
when shc was suffering with yellow fever, only a
few years ago. When was ia Virginia n few days
/ since i visited the Confederate Home at Richmond
with my badge Of cice on aud there on a table 4
/ found water pitcher sent by "A Grand Army Post
81 Massachusetts When went TO Charleston aud
/ told them who was and what represented, they
welcomed me heartily.
We have the best Of feelings for Charleston and
/ always had. In our eagerHess 10 beirend them
! we would have battered Charleston and blown the
place To hi ln 1861. Aud all this becaase we loved
/ her people, aud 10 day we would give up our
| money aud our treasures in behalf of stricken
/ Charleston. We have nothing but the kindest of
/ feelings Tor the loyal man. and when 4 say loyal,
/ j mean loyal, care not IL he fought against
/ ms IA Oh CD. III ironl that lime on, he SAYS he
/ VIII be "A loyal man, love him. But the man
/ WHO j. loyal with an and nn IL a but, do not
! lille. The man who puts his State flag above his
/ no for.
AZ this point Gen. Fairchild paused 10 take
breath. lie said that, although he was about
/ ready TO quit, be was not out Of ammunition.
am not like Co. u, Of Wisconsin regiment
Their Colonel informed the ranking officer that the
! company was out Of ammunition. I" Is Go. all