The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-09-20

the veterans Were given q most enthus-
iaStic ovation as they marched up the
crowded streets.
At the intersection of the two princi-
pal streets are two tail campaign poles
scarcely fifty feet apart; one bore the
banner of the democracy, the ether
of the republicans, but they were
united by the friendly folds of big
hag stretched from pole to pole. The
reunion meeting was held in a walnut
grove before the school house. A
pavilion decorated with flags and
flowers stood in the center with seats
fog the veterans in 'front.' From If
were present, in addition to the men,
bars of the Seventeen. Putnam
county alone sent one Thousand veter-
ans, commanded by Colonel G. o. Wag
goner.
After the cheering had ceased Gen
eral Harrison. as president of the; SSe-
citation, raped the meeting to order.
using small rattan cane which he
carried, as his gayel. He then briefly
announced the purpose of the annual
reunion and the order of proceedings,
and introduced C0mrade j. II. Meteer.
who opened the exercises with prayer
Miss Mary L. Mitchell, the daughter
Of Captain w. G. Mitchell, was then
introduced by the chairman and deliv-
cred an eloquent and touching address
of welcome TO the veterans.
General Harrison responded as fol-
lows:
Miss MITCHELL feel quite incompe-
tent to discharge the duty that now
devolveS upon me; that of making
suitable response to the touching, cor
dial and sympathetic words which
you have addressed to US. We thank
you and the good citizens of Clayton
for whom you have spoken that you
have opened your hearts so fully to US
to-day. I am sure we have never
assembled under circumstances more
| attractive than those that now sur
round us. The mellow sunshine of
this autumn time that falls upon us, the
| balmy air which moves the leaves of
these shadowing trees, the sweet calm
and spell Of nature that is over every
thing, makes the day one of those that
may be described in the language of
the old poet as, a bridal of the earth
and sky" Your hOspitable welcome
| makes us feel at home. and. in behalf
| of this large representation of our regi-
ment, possibly the largest that has
assembled since the close of the war,
gathered not only from these adjacent
/ counties. but from distant homes be-
yOnd the Mississippi and the Missouri,
/ we give you to-day in return our most
1
The autumn time is the fit time for our
gathering for our spring time is gone.
It was III the spring time
of our lives that we heard
our country's call; full OF Vigor and
patriotism, We responded to 1t. The
exhaustion Of march, in camp and
battle and The civil strife vi those
years that have passed since the close
of the war have left their marks upon
US. and as we gather from year to year,
we notice the signs of advancing age
aud the roster Uf our dead is length
ened. Wa are reminded by
the minutes of our last meeting,
that have been read. of the presenco AT
our last reunion of the faithful and be-
loved officer who went out from this
county, Major Reagan; with a pro-
phetic instinct of what was before hun
he told us then that it was probably
the last time that he should gather
with us. God has verified the though Int
that was in his mind, and that simple,
trIIe-hearted. brave comTade. has been
enrolled with the larger company. We
are glad to-day to be together, yet ouI
gladness is sobered.
AS look into these familiar faces ]
notice deep sense uf satisfaction, but
have not failed To observe that there
are tears in many eyes. We are not
moved to tears by any sense of regret
that we gave some service &c
our country ami to its flag
US to-day We do hot boast of higher
motives or greater service than ours.
We fully acknowledge that you had 4
full-pOSSibiy d fuller-Share than we
in the great achievements Of the
war. We claim only this for the Sew
entieth Indiana: That We went into
the service with full pur-
pose To respond. TO every
order. [cIies of that's 20,
and that we never evaded fight OF
turned our backs on the enemy. APP
plause. Weare not here to eXalL our
selves, but cannot omit to say that a
purer. truer. self-cOnsecratiunt 0 the
nag of the country, was never offered
than by you and your dead comrades
who, in 1852, mustered for the defense
of the union. lNpplause.] 1t was not
in the lieydey of success, it was not
under the impression that sixty days
would end the war that you were mus
tered. 1t was when the clouds hung
low and disasters were thick. Buell.
| was returning from the Tennessee,
Kirby Smith coming through Cumber-
land Gap, and McCleIland had
been defeated on the penin-
sula. 1t seemed as if the
frown of God was on our cause. 1t was
then, in that hour of stress, that
you pledged your hearts and
lives to the country. [Applause.1 In
the sober realization that the war was
a desperate enc. in which thousands
were to die. We are glad that God
has spared us to see the magnificent de-
| V6lOpm6nG and increase in strength
and in honor which has come to us as
/ y nation. and in the glory that has
been woven into the flag we love-
lGreat applause We are glad that
with most OF us the struggle III life has
not left us defeat. if it has not crowned
US with the highest success. We are
veterans and yet citizens, pledged,
each according to his own conscience
! and thought, to do that
| which will best promote the glory of
our country and best conserve and set
| in our public measures those patriotic
thoughts and purposes that took us in
to the war. tApplause.]
It is my wish to-day that every re-
lation occupy to the public or TO
political party, might he absolutely
forgotten, (efies of good good''l and
comrades be thought of only as a COM
rade-your old colonel. [Great APP
plause.] Nothing has given me more
pleasure on this occasion than TO notice.
as passed through your street, SO
beautifully and tastefully decorated,
tnaC the poles that have been raised by
the great parties were inter-
twined Applause. Aud now
remind myself that 1 am
not the crater of this occasion. ferries
of Ego on but as presiding officer,
the right discharge of that duty for
bids much talking.
Comrades of the Seventieth Indiana.
comrades of all these associated regi-
mentS, / am glad to meet you. Moth
ing shall ever sever that bond; l hope
nothing that shall ever say. nothing
l shall ever do. will weaken it. And
now, if you will permit me to again
acknowledge the generous hospitality of
this community, and in your behalf To
return them our most sincere thanks,
l viii close these remarks and proceed
with the programme which has been
provided
at the conclusion of General HaF1i-
sons speech, a glee club rendered
q couple of war songs. The
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