Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-08
GRAND ARMY BANQUETED.
Waterbury Entertains the Delegates
 the State Encampment.

Waterbury Enterta1nS the Delegates tO
 the State Encampment.
 The citizens committee, representing the city, entertained the delegates to the twenty first annual encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Connecticut, at the armory last evening. The banquet was almost exclusively par ticipated in by veterans. The gallery was filled with spectators and many took up positions on the floor, but the veterans oc- cupied seats at we'll filled tables. The American Band discoursed music during the evening. Prominent among the guests who occupied seats on the platform with Mayor Boughton and Master of Ceremonies Major F. A. Spencer were Governor Louns- bury and staff, Commander-in-Chief J. P. Req, Chaplain in Chief Rev B Anderson, Department Commander H. E. Taintor, Sen Vice Com s. B. Horne, Past Chaplain Thatcher, Inspector General D. Kiefer, Judge Advocate E. F. Dimock, Must Off, cer w. H. Tabbs, Com L. H. Platt of Wad- hams Post, Gen s. w. Kellogg, Col A. H. Fenn, E. c. Lewis and Dr w. w. Bow dish
 Mayor Boughton made the welcome ad- dress. ''It is one of the proudest moments of my life," said the Mayor, "that have the honor in behalf of this busy Common wealth to welcome to our midst, aye, to our hearts and homes, the esteemed, hon. ored, and I may say beloved representa- tives of that grand host that in the hour of death and danger stood as a wall of fire around the institutions of our common country"
 Department Commander H. E.. Taintor in responding, among other things gave utterance to these sentiments: i've have endeavored to be good citizens and to show that the same men who, in time of war, | were ready to bare their breasts to the shock of battle and die, if need be that a nations life might be preserved, now in | these piping times of peace are equally ready to do their part in maintaining those l free institutions which are the foundations of liberty and good government. We strive to teach loyalty and we recall the memories of those terrible days, big with nations fate, not in any spirit of harsh. ness or bitterness to those who stood op posed to us, not with vain glorying over our own prowess or with desire that hu initiation should come to any, but because we believe that in the conflict then wageo great principle was at stake, that we were eternally right and that treason is eternally wrong; because we are body of men lov- ing peace as only those can love it who have passed through the furnace of wal and believe that in no surer way can peace be preserved than by remembering what war cost us.
 Gov Lounsbury in responding to the toast ''The State of Connecticut" said 1 ''In this great land we have a civilization that is the dignity of the land, and by you1 | efforts you have placed the nation where ii looks out on prospect that has never be- fore dazzled the eyes of 8 people. The in fuence of your example was felt the worlo over and will reach on till it breaks on the eternal shore. It penetrated the palace o1 the prince and the hut of the peasant softening the hearts of the one, and allevi ating the suffering of the other."
 Judge A. H.. Fenn of Winsted responded l to the toast ''The President of the United States" Among other things he said 'sThe presidency of the United States ii the loftiest office held by man, but yet would sooner be member of the Grano Army than to be president who could have been, but cannot be, member of the Grand Army of the Republic. There may be presidents and presidents, and al worthy of our esteem and admiration, but old Father Abraham Lincoln holds place in our hearts that will never be filled by any other man. Duty is better than rank Abraham Lincoln just when the roar o1 cannon was beiug hushed, when the smoke of conflict was clearing away, when the bells were ringing in joyful proclamation of the nations victory, by the hand of tht assassin was laid low. He occupies the | highest niche in the temple of fame that can ever be attained by moral man."
 The other speakers were Commander in Chief Req, Chaplain in-Chief Anderson Past Chaplain Forster and Gen s. w. 1 Kellogg.