St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-02-02
The Camp Fire.

The Camp Fire.
The camp fire Tuesday evening was
in some respects the most successful
ever held in the state. The crowd be-
gan to gather long before the hour an
nounced for the opening and at 7.3O
the hall was full and running over,
many standing in the aisles throughout
the long evening. The decorations,
noted elsewhere, lighted up finely and
the hall never presented so animated
an appearance. On the platform was
a notable array of eminent men. Com
mander-in chief Rea of Minneapolis
and John G.. Linnehan of PennacoOk,
N. H., of the national department,
Judge w. G.. Veazey, Governor Orms-
bee and Lieut-Gov. Fuller, Command
er P. D. Blodgett, Gen. Stephen Thorn :
as, Ex-Gov. Farnham, Col. Mansur,
Col. G. w. Hooker and others, includ-
ing a large representation of the ladies
of the relief corps, Mrs. Hampton of
the national and Mrs. Newcomb of the
state department and many others.
The st. JOhnsbury band furnished ex-
cellent instrumental music and the
glee club rendered a number of selec-
tons during the evening.
DIR. G.. B. Billiard, commander Cham
berlin post, presided, responding on be-
half of the audience as various points
were made by the speakers, INTERCEPT
ing remarks from time to time that
served to keep the audience in good
humor. He welcomed the department
on behalf of Post Chamberlin, the Re-
lief corps and citizens and introduced
as the first speaker the cOmmander-in-
chief.
| Commander John p. Rea was receiv-
ed with many rounds of applause. A
we'll preserved man of AZ and speak
er of considerable power, he spoke for
over an hour being frequently inter
rupted by the cheers of comrades.
For 81 years he had been member OF
the G.. A. R.. he believed in it and
loved it he spoke of the morale of its
membership and of the great work OF
the soldier heroes that had thus joined
in the fraternal bonds of loyalty and
charity. Theirs were deeds as noble
and heroic as any ever done by knights
of old. Reference was made to the
veterans supported in the almshOuses
of the country and comrades were urg-
ed to unite in demanding that every
soldier who barred his breast to the
bullets of the enemy was entitled to a
support outside the poorhouse. Poll
tics formed no part of the grand army
idea the organization taught loyalty
to the flag, to the constitution and the
union.
John C. Linnehan, junior vice COM
mander-in chief, was introduced as a
typical Irish soldier and kept his audi
ence in an almost continual roar of
laughter and applause as he told stories
that only a wideawake Irishman could
tell. The us, 900 Irishmen as soldiers
of the war fought for liberty, but not
more courageously than the III 900
Germans and the 1S7 900 blacks. In
concluding he spoke of the blessings of
American citizenship and plead that
unfortunate comrades be given tender
care at the hands of the state.
Col. w. G.. Veazey came next with a
strong and forcible address. After
gracefully complimenting st. Johns
bury for the warm greeting extended
the encampment, he responded to the
sentiment to which he had been asked
to respond, Vermont's war governor,
Erastus Fairbanks, to whom he paid a
hearty and eloquent tribute. His
memory could best be honored, said
the speaker, by keeping alive the spir-
it of patriotism. The advice to COM
rades to cling to the flags they have
already captured was cheered to the
echo, as were illusions to Logan, Sher-
idan, Grant and other generals of the
war.
Mrs. Emma Stark Hampton, nation
al president of the woman's relief
corps, was next introduced and spoke
at considerable length of the work and
experiences of women in the war, of
the central idea of the relief corps of
today in helping the unfortunate, re-
calling personal "reminiscences of war
times and experiences of those days.
Gov. E. j. Ormsbee was cordially
welcomed with applause loud and long.
These meetings he said, were the best
of educators, keeping fresh the memo
ries of the days of '6l-'65, furnishing
absolute guarantee of the loyalty and
fraternity of the citizens of the Green
mountain state and keeping alive men,
cries that should never be allowed to
die. But for the service rendered by
the boys in blue there would be no
United States of America today. Spec
ial reference was made to the manner
in which Vermont cares for her vete-
ran soldiers in newly equipped and
beautiful soldiers home, and in con-
Guiding he urged that the Sons of Vet
Grams be sustained and encouraged in
their work.
Lieut. Gov. Fuller followed, drawing
a graphic picture of the uprising of the
North in 81, of the decimated ranks of
the nations heroes later on, recalling
the names of the heroes, living and
dead, who had contributed to the great
results that this country now enjoys.
AS the names of Grant, Logan, Stan