New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-04
CLOSE OF THE REUNION.
THE CEREMONIES AT GETTYSBURG OVER

Gettysburg, July 3.-The reunion of Union and
Confederate veterans came practically to an END
to-day with the formal exercises on the Cemetery
rostrum George William Curtis was the orator.
and his speech scarcely fell short Of the reputa-
tion he won, long ago. as q master Of polished
graceful eloquence. George Parsons Lathrop sent
battle poem, full Of stirring verses and finely
turned periods 1t was the rough-and-tumble, i'm
promptu oratory of the last three days melted and
refined; the finest metal run into pure literary
and artistic mould. Both speech and poem, one
might perhaps, say. were worthy OF the day and
place. the anniversary of the decisive victory for
the preservation Of the Union and the plot Of
ground immortalizcd by Lncolns words. The
exercises were held in the middle of the after
noon, and the hot sun beamed as iercely as it did
on the final battle-day in 1863. The members OF
the Society Of the Army Of the Potomac paraded
through the streets again, through dust two inches
Deep but the enthusiasm which had farcd up TO
a fever heat on Tuesday was still unabated, and
the veterans trampcd through it all without a
murmur. The regular troops, infantry, cavalry
and artillery, about 400 strong were at the head
of the line next to them came the 9th New-iork,
Colonel Seward commanding, with Conternos full
band.
The carriages for the guests were not so nu-
merous and some of those who figured prominently
on the platform yesterday were missing. Gov
ernor Gordon and Governor Beaver had gone homc'
So had many of the New-Yorkers who came on
for the dedication Of their monuments. Generals
George III. Sharpe and Horatio c. King OF New
York. had charge of the arrangements at the
rostrum. General John C.. Robinson presided, and
in the chairs were General Longstreet, General
sickles Generals Barlow, Carr, Slocum, Richard
son. Graham, Burke and Nugent Of Ncw-fork;
General Fairchild, of Wisconsin, General Rea,
Commander-in- Chief Of the Grand Army Oh the
Republic: ex-senator Warner Miller Ex-Governor
Curtin, OF Pennsylvania; General Bcrdan, the
Rev. Mr. Twichell, of Hartford; General ,. Wyhc
Crawford. U. S. A., the Rev. 1hco-
dore C. williams, of Ncw-iork; General Greene and
Ex-Governor Holbrook. of Vermont Generai
Robinson called the assembly TO order after
crowd had massed itself on the green lawn
stretching from the rostrum far down the ceme-
tery. There was applause for the one-legged VET
cram who spoke briefly and then called on Mt.
Twichell 20 offer prayer. After the prayer Cen
eral Robinson announced that MIR. Lathrop could
not come to the field in person. but had senC Oh
the poem, extracts from which would be read py
General King Parts Oh tne poem appc"i in '
mornings TRIBUNE.
MR. CURTIS DELIVERS THE GRAFTON.
Mr. Curtjs was then introduced and the veterans
chcered politely The Editor of the " Easy Chair
stood up alongside of the platform rails, holding
tiny slips of his address in his right hand ana
balf-spolxo hnlf-read his gracefully phrascd ora
tiou. The scene was an inspiring one ana the
sneaker felt it, The beautiful valley lay below'
seen through the trees The lawn stretched ouo
on every side to rows of pine trees thaf saae tnc
burial pots and over the tops OF the mrs ana ever
greens shOne the splendid image nag oncs Ui ctterns
in the sun The vast audience was perfectly eIlli'
and the orators voice, husky at nrs,' gre" sr" oo
ually firm and strong TILL one couiu % he''r ,.Ny
verds away There was frequent applause from
the crowd and the rostrum at tho many smpie
and beautiful turns of Mr. Curts's speech; ana
he was warmly congratulated when he s''' "'"i'
Here is part Of what he SAID:
Tho great question Is settled. Other questions, indeed
remain which will s;eny try our patriotism ana our
wisdom But they will be appealed 70 he oruea Vi '
M Ionrer They will be settled in those peaceful popular
and parliamentary contentious which belt paroc anu
,n,oIIiocn republican people do not mean only that
Marty politlcs and viii be SO discussed He"
that great fundamental questions, ke slavery In 'c '
ceneraton questions OF immigration, OF citHehshp Vi ~"
mnlstratlye REFORM OF tho suffrage questions OF oca
hcorinc and interest but National Import ana cono
ouence can be- henceforth VIII be- discussed every
where in the Union Let me mention as lusra'ios wv" "
these questions which are In the highest s'nse que
of tho country and not OF party.
Mr. Curtis dwclt at some length upon the ques-
tion of unrestricted imm grafton ana then SAID
Let Us beware, then how we recklessiy water our me-
blood Webster said at Bunker Hill, Just as tno ''S.
,r,ngraton was beginning placed at the head
NJ rel rescn iat!ye and popular governments W. si
be recrean to duty Of that hcadshp II we permit 'ne
fundamental conditions National reposc OF the security
~ rersoua rights Of good laws and OF Just admnlstra
,lon to be mperled by the Ignorant hwess' iuio "'d
dangerous overflow Of all other countries we arc INC
occupans and guardians OF this country ana with hha
w ba,r, and hosuitable hand toward all the world, VIC
must tho conditions upon which the world shall
here. ,,
Akin 10 this Ia the problem OF tho suffrage. Subject
10 the constitutional guarantee OF republican orh Oh
,ovsrnnent and of no discrimination against race OF
oor tho rcrulatoh Of the suffrage is wisely left to the
stotes But the action Of every State upon subjects ot
common interest necessarily affects the Union. The
suffrage is the malnsprng the heart Oh our common me
and whatever affects 1t inurousy, touches the Nauoha
scnsorium and the whole country thrills NO community
nolucav founded upon the legal equality OF the suffrage
can habitually disregard that equality Without
moral deterioration, growing indifference 10 the au
thoriy Of law, and destruction OIL .he uoN'
cratic republican principle. II ignorance and sem'Dar
h,-ous dominance be fatal civilized communities not
less 40 is constant and deliberate defiance OF la" IN
national union States where fair elections are assume'
systematic fraud violence or suppression OF Voes IN
,so event OF closely contested POLL would inevitably
rho conviction that the apparent result represented
the actual will OF the legal voters and that result "ou
be challenged amid violent disorder 1t Is not enough
that National election be fair, 1t must be the NaIohai
conviction that 1t Is fa!r
that this is local question. In NewYork there is very
large class Ignorant American voters VINO barely
speak language who have no knowledge or pracc: OF
free popuar institutions and who alien In tradition
sympaty and spirit 1t is class OF no particular nation
ality but gathered from all other lands 1t Is large
enough 10 control STATE ana the electoral vote OF
New-Yox very important 1; might easily decide Ma
tioual election whatever its Ignorance or degrala
ton this is class OF legal voters They have been en-
ranchIscd BY the law upon which rest all our rights ana
IL by fraud force by any Illicit method this class OF
voters should be deprived OF their legal right
IL would not be Ncw-Yor question alone. Virginia.
Mississippi Maine. Minnesota would be equally con-
eerncd Tho National peace would be imperillcd until
that deprivation ceased, and either the hight TO vote were
legally annulled or freely exercised. III there be
National question, question which vitality interests
every American citizen from the Pcnobscot to the Rio
Grande question which, while Americans are Americans
will not be set aside but must be honoraby enteraieu
and a,arrotlcay adjusted 1t Is the question OF free
legal ballot
The grafton over the crowd dispersed The