The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-01
WIERRa DAFLY WEIIIeENoER WEDNESDAY, MORNING. MAY 1880

cd In the school Of the great Frederic
20 teach his army at Valley Forge tn
nTBt Tudiments Of organization, suboidi
nation and discipline lessons which
took deep root and enabled his grea
chief 70 lead that army from VlctoFl
10 victory up TO the end at yorktown,
The force OF Baron Stuben's teaching
was transmitted down after the war Q
the Revolution from generation 70 gen
Grafton, and Is felt even unto this day
but TO General Washington chiefly every
soldier Of this land turns with reVerentia
awe because they realize that he loYec
order, system, economy and faithful ser
vice, that by his own example, by hi
teachings and writings he impressed or
everybody the value OF discipline anC
suhordinatlon 10 rightiul authority per
feCtly consistent with American citizen
ship. In this spirit has the present
Army OF the United States been trained
and though predicted by Europeans
there Is no instancei In our military his
tory OF the usurpatlon OF civil power
not warranted by the law Of the land
OF the labors, tolls and sutIerlngs Of ouI
little army on our remote frontiers,
could paint many picture as true and
touching as that givea by the Father Of
his Country about his own army at
Valley Forge, and ! answer again the
Army OF the United States has been az
true TO their oaths as the needle to the
pole,
Men, horses and the fundamental
mi ntt,1ou nf E,oiIitaru uoianOa Famuin Nh a
same to-day as when Washington led
and taught his Revolutionary army, the
same patient endurance OF the labor and
hardships Of war, the same submission
TO discipline and authority, the same
patriotic devotion to our country's honor
and It's flag, which Is the symbol OF all
that is glorious and good In our National
character; but the instruments OF war
have changed and are still Changingwith
a rapidity which Confounds the anCients,
and calls for new and younger men.
Should unhappilv an occasion arise /
am sure these would come forth, worthy
successors 10 their noble sires, Tear
from your histories the annals OF heroic
valor, patient endurance and devotion to
the flag by the soldiers OF your country
during the past century, and you will
leave q void indeed.
/ can with equal confidence speak Of
our nayy-ior | claim to be somewhat OF
q web.foot myself, having crossed the
line twice In q man.of-war, and have
seen old Neptune come over the side
with his brush and bucket, but In tho
presence OF the veterans here ] feel I'M
suited TO the task assigned me, because
| yield TO them, yea to any midshipmau
who has graduated at our most valuable
Naval Academy at Annapolis, and who
has done his first cruise at sea, o better
knowledge Of their profession than l
possess.
We are brothers in the same cause,
follow the same tiag, and share the same
destiny. They have to combat not only
the dangers OF war, but those OF tue
shoals, storms and tempests OF the sea.
Their deeds Of gallantry, Of heroism, OF
devotion to their country and its hon
ored flag, from the Revolutionary War
to the present moment irradlate Ameri-
can history with annals which will slim
ulate the youth OF our country to follow
their examples for ages TO came.
Steel, steam, electricity, and nitro.gly-
cerinc have rGvolutionized the navies OF
the world, have banished from the high
seas the majestic line.of.battle ship, the
handsome frigate and speedy sloop, and
in their stead have substituted monitors
and steel.clads, real monsters, OF the
most unCouth patterns, so that were
Nelson and Collipgwood, John Paul
Jones, and Stewart recalled 10 earth they
would find themselves strangers on their
own decks. The world toiR 20 ahead,
and / have abundant faith that the he.
roic youth Of our navy will keep well
abreast in these modern inventions, and,
should the occasion arise, they, too, will
prove equal to 1t, as they have ever done
In the past.
Therefore, lot me conclude with what
l might have begun and finished with:
"Thc Army aud Navy forever,
Three cheers for the red, white aud blue"