The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-01
Qbe Sntelltqellter.
Utieel Ne.. 10 aud NJ Fourteenth stree
GENERAL SaGRMAN,s sPEEOa

Hls Response To the Toast OF the army hh'
Navy ut the Centennial banquet ut Ne'
York City Last Night,
Mn. PRESIDENT AND KIND FRIEHDs:-
When notified by your committee tina
I was detailed to respond to this double
toast, begged them to divide It prom
Using to limit myself to my own specia
branch Of service in less than half thu
time allotted but mol l must do my
double duty, ! Therefore bespeSk YOU
indulgence,
One hundred years ago in this goodly
City Of New York, our first President
General George Washington, took biz
solemn oath 40 the best Of his ability tC
preserve, protect and defend the Con,
stitution Of the United States" and
thereby became Commanler,in.O Chief Of
the Army and Navy, and OF the Militia,
when called into service.
seyenty-two years after, his most wor-
thy successor, Abraham Lincoln, took
the same identical oath, and, addressing
his dissatisfied countrymen from the
portico Of the Capitolfni Washington, re-
minded them that they had no oath reg
istered in Heaven to destroy the Govern
ment, while he had the most solemn
one to preserve, protect and defend It,
In like manner, the Army and Navy
have their oath registered in Heaven to
to support and defend the Constitution,
to obey the President and all appointed
over them, for they arc the very instru-
ments provided by the Constitution to
enable him to protect and defend 1t
whenever force Is necessary; and no
Government on earth has yet been de-
vised when, at times, force has not been
necessary,
On such an occasion as this, you, the
citizens Of America, have perfect right
to enquire OF your knightly servants,
have you been true and faithful 10 your
oaths during the past century?
Making due allowance for the usual
infirmities Of human nature, ! answer
emphatically, yes!
Fortunately, we arc not compelled to
look back into GreCian, Roman or Euro
pean history for illustration.
Washington himself was the best type
OF the citizen.soldier this world has yet
produced. Asa boy, u surveyor oil land !;
us an Aide to General BraddoCk; and an
explorer US far west us was then pru'
dent, he was educated in the best posi-.
BILE school Of a soldier, He read much,
he thought more, always shared the
lAbors and dangers OF his command,
sympathized with them in their distress.
es and wrongs, and during the War OF
Independence and after, was always
their advocate with Congress and the
people.
Apart from his public history, no has
left an extensive correspondence, which
has been faithfully preserved by Sparks,
which contains a mass OF knowledge
which every American youth should
study, and even members OF Congress
might consult with profit,
On the oath OF September, 1910, he
wrote to the President OF Congress his
Judgement Of the comparative value, In
m economical sense, OF the regulars and
militia. Again, on the 2lst OF April, IT'S,
from Valley Forge, he wrote to John
then a delegate in Congress,
A letter full Of wisdom and foresight, |
would like to quote largely from this
letter, but tune and the occasion 10 not
warrant 1t, and l will limit myself TO
short quotation. :.
wiring Of the jealousy on the part OF
Congress TO the army, he says: ut Is un.
Just, because no order OF men in the
thirteen States has paid more sacred
regard to the proceedings OF Congress
than the army, for, without arrogance or
the smallest deviation from truth, 1t may
be said that no history now extant Gun
furnish an instance Of an arny's suffer-
ing such uncommon hardships as ours
has done, and bearing them with the
same patience and fOrtitude."
ITO see men without clothes to cover
their nakedness, without blankets to lie
on, without shoes (ior the want Of which
their marches might be traced by the
blood from their feet), and almost as
often without provisions as with them,
through the frost and snow,
aud, at Christmas, taking up their win
ter quarters within days march OF the
enemy, without u house or hut to cover
them till they could be built, and sub.
without a murmur, Is a proof Of
patience and obedience which, In my
opinion, can scarce bC paralelled."
"There may have been" he continues,
"some circumstances or applications TO
Congress in the style Of complaint from
the army land slaves would be II this
were denied) on account OF
their proceedings in particular instances;
but these will not authorize nor even
excuse a jealousy that they are aiming
ut unreasonable powers, or making
strides dangerous 10 or subservive Of
civil authority"
Finally, on the 9TH OF December, 1903,
but a few months before lie voluntarily
relinquished Office, In addressing both
houses Of Congress, as was his custom,
he urged tho establishment Of national
university expressly ITO bring together
the youth from every quarter, 10 assimi-
late the principles, opinions and man
ners OF our Countrymen, and thereby In.
crease the prospect OF permanent
Union," All object ever dear to his heart,
which he aimed TO accomplish by wise
forethought, but failed by reason Of local
jealousies and mean economy. Who
will now say that II hiswlse counsel had
been needed, we might not have escaped
the horrors and great expense Of our
Civil WARP
On the same occasion President Wash
ington renewed his recommendation,
often made before, for the establishment
OF the National Military Academy, to
teach the science OF war, the want Of
which he had so often felt In his previ.
GUS experience. Even this was not be.
gun Till 1902, rather to utilize the old
barracks at West Point left over by the
Revolutionary Army than rs a school Of
science, and II was not till 1918 that II
assumed the dimensions Of National
Military Academy, with results which
have excited the admiration oil the
world. Still occasionally breaks out the
same spirit Of jealousy towards the army
based on tho old English doctrine that q
standing army Is q threat 10 q FREQ PEG.
pie, q doctrine which may have some
force where that army Is commanded by
a Prince claiming TO govern by Divine
right, but Is simply ridiculous when our
sovereignty remains with the people
themselves, whose chief magistrate Is
one Of us, clothed with temporary and
responsible power. After d hundred
vnHrR' pxnpriptiCo tho time has cnnia for