St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-10
PATRIOTIC WORDS.
Gov. Gordon Delivers a Noble
Speech at Elizabeth.

uOll, VI OeOTSld, Was ttLlleIcu q ICCCP-
ton here tonight by the Drake zouayes
and other veterans Of the Union army.
Gen. Gordon was accompanied by his
personal aide, Gen. McElliOt. On his
arrival in the city at $50 o'clock the
ZOuaves fired salute from Revolution
airy cannon. Gen. Gordon and party
were driven to the residence of Gov.
Green, where dinner was served.
There were twenty-five or thirty gentle
men at the table, including Gen.
Kearney, a son of 'Gallant Phil
Kearney;;" Gen. Abbott. son of ex-Gov.
Albeit, Adjt. Gen. Stryker and Gen.
Drake. After the dinner the Drake
zouayes formed in front of the residence
and presented arms as the governor APP
ernors and Gen. Drake entered car
rage drawn by four horses; the other
members of the party entered other
carriages, and the procession was
quickly formed, the zouaves and other
veterans following. The procession
moved through crowded streets to the
armory, the houses along the line being
brilliantly Illuminated, pyrOtechnicS OF
all colors everywhere and the thorough
fares ablaze with bonfires. Mayor Price
and a large assemblage of citizens gave
to Gov. Gordon, at the armory, a most
enthusiastic welcome. After the for
NAL introduction of Gov. Gordon, and
wren the applause which greeted him,
as he rose to reply, had subsidized, he
spoke as follows:
.'Gen. Drake. Ladies and Fellow
Soldiers: / scarcely know how to
thank you for this magnificent reception
and for the honor paid me in the gen
command
and making me the special guest of
this valiant corps. thank you for the
tribute paid me in these general orders;
but had you characterized me as an ar
dent friend of the Republic, and of all
men who love it and support it, your
compliment would not so far have ex-
ceeded my merits. appreciate also
the courage which Gen. Drake has eX-
hibited in thus honoring the man who
SO nearly victimiZed him in the badge
episode, only few weeks ago. When
| read in the morning papers that
Gen. Drake, of New Jersey was about
to be expelled from the Grand Army of
the Republic for pinniug badge OF the
order upon Gen. Gordon. of Georgia;
and when further read the fiery full
limitations of the redoubtable warriors
who were whetting their tOmahawks
for Gen. brakes scalp, began to think
that prudence dictated that l find inn
mediate refuge within my own jurisdic-
ton. The indignation of these irate
gentlemen was so inIense that hasty
retreat OF another civil war seemed the
only alternatives; for not only had L
received one badge at the hands of your
gallant corps. but as l rode along the
blue line of those thousands of brave
old warrior veterans, they had
covered my breast with badges
until I was bedecked as might
have been marshal of France
by his own brave followers. If there
fore the ire of these red-hot pursuers Of
Gen. Drake should increase in propor-
ton to the number of badges, what
would have become of me? Imagine
my relief, however, when on examina-
ton found not single Grand Army
badge, but badges Of companies and
regiments and civic organizations. All
apprehension for Gen. brakes reputa-
ton and my own safety at once sub
sided and the bliSSful assurance again
possessed me that the war was really
over and that peace was to be perma-
nent. But, jesting aside. how sad is
such an exhibition of temper upon
so ludrierOus mlSaSprehension.
! do not know how such a scene
may affect others, but as for my
self would trust with a thOusandfoid
more confidence, the honor and safety
of the,republic to the keeping OF those
worn and battle-scarred heroes, who
buried their sectional prejudiceS at APP
pomattox and who were glad to extend
soldierly greetings to a sincere Ameri-
can who had fought against them, than
to trust that republic to the men who
were unable to hide their passions even
while doing honor to the memory of
Washington. What is it in human
character that brave men and noble
women of all ages and all civilized
countries most love and admire? What
is it that history loves to record, that
lives longest and eyokes the highest
strains in song and in story, that theScnlp-
tor makes speak in the dumb white mar
BILE and the painter immortaliZes on his
canvas? Is it passion, and prejudice
and hate? Or is it not rather GOd-like
generosity, and lofty courage tempered,
beautified and ennObled by the spirit of
magnanimity? All, sirs, there is
difference in the tribunals that try men
and their actions. There are the tribu-
mails of the laws and the courts. By
present and on the testimony of eye
witnesses. But the tribunal OF history
stands afar off-on the highlands of
futurity. whose lofty peaks shall lift
the presiding judge above the clouds
of present passion and give to
his eye far wider sweep of
the horizon of the past. Before that
great tribunal of history we shall all be
tried. Who would not prefer to stand
before that bar III the person of the
magnanimOuSO old veterans who gathered
around the horizon eagerly grasped the
hand of your speakerin f1aternal greet
ing, than the diminutiye, enthusiastically
small spirit of that fomenter of hate in
this free and Christian republic? What
is to be the verdict of that far-Off trib-
unal of history between you and me;
between the North and the South, their
motives and aspirations in the great
civil conflict? Shall | tell you what
it will be? 1t has already been
chiseied on the marble shaft erected
by the broken-hearted Kentucky father
over his two dead soldier bOyS-one had
Joined the Northern. and the other the
Southern army. Both had been killed
and buried side by side. On the monu-3
ment above their grave the father had
carved words of this import: Here lie
my brave boys-the one died fighting
for the Union, the other for the rights
of the States-each died doing his duty
as he conceived it -
After the address there was recep-5
ton, Gov. Green welcoming Gen. Cor
don to New Jersey. 80