The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-05-01

struck off at given time by the brain and
purpose of man." but in its main features II
as much proceeded "from progressive histo
ry' as any governmental organism mankind
has ever seen"
Senator Daniels responded to 1.-THE
Senate"
'The President" was responded to by ex-
President Hayes.
Senator Evarts spoke for the Judiciary"
General Sherman.
In the course of his response to the toast.
"The Army and Navy" Gen. W. T. Sher-
man spoke as follows;
When Washington took his oath his army
was composed of the wrecks and remainders
Of his old Revolutionary army, amounting to
2,232 men, which he organized into battal-
ion of infantry. When, In 1877, he relin-
quished his command to a constituti onal
successor, that army had grown to be 1883
men, consisting OF general staff, a squad
ron OF Dragons. a battalion of artillerists
and engineers, and three regiments of infan-
try. On this basis has been built up the
present military establishment of the United
States, admitting of 8,764 officers and men,
many OF whom are non-combatants, and
militia force in reserve Of 1921 ,4S2 men capa-
BILE of bearing arms. / will not even atempt
to trace the many changes In organization
meantime, further than TO assert that, ac
cording to the state of the nation and de-
mands of the occasion, it has fallen at times
to mere skeleton, aud risen again to mil
lion OF men, for in this category include
the volunteers of the Mexican and civil
wars. These were as much regulars as the
First Infantry or the Fifth Artillery; they
wore the same uniform, used the same arms,
shared the same dangers, were bound by the
same laws, and followed the same flag. How
different from the time when, In the cold
winter OF 1177, Gen. Washington had to inn
port Baron Steuben, soldier reared In the
school of the.great Frederic, to teachhis army
at Valley Forge the first rudlments of organ
ization, ,subordination and observation-disclosures
which took deep root, and enabled his great
chief to lead that army ifrom victory to vic
tory up to the end at Yorktown.
The force of Baron Stuben's teaching was
transmitted down after the war of the ReVo-
luton from generation to generation, and is
felt even unto this day; but to General
washington chiefly every. soldier of this
land turns with reverential awe because
he realizes that he loved order, system,
economy and faithful service, that by his
own example, by his teachings and writings
he impressed on everybody the value Of dis
cipline and subordination to rightful author
zenship. In this spirit has the present army
of the United States been trained and
though predicted by Europeans there Is no
Instance in military history Of the usurpas
tion OF civil power-nOt warranted by the
law Of the land. OF the labors, tolls and suf-
terings OF our little army on our remote
frontiers, / could paint many a picture as
true and touching as that given by the
Father Of his Country about his own army
at Valley Forge, and / answer again the
army Of the United States has been as true
to their oaths as the needle to the pole.
Men, horses and the fundamental princi-
Piles of the military science remain the same
today as when Washington led and taught
his revolutionary army, the same patient en-
durance of the labor and hardships of war,
the same submission to discipline and au-
thority, the same patriotic devotion to our
eountry's honor and its 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 changing
with arapidity which c0nfounds the ancients,
and calls for new and younger men. Should
unbappily an occasion arise am sure these
Will come forth, worthy successors to their
noble sires. Tear from your histories the
annals OF heroic val0r, patient endurance
and devotion to the flag by the soldiers of
your country during the past century, and
you will leave void indeed.
Il can with equal confidence speak of our
navy-for claim to be somewhat Of web
foot myself, having crossed the line twice in
a man-of-war, and having seen old Neptune
come over the side with his brush and
bucket, but In the presence Of the veterans
here feel unsuited to the task assigned me-
because yield to them, yea to any midship,
man who has graduated at our most valuable
Naval Academy at Annapolis, and who has
done his first cruise at sea, better knowl-
edge of their profession than possess"
President Elliott OF Harvard College res
ponded for "Our Schools" and James Rus
sell Lowell for "Our Tftaratura