Thomas County cat., 1890-10-16
An Impromptu Re option.

lOPEkA, hAN.-SeuatOr 1nSduS drIlNeu
from Atchison in company with few friends,
drove out to the reunion grounds unheralded
and without any preparations for the grand
reception he met with. He had hardly en-
tered the reunion grounds until he was
recognized by the old soldiers and a grand
rush was made for him. Amid cheers and
huzzahs the veterans surrounded his carriage
to the number of 1000 or 5000.
Cries of ''Speech!'' 'Speech!" and cheers
drowned all other noises. There was an in
voluntary drifting toward the grand pavilion,
the crowd carrying the senator with it. When
within short distance of the grand pavilion.
seeing thai the crowd wfS bent upon espseSSh. o.
party hastily alighted from their carriage
and were rushed, almost carried, into the
big tent. and escorted on a double quick to
the platform, amid pandemQniumL In 9
few seconds, it seemed, the tent was jammed
and thousands were congregated on the out
side unable TO get in. AS soon as quiet could
be restored and he could be heard, Senator
Ingalls, addressed the crowd. He spoke for
thirty minutes. Although he spoke entirely
impromptu, he grew eloquent as he pictured
the patriotism of the old soldiers of the union,
the grandeur of their achievements and to
what extent the greatness of the country and
it's institutions was due to them. He then
;; spoke of pension legislation by congress,
both that which has been passed and that
which he believed ought to be passed. de-
claring himself in favor of service pension
as a Just reward due all honorably discharged
soldiers.
His remarks were Enthusiastically elo-
quent and striking, and he was interrupted a
score of times by the widest cheering.
When he left the stand ana proceeded to
the pavilion entrance the crowd outside,
which had been unable to see or hear, cap
tured him bodily. They were determined to
have speech, and amid another scene OF
good natured tumult and enthusiasm, they
carried him down through the grounds until
they came to suitable object for MIN to as
cend and be seen and heard. and they ele-
waited him upon it and cheered him with all
the vim and energy that they could COM
mand. The senator obliglngly delivered a
second speech, brief, but stirring and patri.
otic, and received the cheers ana Applause o.!
| the immense crowd.
| He had difficulty in finding his way to his
carriage after he had finished. Five thou
sand veterans beside themselves with en-
| thusiasm wanted to shake hands with him,
and many OF them succeeded. He drove
! from the grounds with the crowd following
| him 10 the gates as enthusiastic and demon
strative as when they first surrounded HIM.
Seldom is such demonstration witnessed;
| certain it is that no SUCH a scene was ever
before enacted in Kansas. 1t was grand
compliment and a great honor to Senator
| Ingalls,, and being impromptu and voluntary,
demonstrated the great love and esteem IN
which the old soldiers of Kansas hold their
champion and the hated foe of the rebel
brlgadiers.
, The senator arrived at the Copeland at
1870, and after dinner held an informal re-
ception, receiving an army of veterans and
political acquaintance.
He accompanied the presidential reception
COMMITTEES to Atchison at $50 and returned
with President Harrison and party.