, 1890-10-09
THE FIRST BRIGADE.
Harrison Again speaks at the Reun-
Ion OF HIS Old Command.

dinner, and at 8 o'clock the reunion OF
the First Brigade, tho presidents com
mand. was held In the opera house.
President Harrison was escorted from
the hotel to the scene of the reunion by
a committee headed by General Daniel
Dusten, United States sub-treasurer OF
Chicago, and formerly colonel OF the
One Hundred and Fifth Illinois lnfan-
try. The appearance of President Har-
rison on the stage was the occasion for
an outburst OF cheers from the
assembled veterans that made
the very walls tremble. General Dusten
called the meeting to order and an.
nounced to the chief executive that he
had been elected president of the First
Brigade Association by unanimous vote
of the order, and addressed the presi-
dent as follows. "Mr. President, l have
the honor to report to you, as one OF the
vice presidents OF the First Brigade As.
ISOLATION, that on yesterday the First
brigade unanimously elected you TO the
position of president of the association.
Great applause. They are all pleased
to meet you here, and am happy to
yacatc."
After the applause had somewhat
subsidized President Harrison addressed
the veterans of his old brigade.
The president said that he should
not have been persuaded to make this
trip except for the pleasure of meeting
the men of his. old brigade. lie couldn't
recall the names OF most of them,
although they recognized him, princi-
pally because there we're not SO many
taI, ar,,,
for the country. Laughter.
He spoke at some length of the trying
times of the war in transferring ciyilians
into soldiers, OF the disease, of the
battle, and said there came out of all
this that body of tough, strong men,
ready for march and fight, that made up
the great armies which under Grant
and Sherman and Sheridan carried
the flag to triumph. "The
survivors of some of them are here to-
day" he said, and whatever else has
come to us in life, whether of honor, or
OF disappointment, do not think there
is any of us, not me, L am sure, who
would to-day exchange the satisfaction
and heart comfort We have in having
been IA part of the great army that sub
dued the rebellion, that saved the coun-
try, the constitution and the flag. APP
plause Ii | were asked to exchange IL
for any honor that has come to me, l
would lay down any civil office rather
than surrender the satisfaction have
in having been humble partaker with
you in the great war. Applause Who
shall measure it2 Well, generations
hence when this country, which had
thirty millions, and now has
sixty-four millions, has become
100 10000 when these institu-
tions of ours grow and develop and
spread, the homes in which happiness
and comfort have their abiding places
then people IN ay begin to realize, North
and South, what the work was. We
see II but imperfectly now. Yet We
have seen enough OF the glory Of the
Lord to fill our souls full of quiet en-
thusiasm. [Applause. / hope there is
not "A soldier here in whom the love of
the flag has died out. l believe there is
not one in whose heart 1t is not grow.
ing passion. l think great deal of the
interest in the flag we see among the
children is because you have taught
them what the flag means. No one
il displayed here on this quiet October
day, amid these quiet autumnal scenes.
In those long tiresome marches, in
those hours OF smoke and battle and
darkness, what was there that was beau.
tiful, except the starry banner that
floats over usp
"Our country has grown and developed
until IL is to-day marvellous among the
nations of the earth. 1t has developed
trust and believe, not only in those
material things which are great, but il
developing also in those qualities of
mind and heart, in morality, IN the love
of order in sobriety, in respect for law,
and in God.fearing disposition. believe
the soldiers in their places have made
large contributions to all these things
The president spoke eloquently of that
modern marvel, the dis0andment of the
great army at the close OF the war.
ITO me- he said, sit seemed like
the snow which nature puts on
the earth in the winter season
to protect vegetation. and which In
the spring melts and disappears and
settles into the earth to clothe 1t with
veriure and beauty, This is good
type of the disbandment of the army.
1t wrapped the country like a mantle of
defense when it was in peril, but when
the danger was passed settled into every
avenue and pursuit, and stimulated all
OF them to fresher and livelier growth"
He referred to the fact OF age showing
upon the veterans, and that their bodily
strength might not endure another war
II one were to come. But IL is great
comfort to feel, said he, that the neces-
sity Is not likely to be laid upon us. /
think it safe to predict that we are not
likely to have any more rebellions in the
United States. Whatever mischief NAV
be wrought under one form or another,
do not anticipate We shall have an
other rebellion In any quarter, or from
any cause. One attempt has thoroughly
discouraged others. The futility OF il
was thoroughly established. as well as
the fact that an overwhelming mass of
our people will in any danger-I do not
care what its origin, whether 1t be- from
rebellion or the uplifting of tho flag of
anarchy-rise in their might with a
weight OF sentiment that will sweep
anything which is lifted against the
orderly well being OF this country of
ours" Great applause.
The president referred to his recen
visit to the Boston Grand Army encamp.
ment, on which occasion he saw 10000
Sons of Veterans following tho Grand
Army, and said al never was so much
impressed with the great thought that.
while we move oil aud may be q little
anxious as to how things are to
20 on, how this country is to
be defended, and its flag upheld
when we are gone. l never was
so much impressed with the actual
demonstration of the fact that there
stand in our places young men, lust
such as you were when the last war