Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-07
IHE Grand ARMY.
Its Tweniy-fifth Anniversary Appropriately
Celebrated Last Night.

It's Iwenty-nnh Anniversary appropriately
Celebrated Last Night.
TIE METROPOLITAN CHURCH CROWDED WITH
VETERANS, SONS OF VETERANS AND THE
wcNAN's RELIEF cORPs-REMARKs BY coNMAx-
DEB PIPES. aES. BURDErr AND REV. DE- COREY
On the wall in the rear Of the pulpit Of the
Metropolitan NJ L. Church last evening hung
large badge of the Grand Army Of the Repub-
lie From the breasts of hundreds of old veter-
ans who filed the pews in a body Of the church
CLEANED the same emblem. The occasion was
the silver anniversary of the Grand Army and
IN accordance with the order Of the commander
in-chief the fourteen posts in this city had
met together in one grand post meeting to cell
citrate the event
ALL POSTS IN THE COUNTRY OBSERVED IT.
Department Commander Pipes reminded the
assembled veterans that a half million MEM
bers Of the order throughout the country were
assembled together and when the hands Of the
clock pointed to 80 the order of Commander
in-chief Neazey vas read. which suggested that
the anniversary be celebrated At that hour in
all the meetings held throughout the country
this order was being read. and when John T.
Church. the assistant adjutant general, recited
the eloquent terse announcement Of Gen.
Veszey the fact that all posts of the order were
listening at that time to the same words gave
additional interest to this part of the exercises.
SONS OF VETERANS AND woMAS's RELIEF CORPS.
While the body Of the church occupied
by the posts who msrched to the place of meet
ing organizations the Sons of Veterans and
the members Of the Woman's Relief Corps also
were out in force. The side seats and galleries
were crowded with the general public. The
department officers were seated within the altar
rail and on the platform were the speakers
Mrs Neazey. the wife of the cOmmander-in-
IL.
band being away from the city attending the
reunion at Decatur, ILL., The church was hand
somely decorated with the national colors,
forming a fitting setting for the large audience
of patriotic citizens
PATRIOTIC SONGS SUNG.
The singing Of patriotic songs was one of the
features Of the evenings exercises. In the in
depreciation of such stirring war songs as
Marching Through Georgia. the battle
Hymn OF the Republic" America" &c, the
great audience led by Mr. q. III. Lllli-
bridge. while the skillful fingers of Prot. James
Caulheld brought out an accompaniment from
the organ.
DEPARTMENT COMMANDER PIPES REMARKS
Department Commander j. NJ. Pipes pre-
sided and in some brief introductory remarks
he spoke of the significance of the occasion and
said that it was especially appropriate that the
meeting should be held IN the church where
Gen. Grant and Gen. Logan had worshiped.
The chaplain. L. NJ York, led the comrades in
PRAYER. and then Gen. 5. 5. Burdett of this
city. who formerly commander -in-chief,
was introduced TO give historical review OF
the Grand Army. When his familiar figure was
seen the veterans broke out in a hearty demon
stration OF welcome.
GEN. BURDETT's GRAFTON.
Gen. Burdett, who is eloquent and happy on
all occasions, is especially so when he is called
upon to talk to an audie zee of old soldiers he
had the manuscript of his speech with him, but
he did not cOntine himself to its pages. He said
that after hearing the admirably condensed
history of the Grand Army as presented in the
order OF the commandments which had
been read, IL did not seem necessary that he
should go over the same ground. This duty had
been assigned to him and he would perform it,
and the comrades could judge how much better
a commander-in-chief could tell the story of
the rise of their organization than one who was
merely back number.
The OBJECTS OF THE ORDER
He spoke of the objects which the originators
OF the Grand Army had in view when they
formed the organization, namely. to maintain
the principles for which they fought, to relieve
the widows and orphans and to urge those in
authority to bestow upon needy comrades such
positions as they are fitted to hold. These men
would be shocked to learn that one of the re-
suits Of this organization had been to fasten
upon the national treasury comrades who are
able to care for themselves. He referred to the
incident when Stanton and the President were
at odds and said that the Grand Army posts in
this city were ready to protect Stanton if neces-
sary by force Of arms against any attempt to do
him an injury. The falling off in the numbers
connected with the organization about the year
1879 was attributed to politics coming into the
order. While this migh have been true vet
the speaker reminded his hearers that at that
time the line dividing patriotism and politics
was an exceedingly narrow one.
THE GREAT INCREASE IN TWELVE YEARS
From $1,000 members in 1878 to a half a
million at the present time the order had in
creased and prospered. They had stuck to the
original idea Of relief for orphans and widows,
and in administering this relief during the
past few years the comrades had contributed
from their own resources over -, 000. 900. This
had been -hs amount reported and it was only
part Of the ST. II, of benefcence which had
flown from this organization. The closing
sentences were a poetical and beautiful tribute
to the genius of the order and the virtues
which it typifed.
REV. DR. coREY's TRIBUTE
stirring, patriotic Grafton was delivered by
Few. Dr. Corey. the pastor of the church. who
reviewed the results of the war and paid a glow
Ing tribute to democratic institutions as ex-
emPlited IN this country. He thought that the
example presented by this republican govern
ment has changed the policy and renewed the
hopes Of Europe. After singing the doxoIogv
the exercises Of the twentieth anniversary came
10 a close.
letter regretting her inability to be present
was read from Mrs Garfield, the widow of ex-
President Garfield
Army Orders.
First Lieut.. Ernest A. Darlington. seventh
cavalry, will proceed from Charleston, S. c., to
West Point, y. Y, and report in person to the
Commanding oficar Of that