Morning journal and courier., 1891-04-07
oUARTO.CENTENNIAL

or the Founding of the Grand Army
 of the Repub1c-CeIebrated at the
 Atheneum by Admiral Foote Post
 Able Addresses by Hon. Lynde
 Harrison and Ex.Commader J. N.
 Coe-Other Exercises.
 The quarto-centennial celebration of the organization of the Grand Army of the Republic was held last night by order of General Veazey, throughout the world (where G. A. R. men are found, from New Haven to Honolulu. The speakers at the gathering in this city, which was held in the Atheneum, were Hon. Lynde Harri- son and James N. Coe. The audience was sufficiently large enough to fill nearly all the seats in the hall On the stage were seated a number of prominent members of the order. On the right was Commander William E. Morgan with Adjutant General A. H. Embler. Hon. Lynde Harrison occupied seat near the center of the semi-circle with General F. D. Sloat near by. Past Chaplain Edward Coe, Past Commander J. N. Coe and others were also on the stage. The quartett opened the meeting with the song, beautifully ren- dered, "Tenting To-Night On the Old Camp Ground" The prayer by the past chaplain was in eloquent and we'll chosen words.
 After few appropriate remarks by Com mander Morgan the post orders were read were standing. The orders were from headquarters at Rutland, Vt, and were very Comprehensive, but not lengthy The orders contained the information that plans for the anniversary were made at Boston last August, and that the celebra- ton of the occasion, the twenty fifth an- niversary of the foundation of the first G. A. R. post and of the order, was universally observed by all posts of the order. Members of the clergy, press and citizens had been invited. Fitting reference was also made to Comrade Stevenson, the founder of the first post, which was located at Decatur, Ill.
 Among the audience were Colonel George M. White and ladies, Captain E. c. Dow, Chief A. c. Hendrick, Commander Strick- land, George N Moses, s. D. Hyde, "Par- son" Willis NJ. Isbell, Captain David s. The entertaining address of Hon. Lynde Harrison and the historical discourse were alternated with beautiful songs by the quartette. Rev. P. s. Evans made an elo- quent address. Following were the chief events of the occasion:
 JUDGE HARR1soN's ADDRESS.
 The great orator of Massachusetts, when he delivered his immortal address upon the occasion of the laying of the corner stone for the monument upon Bunker Hill, esteemed it great privilege that he the survivors of the patriot army that gave to America it's independence; but among them all he could not have found the veterans of so mary battles upon land and sea as are furnished by the comrades enrolled in the post have the honor to address this evening, nor would even he aver that the cause of freedom was holier in 1775 than was it's preservation in 1861.
 Admiral Foote post counts among it's members representatives of every army that fought for the Union between the Atlantic and the Mississippi, the Ohio and the gulf.
 You responded to the first summons when Sumter fell, and rallied to the call when Ferry, Chatfeld and Terry gathered the historic regiments that date from those days of depression after the first Bull Run. You participated in the victories of Port Royal and Newbe1ne, and held during foul long years of struggle, with unyieldine cheered with Mcclellan and Sumner over
 the victory at Antietam, and sorrowed witt Burnside and Hooker, when defeat came
 upon St. Maryes heights and in the forest.
 of Charlottesville.
 You mourned with the comrades o
 Hitchcock at James Island, Blake and Out
 ton at Cedar mountain, Merwin and Chap
 man at Gettysburg and Peck at Winches
 ter. You were with Porter at New Or leans, Farragut in Mobile Bay and Foott when he cut path for the great river O. the west from Missouri to the gulf. You followed Grant when he demanded the unconditional surrender of Donelson and marched with him to Shiloh, Vicks burg, the Wilderness and Petersburg, ant witnessed the downfall of Lee at Appo mattox You rode with Sheridan in tn, valley, and marching with our last dead hero went from Atlanta to the sea and saw witt him the final act, when amid the solemn pines of North Carolina, Johnston surren dered the last army of the confederacy. The membership of this post from it own personal experience and knowledge could produce an encyclopedia history O. the war for the union, which for accuracy of statement and wealth of detail would b, unequaled. It is not allotted to me, how ever, to give history of the membership, high character, and unexampled prosperity of-this famous post, upon which has hap oily fallen some uhare of good fortune, be
 cause it's name was so wisely chosen. In the history of the world great wars
 have been fought for freedom of men country, or religious thought. Vic tories have been won which have turned
 the course of history and altered the
 maps of continents. Those who earned through life the ribbon of the Legion oi
 Honor The survivors of Waterloo gath cred at banquet through two generations to celebrate the day which released Flu rope forever from the selfish ambition o1 Bonaparte and the commissioned officers of the patriot army which won our owr national indepedence, founded society tc commemorate it's heroic work, but only they and their descendants were eligible to membership. It was reserved for the union veterans of 1861-'65 to found an or der, it's watchwords being fraternity
 charity, loyalty, in which the youngest
 private is the peer of the corps com. mander.
 A year had passed after the fall of Rich. mond. A few regiments scattered over the south stood guard over the ashes of the rebellion. A million of men had re- turned to the avocations of peaceful life On the 9th day of April, 1866, twelve vet erans of the war met in a hall at Decatur, in the state of Illinois, and there under the advice of Dr. B. F. Stephenson of Springfield, who had been surgeon of the Fourteenth Illinois Infantry, they organ. ized post No. of the Grand Army of the Republic. The first ritual was prepared by Dr. Stephenson and Captain John s. Phelps of Decatur. Other posts were es- tablished in the same state, and on the 18th of July, 1866, department conven.
 tion was held at Springfield and Comrade John M. Palmer, recently elected United States senator from Illinois, was elected the first department commander.
 Dr. Stephenson took charge of the or ganization of posts in the states of Wis consin, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, Kan sas, New York, Pennsylvania and Ken lucky.
 On the 2Oth of November, 1866, a na tional encampment was held in Indianapo l lis, with representatives from the abov. | mentioned states. General Palmer pre- | sided and General Stephen A. Hurlburt | who was subsequently, 8 member of con gross and minister to one of the Soutf
 American republics, was elected the frs commander-in-chie
 A few posts were organized in Connecti l cut soon after the first national encamp
 ment, and the first state encampment helc | in this state met on the 11th of April, 1867 | The second national ancanpp,opf m o& i,