Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22
EAST WASHINGTON CITIZENS.
Handsome Reception by Farragut Pos: and
Citizens.

Citizens.
One of the features of the entertainment OF
the Grand Army by the people of Washington
WAS q reception given on Monday evening by
Farragut Post, No. 10. G. A. r., and the citi-
zens Of East Washington, at the hall over the
Capital National Bank, Capitol Hill. to the posts
of the Grand Army assigned to quarters in that
section of the city.
The hall was tastefully decorated for the occa-
sion, with large picture of Admiral Farragus
! suspended from the shrouds of q mast impro-
vised in the rear Of the hall, and upon the stage
beside the speakers stand was brass field
piece mounted upon It's carriage with stack of
muskets, crossed swords and other parapherna-
/ liza OF war about it. vocal octet consisting
( OF Messrs. Fordham. Smith. Hunter, Woodman,
/ Atkinson and other well-known singers inter-
persed the speaking with favorite songs familiar
to the assembled veterans.
MR.. BABsoS's ADDRESS.
The assembly was called to order by DR.. n.
n. Howard of Farragut Post, who introduced
MIR. J. W. Dabsou, president Of the East Wash
ington Citizens Association, who delivered the
following address of welcome:
American citizensl American soldiers! 1t
should need voice of man to welcome the
members OF the Grand Army of the Republic
States You hold the title deeds to the soil Of the
District of Columbia, and you come but to your
own. As soldiers of tho Grand Army that came
out of the homes Of the American people and
from the east and from the north. from the
west and from the distant slopes of the Pacific,
swept like great tidal wave down to the border
lines of that black shadow that treason in 1861
cast upon portion of the territory of this re-
public, your approach was welcome to this cap
ital city. As your hosts gathered about it, and
its streets and squares and environs became
studded with your btyonets, you were welcome
to the capital city of your country, saved By
your presence from Dissertation by the feet of
those who would have destroyed it. AZ after
throwing Gordon about this city for its pro-
lection your forces were massed and your lines
here formed to push forward and roll back
that shadow from our land. did not every loyal
heart in this country rejoice at your presence
here and pray God-speed your arms? And
later, in those April days of 1855. when. your
work accomplished, the arms Of the lastfoe piled
at the feet of your great leaders (shall / name
them? Grant and Sherman) and the flag of your
country again waving safely and proudly on
the banks of the James, Of the Appomattox. Of
the Savannah, the Cumberland, the Tennessee
and the Mississippi down to the Gulf of Mexico,
your broken ranks reformed and though battle
SCARED and travel-stained. your flags and
guidons storm-beaten and torn and rent by shot
and shell, yet with the halo OF victory about
you like the pillar of fire of old, you took up
your line of march again for this city, not this
time approaching il from the homes of comfort
toward untried scenes of danger, but coming
from the field of warfare back toward those
homes of peace and n reunion with the loved
ones. We're you not welcome you fled
through these streets and passed tho Capitol
your prowess had saved from destruction up to
that stand where stood your President and the
great statesmen Of his historic cabinet with
uncovered heads to receive the recognition from
Al.
gaviors Of your country? Did you not receive a
welcome only accorded to heroes, and had you
not earned il and the right to it through your
lives and down to your childrens children!
And nova score and a half years from the
time when that last act Of a grateful country
by its rulers knighted you rs heroes and sent
you back to the abodes Of peace, when the
thrift and prosperity OF a country preserved
intact by your valor, when its wealth, its re-
sources, its products and its population as the
result Of your services in its hour of peril has
more than doubled, when the recollections Of
your hardships and sacrifices have drawn you
closer TO each other and led you to form n fra
ternity cemented by the memories Of thoee
days, and to annually gather together in great
convocation 10 grasp the hands Of surviving
comrades, live over the memories of the past
and fight your battles DER again, and when IN
your choice Of place for that annual reunion,
this city. this city which you dared the would
be invaders to attempt to possess, this city,
which contained the archives of your govern
ment, which held your government, and the
capture OF which would, mayhap, have caused
the glorious Old stars and stripes. grand en-
blem of liberty, to have gone down amidst the
flags of nations to give place to the stars and
bari Of slavery, is selected as the place OF your
determination. Do you need permission? Do
you need a welcoming voice to bid you enter
itl
No. Your right to enter is one before which
ali
others step aside while vou pass. This people
hail you here again as the saviors Of your conn
try, the preservers of the existence and gram
deurs of this city.
THE PEOPLES WELCOME.
But my duty tonight is to speak for the peo-
pie of Capitol Hill, whose homes within the
shadow of yonder dome. We have joined, and
We do JOIN in all the city of Washington has
done or can do to honor you but we want to
bring you little closer 20 us. Here where
now 10000 people have their homes, where
streets are pared and street cars run; where
churches send up their spires toward heaven,
and school houses rear their solid walls on con-
tiguous squares; where thousands Of roofs
shelter happy families, the grass grew and
street lines were unmarked and your armies
held review in the days OF the war.
Our people here feel peculiar graft
In our midst We have a post of the Grand Army
Of the Republic. On their banner they bear a
name that never can fade in the glorious pha-
lanx of American heroes. We are proud of our
great soldiers, but the soldier vies with the
civilian in doing honor to the gallant sailors Of
our navy. Paul Jones. Decatur and Hull are
names that ring throughout the world
and have made American proves respected
By the haughtiest nations OF the earth,
but up-up to their fullest height-lashei
to the mast, is the of Farragut.
To show our depreciation, our respect for The
band of survivors OF your army and navy whose
ernblems are about US in this hall we come
among them tonight to join with th9m in
rendering you from our hearts, from our hands,
from our homes in our midst, little acts OF
hospitality that shall show you that We hold
you closely TO us in kindly. grateful. loving re-
membrance. Soldiers Of the Grand Army OF
the Republic, We hail you. We welcome you.
OTHER SPEECHES.
This was responded to on behalf of the SOL
diers and sailors representing tbs visiting
Grand Army by DR.. Day, surgeon of one of
the Maine regiments during the war. in most
feeling manner. Following their addresses
were remarks by Judge Hallam. who served in
the southern army. who said that the fate OF
the war was determined by God, and God
always decided all things justly and rightly;
by Nlr. 81. l. Weller. who at that time a
citizen of England and who watched with in
terest the progress of the war, and when the
details OF the charges of the Union troops at
Pickett's charge at Gettysburg were read by
Errv oil hat oin Of