The National tribune., 1892-10-13

| his pride and pleasure to have done if possible
He has not forgotten you; let US not forget him.
He is a soldier and comrade-the President
of the United States. know he is good SOL
der, for / saw him lead his regiment in the
assault on the redoubt at Resaca. A voice
"And he didn't send q substitute either"l
[Cries of Order" "Orler."l / know he is a
Just request made by the men who wore the
blue. A voice-"And he hasn't sent back any
rebel flags, either."l 1'
Now, Mr.. Chairman, / move, as the sense Of
this assemblage of the veterans of tho Third
Army Corps, the adoption of the following
| resolution: -
Resolved That the sympathy and good wishes of
hereby respectfully rendered to Comrade Benjamin
Harrison, President OF the United States, in view
of tho sad domestic duty that deprived the veterans
of the Grand Army OF the honor and pleasure of
his presence on the reviewing stand the occasion
of the grand parade and review yesterday; and
ON r"t ,be bonny return Of himself and his beloved
wife to their home In Washington to-day, COM
forted as they arc by the hope that with tho favor
of an everything Providence the life of Mrs Harri-
son may be spared.
Resolred, That the Chairman and Secretary of
this meeting be instructed to communicate this
resolution to the President.
The Chairman having put the question on
this resolution. it was adopted by rising vote
with the greatest enthusiasm. and followed by
three cheers for Comrade Harrison and three
more for Comrade Sckles.
When order was restored, Gen. Sickles pro-
ceeded as follows:
I suppose you sometimes hear among your
neighbors more or less growing about the large
sum annually voted by Congress for soldiers
and sailors pensions. These appropriations
stand upon the same ground as the money
1nto3 tn u tha puhiic Gobfc nf tho Nation
You and your comrades are public creditors.
The Nation owes you all you get, and more be-
sides. Let us look at this question in the
light of established legal principles. In war
when an enemy's ship is captured, the officers
and crew of the captor receive in the shape
Of prize money" the value of the captured
vessel. Now, you and your comrades brought
hack to the Union all the States that seeded
from it. How much are they worth? Figure
that up, say to your cross grained critics, and
VIC will tell you how much "prize money
how much year in pensions we should have.
Applause
By the law of Nations, and by the law Of
every commercial country, the officers and
crew of ship that rcscues and saves another
ship in distress and danger is entitled to sal
wage that is to say, the value of the imper-
iled ship and her cargo is appraised, and in pro-
portion to the risks incurred by the salvors so
is the reward given to them. This law is uni
versally recognized. Truo it is that humanity
prompts every sailor to go to the aid of ship
wrecked mariner; and it is just as true that
patriotism led you to volunteer to save the
Union. But the law awards, all the same, to
the brave crew who peril their lives for the
reacue of sinking ship in mid ocean largo
share of her value and of the worth OF her
cargo This is Salvage" You found our
ship OF state in danger She was drifting to
destruction; the winds of rebellion howled
the tempest Of secession broke over her; she
was sinking; You and your comrades came
to her rescue; you saved her. with all her
precious cargo of untold value to the American
people now and for coming generations. Who
shall estimate the salvage" earned by the
men who saved the Republic? 1t is yours.
And until the sun goes down over the grave of
the last one of you, my comrades, never give
your sufrages to any man for post of honor
and power who is not the friend of the soldiers
who saved the Union and who does not accept
our pension laws as the expression of the public
sentiment of this country, and who does not
recognize in them the established policy of our
Government. Loud and prolonged applause.
NoTE-I have written cut the above report of
my recent speech in Washington, in compliance
with the request of many comrades, because it
seems to have attracted an unlOokedfor amount
of attention. Among the criticisms made there is
only one care to notice. II has been suggested,
by those who have been misled by inaccurate re-
ports, attrbuing to me much did not say, that it
was improper TO discuss tile merits of the rival
Presidential candidates Mt a Grasd Army meeting.}
My answer IL. / did not address n g. AR meet
Ing, nor did discuss Presidential candidates /
addressed meeting ofreterans Of the Third Corps.
My speech was plain, unprecedented talk to my
soldiers about matters that concerned them. They
usually allow me to say what choose They were
satisfied, and so am I'D. f.. s.