Evening journal., 1892-09-19
MORTON AND PALMER TALK.
Auspicious Ceremonies at the Dedication
or Grand Army Place Harrison Sends
q letter of Regret.

or Grand Army Place Harrison Sends
letter Of Regret.
IBy Telegraph to the Evening Journall
WAsHrEerOE, Sept. 19.-Preliminary
to tho festivities of the week was the
dedication OF Grand Army Place located
or tho famous White Lot Just south of
the White House grounds This place
grew up under the inspiration of the
suggestion Of Comrade John McElroy,
editor Of the National Tribune, that some
central point should be provided and |
! furnished where the old veterans might |
meet their associates of tine war. This |
finally expanded into the place of re-
unions as it will be carried out on Grand |
Army Place
The plaza surrounding the flag tower
where the dedicatory exercises were held
was crowded to its utmost capacity be
fore noon, the hour fixed upon for the
event. The vice president and comman-
der-in chief were escorted TO their places
on the stand from the reviewing stand
where they saw the parade. The IF
teen hundred seats on the platform were
occupied by prominent G.. A. r. and w.
r. c., officers and government officials.
The assembly call on the bugle secured
partial order, and the Marine band
played q national air, after which Com
rade McElroy formally called the assem-
blage to order and introduced Rev. S. b.
Paine, ID. D., Of Ocean Grove, n. j.,
chaplain-in. chief, who delivered the dedi-
catory prayer Another air by the
Marine band followed and then Com
= mnnder-in- n-chief Palmer made the intro
{ ductory address. AS he rose on the plat
] fasst,, & ln old eaINfara .a.f
aifectionate greeting. He spoke as fol-
lows:
) COMRADES For the first time since
the close of the great civil conflict you
/ viii have an opportunity of meeting
your comrades in arms in a headquarters
q provided for each of the great army
Z corps that excisted during the war. II
s would certainly be inyidious of me to
single out or attempt TO mention any
10 particular corps for its gallant service.
@ l. know that human nature, ON the
average, is about alike and can appre-
ciate how every soldier took special de
light in speaking with pride of the
: service rendered by the corps in which he
= served and no one wih object IL when
u you get together to-day the recollections
" Of past dangers tempt you to be enthusi-
, astic
AANh UAANM HHAIu NAN UNla SHY
My corps won the fight. in some particu.
s lar contest, but you must bear in mind
J that large number of the boys who
u were on the other side, will minge with
you during your visit in Washington and
u itsvery likely that they will have some
recollections of what occurred from 1861
TO '65.
e Whatever differences of opinion We
6 may have as TO the gallantry Of the sew
IS eral corps there is one point on which We
I. all agree, that whether il was the com
= rade who wore the star or the eagle
- whether it was he who wore the insignif
II of a non n-commissioned officer or the com
rs mon soldier who carried his musket in
e. the ranFs each was loyal 20 the common
u cause for which he served, and each tried
'r TO do his fun duty as he saw it. Tn,
s. same can be said for the corps and iti
le gallant commander and each shared il
r the glorious achievements of the Unior
III army
"phe thought that so many of our gal
liant leaders cannot be with us today
le fills our hearts with many sad reflections
IN They would respond as cheerfully at the
CT call Of friendship as they did i'm 1851 {,
We the call of duty, and look into the face
r. of comrades you have not seen for years
Is y ON viii take each other by the han'
and recall the scenes and incident
through which you have passed AM
,.. repeat the story Of how the battle wal
~ won ] congratulate for you the com
1" mittee who have had this grand work i
be charge.
y II know you all viii enjoy and ap
to preciate the results Of the labor the
20 have so generously given for your pleas
ly ure. You will once more meet and touc
he elbow again with the comrade who helpe
FL, to add to the fame Of your respectiv
corps.
"And now comrades, I know you wi
share my feelings of profound regre
he over the circumstances which caused tn
Ks, absence of one whom You all would hav
10 been delighted 20 see and hear and VIII
he had anticipated joining you in all the fei
tivities of the week-a conrade who's
re gallant services TO the nation in the hou
ne Of peril has been supplemented by hi
on wise aud patriotic management Of Oh
RAJ affairs of this great republic in time {
ro peace-Comrade Benjamin Harrison.
es. The Presidents Letter Of Regret.
=. Before introducing Vice Presider
Morton General Palmer read telegral
at from President Harrison, received tn
ne morning lIoln iAOuh A4dht III auoNNA
n one sent by him 10 the president, e.
,as pressing his regret and sympathy,
;s which the president said:
80 IL looked forward with much interei
,e TO the great rehearsal i'm Washingto
Nv. next Tuesday Of the victors' march ,
he 1865. I would have esteemed it one
,st the highest honors of my public life
~ have welcomed to the national capita
Il and TO have received on its histor
avenue this representative assembly
is the men who not only saved the cit
~ from threatened destruction but mao
,o, il the worthy political capital
90 an unbroken union. IL wou
~ also have been one Of the mo
n, favored and tender incidents of n
~ private life TO have taken these con
~ Tades by the hand again, but all this h
~ been denied to me by the intervention {
a sad and imperative duty and can on
tho ask you to give TO all nay cordial greetir
eo- and good wishes. Accept my since