New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-26
THE STALWART 500" MEET 4 AI1
REUNION AND DINNER OF THE " OLD GUARD
OF THE CHICAGO CONVENTION OF 1880.

REUNION AND DINNER OF THE " OLD GUARD
OF THE CHICAGO CONVENTION OF 1880.
Philadelphia. April o5-stalwart Republicanism was
glorfcd and cxtOled and It's brilliant leaders culogi
zed tonight AT the reunion here OF the "Od Guard
the remnant OF the famous :}06' whose unwaveltng
lines withstod the shock of 'hrty-six ballots AT the
Chicago Convention Of 1850 and went down with
Grants banner floating detlantly before their tri-
umphant opponents. About sixty eight Of the
vlvIng delegates met and the evenings reunion
suited In the formation Of the 3O6' Old Guard
Association.
Ex-Governor George 6. Boutwell,. Of Massachusetts,.
was elected president for the ensuing year; ex-tiOv
ernor John L. Routt, of Colorado. vcepresident;
Thomas J. Powers, Of Pennsylvania. secretary, and
Andrew J. Kaufman Pennsylvania. treasurer The
sixtyclght men present at the meeting represented
nearly every State I'm the Union. the Southerners
especially showing up in strong numbers.
Governor Boutwell, presided and seated on bis right
was George W. Childs and on his left OK GovernOr
James a. Beaver, Of Pennsylvania. chairman OF the
Dinner Committee. During the dinner ex-governor
Beaver read kilograms and letters from the following
persons regretting their inability to be present and
saying thar although absent they present In
spirit FIX Seer tary Of state Hamilton Fish. william
f. Villas Secretary Of State Gresham. Lewis F. Payne
OF New York: ex,lnistcr Robert T. Lincoln. Minister
Frederick d. Grant and Mrs. John A. Logan.
The toasts and those that responded were: "The
President OF the United States" W. s. White, Of Nir
ginia; Ulysses <. Grant" General George a. Morden
Of Massachusetts; "The Union.' Walter Evans of
Kentucky; "Thc stalwart," General John McNuIta of
Illinois Penn,y lvana. the Keystone of Republican,
ISM" william II. Armstrong. Of Pennsylvania: The
Army and Navy General Stewart L. WOodford Of
New York "Thr Old tuard' W. ". Hicks, Of Florida; ;
"The Press John A. Cockeiill, of York.
The Old Guard had restrained Itself throughout the
dinner. but from the time Governor Boutwell, arose
inaugnrate the spc"chmaMng, and in voice trem-
bling with emotion referred to Grant and ConlSling.
the enthusiasm broke out. and from that time on
every reference by each speaker to the great soldier
and the eloquent Conklng evoked cheers and applause
that were almost uninterrupted.
Among the letters listened to with particular at
tcnon two from New-YOrk State. one from
* Senator Thomas c. Platt, who resigned from the
Senate with Mr.. Conkllng; the other from exMar-
shall Louis T. Payne. one Of Mr.. Conklings most
Intimate friends. Two passages IN Mr.. Platts
letter follows:
"Your gathering will be 10 celebrate the great
event and to look back ut action on that mem
orahlc day without change OF front. We have
nothing to regret. nothing for which to apologize.
our chosen leader then, II he We're alive. would be
our chosen leader still The result OF thirteen years
of generalization. mingled with defeat, has CON
frmed the wisdom OF choice on that day, and
hall the old comrades OF that convention with
the glorious 1906 . . The late triumphant De-
mocracy already shows signs OF dissolution. Mean
while. the Republicans. proftng by needed expert
ence and casencd by disaster should steadily close
up their ranks and prepare for the coming struggle
OF Oi II my voice could reach Tonight every
state In the American MON, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific. and from Maine to The Gulf. would
say. Close up your ranks. forget your past ais
senslons. put the memory OF past personal con
l.,i Nd Lei Re dto
Tn, r:,- living present claims Won now. The
principles that trinmphed glorlously from 'Gl TO
'92 still live. grand and Gs glorious rs ever. To
YOU their s,alwart apostles and supporters. is In
trusted a Nations honor and Nations life"
The points OF Mr. Payne's letter applauded most
these
"The present condition Of our politics makes this din
ner th, happy expression OF stawart Rcpublcanism.
very appropriate. More than anything else Is needed
II revival OF stawart parsanShlp In our ranks. and
the sooner the Republican party IL conducted on the
principles that governed her IN the days when sal
wartl~m was the active. controlling force In the
partys councils the better We believe that the
party was wiser than any individual member Of 1t; dis
obedience was dsloyaty. We did not think that
every boltcr or kicker ought to b. canonz'd or
translated. We did not exaggcrate the value Of the
Mugwump: we rated him for just exactly what he
was and Is worth In them recognized Demo
Gratis masqucradng In Republican clothes. We fol.
lowed our leaders. The true stalwart was rs loyal
to his chief to his party. We believed that men
who had fairly the palm should wear 1t. We In
sisted tina, the great captains, bate-scarred com
mandcrs Logans. our Grants our ConklngS,
should be- cur Presidential candidates; not men I'M
known To the mass OF voters. We knew then ana we
know that party decaGcncc always begins when
the whom the people delight to honor are thrust
aside for metiocriiir. We believed In vigorous honest
rnrtlsunsl shin that tolerated frNlng
With Third Party crinls or ideas. believe mat We
shall The reins Of government believe that
we shall win the next Presidential election ana am
hnp.ful YES confident. that III" impetus whlch lhl>
dinner will give - The cause Of healthy R"puhhcaniSn
and sound political ideas will contribute largely !"
that glorious result. Believe me To be- Win You III
spirit throughout Tie evening. and particularly wh'n
love I'm death the nobl,"at Of observation-disclosures
Cnnklng.'