The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-20
THE OYA LEGION
1t Gives a Spread for Commander
in-Chief Fairchild.
Beautiful Address-Mr. NichOlsOn's
Paper-LincOln Day.

satisfactory meeting than that of last night
in a long time. The attendance was not so
large as at times but all Of the larger
cities and some not so large were repre-
scented. The business meeting was called to
order by Senior Vice Commander Carnahan
and he and Commander Wallace presided in
~reliefs, Captain r. L.. Lesson, of Elwood,
was elected to the council to fill the va
cancy occasioned by the death of Captain
Whist. OF the candidates elected to men,
bership. Capt. A H. McDougal. Capt Mil
ton Garrigus, Capt. Aaron McFeely were
admitted to membership of the first class
and Henry Wallace to the second class. AS
the February meeting will be a Lincoln
meeting, it was voted to invite Hon. Robert
T. Lincoln to be present as the guest of the
commandery.
The business over, the companions a1-
journed to the dining hall of the CONNECT
cial Club rooms, where an elegant supper
was served, about seventy members and
guests taking seats at the table. When the
cigars were lighted. Commander Wallace
called upon the Bald-headed Club for a
song, which was rendered with great eff
feet, Burgess Brown being at his best.
General Wallace then introduced, with ap-
propriate and feeling words. Commander
in-chief Fairchild. AS he rose, and the COM
panfons saw that face, as beautiful as a
picture, they gave three cheers. The ad-
dress which followed could not be report
ed with the effect with which 1t was given.
1t was full of pathos, of humor, and
abounded in expressions of lofty patriotism.
There is no such organization in the world
as the Grand Army Of the Republic and the
Loyal Legion, said he. No such organiZa-
tons have succeeded any war because
ours was a war for country. There is no
love like that between veterans. Said he:
1--WE meet here Republicans, Democrats,
maybe a Populist, possibly a Prohibition
General McGinnis rose. but the shouts of
laughter drowned the words of both. I'VE
meet and never think of politics. The
else"
General Fairchild went on to say that
he knew Indiana in the war. The first reg
iment he ever saw that had been I'm a fight
was the Eleventh Indiana
They were a rough-looking lot of codg-
ers," said he" and the colonel here at my
left was the toughest of them all; and the
Second Wisconsin got TO be a lighting reg
iment in the same brigade. No one ever
counted the number of rebels the Eleventh
fellows claimed to have killed. Then L was
in the brigade with the Nineteenth Indiana
grand Sol Meredith, seven. feet in his
boots, who swore by jinks'-better and
Drawer soldier never led '-he brigade-the
iron brigade, and better regiment never
CNOOd III ilihC tAAohAA NAC l. "CoAN
Go on shouted the boys.
81 knew the Third Indiana Cavalry" he
continued. "A sergeant of that regiment
had a beautiful horse and I gave my best
horse and $50, all the money 1 had. for 1t.
One day my orderly rode him over into
fredericksburg and a citizen claimed him
and proved the property. L never did feel
quite right about the Third Indiana Cav
Changing from the humorous vein Gov.
Fairchild spoke with deep feeling,
YOU. ca Me kn m%kf ho sRee eaeh of S ns fe eieh n Is
mind is your mind. Now, thirty years
after the war, what intense satisfaction
it is to feel that we tried to do something
TO save this splendid Union with its insti-
buttons. 1t is the best and happiest coun,
God for this great reward of seeing what
we see and enjoying what We enjoy. Let
us be thankful Every day; and 9oo whatever ofyer
we Weakness sS"'@1 and tronbIs; We are
the grave. l am always sad to hear when
a comrade dies, but l should not regret
much to die myself, for i feel in my heart
that in the great future the good God will
permit US all to meet and know each other.
l look on departure with tranquility; /
have selected the comrades TO bear me 70
my grave If 1 die before them. Let us
teach the lesson of patriotism and loyalty,
and every day and hour thayk God for the
Republic and all that il Is and viii be"
eran went on, and closed with a senti-
ment to. the veterans of Indiana When
this soldierly and ardently patriotic speech
closed. Commander-in-chief Fairchild was
greeted with fresh applause.
Captain Huston. recorder of the Indiana
Commandery, spoke briefly. After more
singing Meredith Nicholson read a paper
which, all in all, was one of the finest pro-
auctions ever read to the Indiana Com
mandery. The topic was True and Spuri-
Gus Patriotism His humorous treatment
of Hawaiian affairs provoked bursts of APP
plause.
1--WE m,st rico abo1,a tho baulipo dourn Of
flags. said he, simply because another
fellow has raised them, else we shall not
know true from spurious patriotism. We
must not let patriotism be the refuge of
scoundrels. We must leave no refuge for
scoundrels anywhere. Our best citizens must
be in politics and not our rascals. We may
belong to whatever party we please, but
love of country and devotion to good citi-
zenship are above and beyond the dicta of
parties and factions. In no lexicon is there
a sweeter word than loyalty; and there is
no phrase that makes the heart leap like
My country"
Such was the keynote to the paper. Mr..
Nicholson quoted Maurice Thompson's
poem beginning, II am a Southerner," and
added that it was worth while for the
Loyal Legion to have whipped such a
rebel. He spoke of the lack of anything
like an adequate history of Indiana in the
war, and that even a roster of Indiana's
great work for Indiana? He closed his pa
per by repeating his poem, The MOnu-
ment." When he closed old veterans who
had applauded here and there sat en-
thralled with the poetry Of Mr.. Nicholson,
rushed up to congratulate him.
Since the last meeting two members had
died-Captain Whist and DR.. Jessup.
Companion Adams read a memorial in
comemoration of his partner, and his voice
choked as he referred to his friend as a
friend Captain Armstrong read a mem
orial of DR.. Jessup.
Lieutenant Carter, L. s. A, spoke enter
tainingly of the army of to-day, and Col.
Walker and others spoke briefly. 1t was
nearly midnight when the meeting closed.
Called on General FairchiId.
Gen. Lucius Fairchild, Ex-Governor Of
Wisconsin, ex-commander-in-chief of the C.
A. r., and president Of the Loyal Legion,
was registered at the Denison yesterday.
During the day he was visited by a number
of Grand Army men and discussed old army
topics. He is here to attend the fifth ami
versary of the organization of the Indiana
Commandery of the Loyal Legion
WAS Az AMERICAN.
Emil Fret. the New President of the
Swiss Republic.
Emil Fret. the new President Of the