The National tribune., 1894-09-20

- The citizens OF THIS city dlu SOOu WoIh
feeding and lodging thousands of soldiers
In their passage through from east to wes'
and west TO east. The ladies were par
tieularlv active. and devoted many months
10 the coed work, by day and by night,
through weather fair and foul. They stood
guard. binding up wounds, mlnlsterIng To
TIE sick.
1.-THE women who encouraged the young
men to enlist and gave them their blessings
when they went to the front received with
open arms those who came back, and bound
their brows with victorious wreathS. Some
of them are with rs to-day, and deserve as
much credit as the men who made the
armies.
''It does not require words to say to you
that Pittsburg is glad 10 have you here, or
that vou are thrice welcome. The decora-
tions and emblems upon the buildings, and
the cheers of the thousands who line the
streets. are assurances that you hold warm
place in their hearts, and that they Will
never forget what you did and what you
suffered TO defend their homes and make 1t
possible that but one flag should wave over
this broad land, the Stars and Stripes, and
that the stars and bars should be furled and
forever after he among the things that were.
''You will find the latch-string out at
extended by all and all with one accord
greet you and extend to you the freedom of
the city. They know that you will guard it
well. And when you go to your homes, may
you all get there safely, that you viii be glad
Won came to see us. And we will extend to
you a standing invitation to come again. L
now deliver to you the city and extend
cordial welcome"
MAYOR KENNEDY'S SPEECH.
Mayor Kennedy of Allegheny, was next
introduced. and spoke as follows:
1t is with pleasure that / perform the
most honorable duty Of my Office to welcome
the Grand Army of the Republic to Ale
gheny City, and l feel how great is my
fortune IN being Mayor at such time, as it
will be an event TO look back upon as the
greatest honor of my administration.
l am welcoming yOu TO city that had
her volunteer soldiers iii all the armies that
fought for the preservation of the Union.
They were in the grand old Army of the Po-
tomac, who were many times repulsed but
never defeated in the Army of the James,
the Army OF the Cumberland the Army of
the Tennessee, the Army of the Gulf Here
viii be found men who fought under Nc
Clellan. Pope, Hooker. Burnside, Meade,
Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas Rose
Grams. Mcpherson, Logan, Butler, and, in
fact, under every General that obtained
prominence in the Union cause.
- In this city live n number Of survivors Of
the PENNSYLVANIA Reserve Division, which
shed immortal glory on the escutcheon of
Pennsylvania Here will be found many of
Knapp's Pa. Battery, that sent the crashing
shells in the battle among the clouds of
Lookout Mountain. Here viii be found
many who fought heroically on our own
cherished Gettysburg. and who were in the
war at the commencement and finish, and
who are among our best citizens since. Here
viii be found many of our noble Subsistence
Committee, body of men and women that
during the entire war made it their duty
and pleasure TO welcome to our city every
soldier that passed through
9 No matter al what hour. day or night
members of the Subsistence Committee were
on hand to see that every soldier was fur
nished with good warm meal and a hearty
welcome Many of this Subsistence Com
mittee are with you to-day, and you may
rest assured that their welcome is as hearty
as in the dark days when the glorious army
fought TO save the country.
"Gentlemen of the Grand Army, the
greatest compliment you can pay Us is that
In departing you leave with the most pleas
ant recollections Of our city, and can say that
you found our citizens the same loyal, true,
waIm-hearted people that you knew in those
DAYS which tried mems souls for while we /
have endeayOred to make known to you our
JOY al having you with Us by all the outward |
demonstration of gladness-bunting, flags. |
and streamers-they fail utterly to measure |
mp to yOu the wealth of pleasure which stirs |
our hearts at thus being honored with your /
presence.
. II you viii but enter into the spirit with |
Us, and leave our city with the pleasant rec
objections We will endeavor to give you, we /
will feel how great, indeed, has been the /
honor OF having the most noble body of men /
IN our great country with US"
PRESENTATION OF RELICS.
At the conclusion Of the speeches Mai. A. |
p BuIclIfield advanced 10 the front of the |
stage and presented the Commander-in-C Chief |
with a gavel that was emblcmatic and Of great |
historic interest 1t is made Of wood from
Fort Sumter, AppomattOx, Gettysburg and /
Libby Prison, and is bound with metal from /
the historic cannon. IT Is thus symbolic of |
the opening and the closing of the war The /
wood from Gettysburg was taken from near 1
the spot where the COmmander-in-Chief was |
wounded. and, as he was prisoner In Libby, |
has also reminiscent associations.
The gavel is inscribed as follows: "Pre- |
sented By the citizens OF Pittsburg and Ale |
gheny to Capt J. g. B. Adams, Commander /
in-Chief Of the GA. r., at the Encampment /
held in Pttsburg, 1894"
The gayel was in a handsome box. which /
was lined with plush and covered with mo
rocco.
4At.tbe same time the famous table from |
Apponlattox, on which Lee signed his sur /
IEEGer 10 Grant. was presented in the name /
oi Mrs Custer as the presiding table for the /
BDeampment. A letter from Sheridan to |
Custer. on which the latter was made the /
Oyner Of this relic, was also presented
The table Is a small box about Is inches /
square. This historic relic was secured for |
the Encampment by Maj. A. l.. BurchGeld, /
and brought from New York by Comrade w. |
II. II. Wasson, Of Pittsburg
As the various presentations Were made the /
audience went wild with enthusiasm, especi- |
ally over the table. Hats were flung in the |
air, the cheering was dealening, and for some |
time order could not be restored.
COMMANDER ADAMs's RESPONSE
The commandeT-in-Chief,in in response to the |
various speeches, said:
IS ~ viii respond 10 all these welcomes at
once No boy that passed through Pittsburg
from the East or from the West expected but
that be would have the hearty welcome we
have been accorded. Personally | remember
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