The National tribune., 1895-10-03
HENRY WILSON.
The Post at the a.. =. Home, Composed En-
tirely of Regulars, Bears His Name.

The Post at the q. =. Home, Composed En-
tireIy of Regulars, Bears His Name.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE; That fame
especially in our country, is short lived Is AZ
axiom. ] suppose each generation produces it,
own men, aud suppose that none who went be
fore or may come after them can equal the
heroes OF the hour.
few days ago ] received letter from q
prominent Grand Army man asking me how il
came that had adopted the name OF Henry
Wilson for our Post, and winding it up witt
the question, Who is or was Henry Wilson,
j am quite well aware that the fact of mai
having been Senator or Vice President Of Tho
United States would not in itself be sufficient
reason for naming Post of the Grand Army
Of the Republic for him; but Henry Wilson
was more than politician. TO him belongs
she honor and credit Of raising one of the best
volunteer regiments that Massachusetts sent 10
the war the 22d, and also the Sd battery Of ar
tillery and I'd sharpshooiers Of that State.
Henry Wilson possessed 10 the fullest extent
the confidence OF President Lincoln; indeed. il
would nave been strange If two such men, Of
spring of the peOple-the common people," as
Lincoln loved TO designate them-knowing the
wants and sympaiIizing with the great masscs
az apart from the doctrinares Of the times. did
not fully understand each other. Wilson IN
the Senate, a. Chairman Of the great Committee
on the Conduct Of the War. was in the front
rank OF the champions for the Union. He saw
farther than most OF his associates, and early
recognized the fact that the of the rebel
lion meant the extinction Of human slavery or
the American continent His sympathies were
always with the oppressed and downtrodden OF
every race and country. Those who had no
other advocate il their cause was just were
sure 30 find ono IN Wilson.
The enlisted men in the United States Rcgu-
lar Army up TO his time the most neglected
and freDdiess organization in the country,
found in him faithful friend and defender.
BE secured the abolition Of The barbarous prsc-
tice OF fogeing He was principally instru
mental in raising the pay Of the privates from
81 70 $l3 per month. and was the author of the
famous measure which bears his name-thr
"NiSon Bill (Which has had such a benelceni
effect IN our little standing Army.
For these services the enlisted men Of tn,
Amy have erected on the grounds of tn,
Soldiers Home the only monument to he seer
there except its founders, Scott, bearing tn,
significant legend
The Soldiers Friend
"a plain one yet fit for the simple and true, ,
and eloquent % the gratitude ~ men w no havi
found but too few occasions for honoring ou
public men.
aa l.s only Post OF the Grand Army OF tn
Republic in the land posed exclusively o
Regular soldiers, what name on the roll Of th
propriRte than that Of this great citizen an,
soldier, statesman aud patriot, 10 he knows
by?
Wilson was first. last, and all the time al
American. Coming as be did from the rank
OF the people. he neither knew how nor care,
20 conceal his dislike and contempt for tn
enemies OF his country, nor his love and ad
mrston for It's friends
In receiving on behalf OF his regiment
splendid flag, presented by the citizens Of Ne,
York, and given la speech OF great powe
and eloquence by James 7. Brady, he said:
"Sir, j want to see this closed triumph
antly, but after the criticisms that have com
10 us from over the Atlantic. as God is IN
judge, j want no favor from the men of th
British Isle. Some OF my men were born O
our soil, aud have the blood of the Puritan
in their veins Many OF them, sir. were born /
the green isle OF the sea TO which you hay
referred; and may say here that the histor
OF the world shows that no men more brsvel
do their duty than those in whose veins cours,
the blood OF Ireland"
DO you wonder that men who have live
long enough TO remember a man of this cslib,
named their Post after the Natick cobbler y
The man who, next to Abraham Lincoln, re-
resented all that was best in the character
the. plain American. untainted by snobber
Anglomania, or seryile imitation Of anythir
foreign; love of eountry. love of the people,