St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-28
OLD GLORY WAVES.
Minnesota War Veterans Raj
ly Beneath the Stars
and Stripes.
RECOUNTED OLD BATTLES.
''Shouldered Their Clutches
and Showed How Fields
We're Won"
RECOUNTED OLD BATTLES.
WEI COINED BY THE MAYOR
In Their Fifteenth Annual
Eneampment-- Torrance
in the Lead.

Old Glory and the defenders of the
Union in the days when mems souls
were tried by fire and steel-and
when the preserved seeds of patriot
ism were in danger of being scat
tered to the four winds of heaven
were elori0usly in evidence yester-
day in ST. Paul, arc espeCillly at
Ford'S music hall. The occasion was
the fifteenth state encampment of
the Grand Army of the Republic.
Flags and bunting had been gen
erously used to beautify the elegant
little stage and auditorium, and
served also to enthuse the old war
riors as their eyes rested upon the
inspiring combination of bright stars
and colors they had long years ago
viewed, oftentimes through the
smoke of battle, and when dirt-be-.
grimed and bullet-scarred. On the
desk where Department Commander
Van SAINT stood when delivering his
annual address, was placed mag
nificent bunch of fragrant flowers
that served to enrich the front-stage
view
Filling every available seat and
all the standing room were blue
jdcketed, White-haired men, many Of
them lettering, some just beginning
to give way to the whitening adj
vance of age, others again of stout
physique and rudy face, with but
a trace of gray, like the department
commander, who were the boys" of
the various companies and regi-
ments in war times
Today they are all boys together,
without the acrid differences of
youth, needing no introduction save
the faded coat Of blue or the badge
Of honor on the left lapel. The erst-
while general, colonel or captain is
on the same level as the old-time pri-
vate, and together-in pairs, in
groups, in committees and as a
body-they recount old times of &C
ton, privation or fun, revisit old
scenes made historic by the sprink-
ling of brave mems blood, and ex-
list again as young in spirit, as vehe-
ment for freedom, as patriotic and
as enthusiastic as when life was
young and the future yet untried.
Seated on the stage at the opening
were the officers of the grand army
for the state of Minnesota, Mayor
Smith and Capt. I. L. Mahan, mas
ter Of ceremonies. The latter gem
tleman raped the body to order. and
Department Chaplain H. G. Bible,
of Owatonna, offered prayer. .-
MAYOR SMITHS ADDRESS. >
Mayor Smith was presented by Capt.
Mahan, to extend the courtesies be-
fitting the occasion Oh behalf of the
citizens Of ST. Paul. He was enthusi-
astically received by the veterans and
said, in substance:
Your organization stands out more
prominently before the American peo-
pie than any other secret society, for
the reason that its membership is COM
posed of the soldiers and marines of
the late civil War-patriotic men, who,
III the hour of danger to the republic,
abandoned the peaceful pursuits of life
and the endearmentS of home and fam
lily and took arms in their hands to save
the constitution and reuniTe under one
flag all the states of this Union. After
success had crowned our cause and
the war was closed, few choice spir-
its conceived the idea of forming a So
ciety composed of these defenders of
hA TT1Nin1o in nrSa tn I,,ox Ill
ly together the bonds of fellowship
and fraternity which must ever unite
them.
[ well remember when the organize
ton was first formulated it met with
severe criticism, was denounced as a
secret political body, and its object de-
clared to be the perpetuation of the
bitter sectional animosities engendered
during the war. Time and the prog
reSS of events have proven the entire
falsity of the charge then made. The
greater and more patriotic object of
your creed, however, is, as I under
stand it, ITO maintain true allegiance
to the United States of America, based
on paramount respect for and fidelity
to the national constitution and laws,
and to encourage the spread of univer-
sal liberty, equal rights and justice to
all men"
It is a popularity of men, which
| shows, as few other circumstances Go
| the moral and mental limitations OF
| our being, that we seldom understand
| the great significance Of the events
| which transpire around US. 1t will be
| left to future generations to properly
! estimate and duly
HONOR THE HEROISM
of the men of whom you are the sur
| ViyorS and representatives. The his
| tory of the human race presents nc
| counterpart Of the grim Valor which
| found expression daily on the fields OF
| the South among the rank and file, as
well as among the leaders, Of the two
| great opposing forces.
| We seek to perpetuate their memor-
les only because we wish history I'd
| truly record that never, even during
the miseriss of Valley Forge or CON
fronted by the hopelessness of the re-
| treat from Long Island, was the devo-
ton of the American man to civil lib
| erty, as he understood it, more elori.
ously indicated. Through your yalo,
| SNiAS JN~i Se'Sh i1ISSSJ anu the VdIOr anC
| the sacrifices of those with whom Vol
fought, there has been called into ex
istence once more nation which ir
the continued unity and fraternity OF
its people affords the grandest assur.
ance vouchsafed by heaven of "the
spread of universal liberty, equa,
| rights and justice to all men,
Now, gentlemen, understanding, as
believe [ do, the purely patriotic mo-
tive of your organiza ton, 1 feel proud
today of the privilege, as chief execu
tive of this city, of giving you a cor
dial greeting, personally, and extend
ing to you on behalf of our citizens
their most cordial welcome.
Applause of the mayors sentiment.
was unstinted during his address ant
at the close of his welcoming words.
COMMANDERS RESPONSE.
Department Commander Van SAINT
on being presented, responded in gra
cious and happy manner to the vel
come extended by Mayor Smith. II,
| han u /, ;r,r