The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-04-24

hearty and enthusiastic greeting was
given Department Commander f. f. Mutt,
of Sidney, o., Monday evening, at G. A. 4.
hall, by the David Mcintosh comrades and
representatives from various other Posts in
the county, all of which were invited to be
present and assist in welcoming the distin-
guished guest to the hospitalities of aPortage
County reception. The Drum Corps quick
ened the pulse of everybody by number of
stirring martial selections on the street just
prior to the Camp Fire. They also played
in the hall at the beginning and close of the
evenings program. The boys play in excel
lent time, and have the making of super
ior corps.
Commander d. c. Gardner extended a cor.
dial welcome to all present, and after line
of thought well expressed relative to the
desired growth and increased prosperity of
Mcintosh Post, introduced the guest and
speaker of the evening, Department Com
mander, E. E. Mutt.
{. The address of the leader OF the q. A. r.
hosts was practical, sensible and entertain
ing. He spoke with quiet ease and ear
nestness that commanded the close attention
| of his hearers from the beginning to the end
of his we'll worded sentences. The Com
mander has the rare faculty of talking to an
audience in a conversational style, free from
the suspicion of conventional preparation.
| He said he was in the G.. A. r. in earnest.
and if he could contribute in any honorable
way to its advancement he would fulfill the
| height of his ambition. He spoke of the
origin of the name of this Post, in connec-
ton with the provision made for flag in
every township in the county, and mention
ed the banner presented to the Post by the
act, probably the last one of mortal life.
"These things l appreciate and they should
especially endear the interests of the Post to
all its members" In speaking of army ex-
periences he related how certain soldier,
longing to beguile his lonely hours while in
the far away Dixie, advertised as follows in
a certain northern newspaper
I'm a soldier in the Sunny South,
| Heart whole and fancy free,
Letters are bright gems to me-
Who will write and cheer -------'
In response to which Ravenna lady sent
the desolate hearted son of Mars q neatly
executed list of capital andsman letters, ex
pressing the fond hope tnat he would have
a supply of gems" sufficient to last him
until "the cruel war was over"
He reminded his hearers that this month
marks the 34th anniversary of the beginning
of the war, and briefly alluded to the terrible
character of the four years struggle, with 26C
battles. He said the G. A. r. was the only
organization of the kind to which all honor
ably discharged soldiers, no matter whether
they saw service or not, were eligible tC
membership. He urged faithful and renew
ed endeayors on the part of the ex-solder II
keep up the organization. He paid a flint
tribute to the loyal women of the North, say
ing the rebellion could never have been pu
, down without their assistance, and that the!
endured more distress and anguish than th'
soldier himself, in the camp or field, theil
| terrible experiences being only exceeded b!
} the awful lot of those who were left to starv,
| in rebel prisons. He said nation canno
: afford to forget the horrors Of war. The bat
ties were fought for future generations, tha
they may learn to avoid a repetition of sucl
J an awful experience. A nation has a wa
and thereby learns to avoid war. He spoke
: of the friendship and good will between the
blue and the gray, as individuals, but said
we cannot afford to recognize the merits o
the gray, as such. We must teach our chill
dren that the one was eternally right and tn
other eternally wrong. He spoke of tn
patriotic foundation of the G. A. R., and o
it's inestimable service in putting down tn
. rebellion, and its proud distinction of havin,
5 instituted Memorial day of the value of tn
name Comrade, and of the grand signiicanc
of the button badge, reminding his hearer
that each one cost its owner service that n
. one would duplicate for one million dollars
+. awe must make the button badge popula
;, throughout the country" He praised tn
B. G. A. r. for having been instrumental il
: having the Stars and Stripes float from ou
public schools, and for its present efforts i
!, behalf of military instructions in the school
! "a projecl he heartily favored for variou
reasons, detailed with much force of logic
"Prepare for war, and thus avoid war;" 81
> nation is respected by other nations in Pre-
| portion to its ability to defend ITSELF" Sue
r instructions in our schools will benefit tn
e pupils physically and teach them patriotism
$ The above are the points touched upon b,
= the Commander, who spoke in a familiar
d easy way that leaves a lasting impression {
Il what he says.
,. y Mrs, S. j. Post and Miss Estella Poe favol
e ed the audience with two well rendered duet!
y Miss Ticknor delighted her hearers with he
a inimitable and original portrayal of ga
y Old Fashioned Debating Society,"" She ws
deservedly encored, responding with a
= Irish selection equally we'll delineated.
Capt. Perkins, of Randolph, Vickers, {
Kent, and Mrs. Mcclellan, Pres't!of A.
Day w. r. c., of Kent, responded to invit
tions to talk, and a recitation, "The Drum
# mer Boy, by Miss Gilman, followed by tt
, drums and flies of the Corps, completed Il
program,
Commander Mutt is we'll worthy of Il
| distinction accorded him, and is renderir