The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-19

brings some strange and startling changes.
About thirty-two years ago, not far from where
am low standing, great battle was fought,
when the Blue and the Gray met face to face in
conflict, both battling for what they thought
was right With us that great contest ended
thirty years ago, and now the Blue and the
GRAY meet again not as enemies but as friends,
members of the same Government and pro-
tected under one fag-Old Glory, as we
like to call it-and if in the near or far future
this good Government again requires the ser
vices of her sons, the Blue and the Gray will be
found standing shoulder to shoulder in pro-
tecting her rights. bid you welcome.
The annual address was then delivered
by ex-senator General Charles F. Man
derson of Nebraska. He elaborated his
theme, the advent of a new era, by de-
scription of the campaign of Chattanooga
and Chickamauga. He urged that "what
has here been done should also be accom-
p.ished on the other fields set apart by the
Nation as places not to be profaned. Get
tysburg, Antietam and Shiloh should be-
come lessons to the patriotic student OF
American history"
Another song by the glee club succeeded
the applause which followed General Man
derson's peroration, and preceded the ad-
dresses by Lieutenant General Schofeld
and Secretary Herbert. Said General
Schofeld:
Comrades: Every year the services you rem
dered to our common country in the time OF
her sorest need appear greater and greater,
and your heroic deeds shine with increasing
luster. But, since that period, you have won
greater victory than that which crowned
your arms upon the field of battle.
1t was we'll asked in 1861, What good can
possibly result from political union that does
not carry with it union OF sentiment, of inter
est and of patriotic devotion-union OF the
hearts of the people? On the other hand it was
asked, What possible guarantee of peace and
friendship can be given in a division of the
United States into two unfriendly Nations,
separated by an arbitrary line and constantly
exposed to conflict of interest and policy?
large majority of the American people de-
termined to preserve the National political
union, and trust to the future of that union of
hearts which would make the political union
subserve The best interests of the Nation and
mankind. By your justice and generosity in
the hour of victory, and by your constant
brotherly conduct in extending the right hand
OF fellowship 10 your Southern brethren,
you have finally won the greatest
victory OF which man is capable. 1t is
a victory of reason and good will
over prejudice and passion. It is victory in
which the former cOnqueror and conquered
are now alike victorious. Your Southern
brethren, by their heroic conduct in accepting
the results OF civil strife, devoting themselves
with untiring efforts to the restoration Of civil
government and domestic industries, des-
troyed by war, and by manifestations in the
most unequivocal manner of loyalty to the
restored Union, have nobly done their part in
gaming their great victory, which has made
the people of the United States one and un-
dividable forever Thus is the victory OF
peace more renowned than any victory of war.
You, my comrades, are now able to rejoice
in the full fruits OF your heroic sacrifice and OF
the blood OF your comrades, which watered
the fields of the South, but which was not shed
in vain. The fierce conflict which swept the
fields of Chattanooga, Chicamauga, Gettys-
burg, shilo. Franklin, Nashville, Atlanta and
the ever memorable fields of Virginia, was the
storm which cleared the political atmosphere
OF our country and made it fit to support the
life of the free, enlightened, patriotic and
united people of to-day. This, my comrades
is the fruit of your great, heroic sacrifice in
war and of your patriotic and fraternal con-
duct and that of your brethren in the South
since they returned to their allegiance to the
flag OF our common country.
Secretary Herbert, in beginning his
speech, said that the gathering at Chicka-
manga, considering the antecedents and
the present purpose of those who COM
posed the audience, could be paralleled in
no other country but this. The civil wal
had brought enduring peace between hos
tile sections, and settled firmly the founda.
tons upon which rested to-day the great.
est of Governments.
Tho ~ +bis fro,,,
the power of Great Britain was settled for
ever when CORVALLIS surrendered at
Yorktown, and so, too, said Secretary Her
bert, the verdict of our civil war had been
accepted as absolutely final. The perpe-
tuity of the Union was settled forever
when Lee offered, and Grant refused, the
sword at Appomattox.
Secretary Herbert, in the course of his
remarks, proceeded to show that the
North was not separated from the South
through the ambitious design of any chief
tain, but that the struggle was to deter
mine underlying principles of government
that had not been settled in the conven-
ton that framed our constitution. In the
struggle that followed both sides were des-
perately in earnest, because both sides be.
Iieved themselves to be in the right
There was nothing, he said, to do but to
fight it out, and it was fought out hon
estly, squarely and bravely on both sides
The South could not have induced to sac.
riice itself as it did except upon the belief
tba at it was fighting for the rights be.
queathed it by its ancestors. On the other
hand, the North could never have been in.
duced to fight as it did had it been waging
mere war of conquest. The people of the
North were inspired with the conviction
that they were fighting to maintain in it;
integrity the constitution of their fathers
which, as they understood it, ordained 6
perpetual union. The war decided the
question of secession, and slavery, which
had come into the dispute, was disposed o.
for all time.
Secretary Herbert, in drawing a lesson
from the times, said the political fury and
sectional hate had destroyed mutual re-
spect, the necessary foundation of frater.
nal feeling, but all this had changed. In
conclusion Mr.. Herbert said:
During the thirty years that have
elapsed since Grant refused to take the
sword of Lee at Appomattox, as we have
looked back at the past that admiration
and respect has continued to increase; a:
we have looked around at the present we