The Coconino weekly sun., 1895-09-19
MAJ. WARMERS ADDRESS.

encampment of veterans at Louisville,
KY, was that delivered by Maj. Will
liam Warner, of Kansas City, Mo-, IL
response to the address of welcome by
Henry Watterson of Louisville. Maj.
Warner said:
Col. Watterson and Citizens OF Louisville:
Our annual pilgrimage has brought us t.
your beautiful city to hold our national en-.
campment. You have received us as though
we were the princes OF the earth. Never did
realize the poverty OF speech rs I realize Il
now, in attempting to convey to you what
know to be the heartfelt thanks Of these vet
Grams and myself for your royal reception and
unstinted hospitality. You possess the rare
faculty. peculiar to southern people. Of max.
the stranger within your gates feel that he II
at home, and that he is In the house OF his
friends. Foremost among those to welcome
the veterans OF the blue to the commonwealth
OF Kentucky, the state that gave to the natior
that great commoner, Henry Clay, and thai
greatest Of Americans, Abraham Lincoln, have
been the veterans who wore the gray
1t may have occurred to some OF you that we
are here on business II so, you are laborins
under delusion. We are here bent on pleas
ure, determined. In a reasonable, orderly ant
semi-sober way. to have good time. True Il
the soldierly instinct we expected to do somt
foragfng. but to send out fora2ing parties WI
find would be an unnecessary waste Of energy
for you have not only anticipated, but have
bountifully supplied every want Of the innel
man. / am convinced that Kentucky raise.
more and tendercr chickens than any othel
state in the union. and that no color line II
drawn at the legs Of the fowl A hungry mar
is more affected by depleted hennery than BY
a deficit in tine treasury.
MY friends. you may have noticed that somt
Of the boys are slightly bent; that the heads o.
many are wearing the gray, and here and there
one that is little unsteady Of step. but to each
tonight we are the boys Of 1861 and 1865, with
hearts Us young. forms Us erect, heads a.
black. steps as steady as when we marched tt
the front thirty-odd years ago to fight fol
home. country and God May these boys, Goo
bless them
Always be youthful and happy and gay.
TIL the last GEAR companion drops smiling
away"
At our campHres we sing the old army songs
as we used to sing them as we were marching
from Atlanta TO the sea With feelings Of com.
radeship toward the brave men against whom
we jostled from Fort Sumter to Appomatox
we recount the sufYerings OF the frozen camp
the hardships Of the forced march, the dangers
Of the battle and horrors Of the prison pen, ant
again drink from the same canteen.
The Grand Army Of the Republic is an or.
ganiZation that has had no predecessor anc
can have no successor. 1t was born when the
first union recruit was enlisted in 81: it will
die when the last survivor Of the union armies
and navies is gathered to his fathers.
1t is an organization, the warp and wool o.
which are fraternity and charity, woven In the
loom OF loyahy. In the post room the strong
and the weak, the rich and the poor. the Jew
aad the Gentle, the white and the black. the
general and the private, touch elbows as com.
rades.
1t is political. but non partisan organiza.
ton: its comrades are not divided by party
platforms. They stand united on the broad
plain OF Americanism. In the highest and hes,
sense it is political. 1t demands that the rights
OF an American citizen shall be protected al
home and abroad, in every land and on every
sea: IT demands respect for Old Glory where.
ever the sun doth shine; it demands obedience
to the constituted authorities: 1t believes in
the enforcement Of law: 1t believes in liberty
without license: IL believes in religion without
bigotry: it demands n loyal support to free
public schools, and that they shall forever be
kept non-scctarian; it believes that church
and state should be kept separate: it demands
honest elections and purity in public affairs:
it believes in n free ballot. free press and
free speech; it demands from the government
the fulfiIlment Of its pledges to him who has
born the battle his widow and orphans.
The Grand Army Of the Republic is a rellg-
ious organization, free from sectarianism. l,
teaches charity, without which all forms OF
divine worship are but as o sounding brass
or q tinkling cymbal" When the old broken
veteran falls by the wayside under the burdens
Of life. the comrade does not Enthusiastically
pass by on the other side. The charity Of the
Grand Army Of the Republic is human. 1t is q
charity that throws the mantle OF forgiveness
over the shortcomings OF a comrade, rather
than turn upon him the sea rchlight OF criti.
cism.
I'm faith and hope the world will disagree.
But all mankinds concern is charity;
All must be false that thwart this one grea,
end.
And all OF God that bless mankind or mend"
The Grand Army of the Republic is a patri.
otto organization. Its members are imbued
with love OF country. They know but one
flag, q flag which they are sworn to maintain
unsullied, q flag which. ere long, 1 trust, the
patriotism OF the whole people will unfurl tc
be kissed by the breezes Of heaven as it floats
over every public building and over every
shall come. as come it will, the old veteran
with feelings Of noble exaltation. may exclaim
Thank God, helped put Old Glory there"
The Grand Army Of the Republic is nation.
oil organization. Its members fought for the
preservation OF union in which every either
OF the United States is guaranteede equal rights
with every other citizen on every inch Of
American soil They have begotten spirit o.
stalwart Americanism
Never since the time when the cornerstone
Of the republic was laid has national pride
been more pronounced than now: never since
the day when the stars and stripes, the emblem
of nationality, was first unfurled has it beer
more revered than now.
The union of the states is no longer lilSenet
to rope Of sand: the constitution is no Longer
characterized as covenant with hell. To set.
tic for all time that this is an indissoubl,
union OF indestructibe states. the baptism o.
blood was q necessity
The God of nations led us through the de.
vouring flames of the furnace of the civil wal
to the end that we and our children might worl
out upon this continent the perfection OF hu.
man government
The fires OF patriotism burn brightly upor
the altar of liberty, states are not pinned to-
gether with bayonets, the union Is enshrinet
in the hearts OF the people and from the SEN
tinels upon the watch towers Of the nation
comes the cry: IAN is we'll"
In our government all start equal in the race
OF life: in IL to the man Of intelligence and high
purposes the greatest Of all boons, absolute
freedom OF opportunity, is guaranteed In thi,
government by the people there is no prefer
ment to which the man Of brain, industry ant
honesty may not aspire. For the man pos
sessing this trinity Of virtues. although bori
in howell and reared in poverty, tho highwas
of fame has been blazed by the immortal Lin
coin.
We would not dim the luster OF the achieve
ments, or forget tho heroic, struggles Of tn
men OF 81 and IS, but as American citizens, w
have buried every thought Of bitterness an.
every feeling Of sectionalism in shc tonrbles
grave Of oblivion.