The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-08-14
MKINLEY ~ VETERANS.
The Republican Candidate Again
Honorod by Fellow Soldiers.
HIS TRIBUTE TO THE SOUTH.
"sec'Ionaiism Has Given Place to National
Spirit and Patriotism Has Smoothed the
A.perities of Partyism-Preservation OF
National Honor the Aim of Patriots"

| spirit and PafriOtism Hns SnOothed the
| A-perities of Partyism-Preservation o.
| National Honor the Aim of Patriots"
| CANTON, O., Aug 14-The survivors Of
| the One Hundred and Fourth regiment
| Ohio volunteer infantry, who have been
holding their annual reunion at Massillon
arrived in Canton yesterday afternoon ia
greet Comrade Mckinley, bringing their
wives and children with them. Mrs.
Major Mckinley Tent No t. Daughters of
Veterans, of Massillon, accompanied them.
The visitors altogether numbered nearly
AGO. They awaited the appearance of Gov
ernor Mckinley on the front porch of his
residence and when he stepped out three
cheers were given with hearty will
Colonel William Monohan, of Youngs.
town, then came forward and made u
striking address. When Governor Nc
kinley started to respond the cheering was
renewed, His address was in part as
follows.
Il assure Won that 1t affords me much
pleasure to meet and greet my old Gsso.
ciatos of the civil war here at home. 1t IL
indeed most gracious act on your part to
mako this call following your reunion in
glad to know that you continue annually
to hold your reunion. There is however,
always sad side to these meetings of old
soldiers, for at every recurring meeting
you have and every roll that is had dis
closes that one and another of your mem
bers who mot you the preceding year is
not present to answer when his name Is
called; and every year reminds us that
death is marched through our ranks.
The survivors of the war now number
less than n million, and yet there were
enrolled 2S0O,0Oo men who were willing
to dedicate their lives to the country. We
are now thirty-fvc years from the begin
ming of the war and thirty-one or more
from It's close. The bitterness of the war
has long since disappeared. The resent
ments have gone out of tho hearts of the
old soldiers and the people who supported
them in that great conflict on both sides
Incidents occurred last year throughout
thecountry, incidents of great significance,
which brought to every patriotic citizen
special qualification l refer to the meet
ing of the Grand Army of the Republic in
the city Of Louisville, where, with bound
less and prodigal hospitality, the citizens
of that city in the south invited you to
their homes. You could not have been
more generously treated in any city of the
north than you were in the city of Louis
vile on the other side of tho river.
"Then Mt Chickamnuga, where the gov
ernment of the United States has dedi-
Gated that sacred field as q national park
the ex-Union soldiers and ex- x-Confedcrate
soldiers, who years before had fought in
deadly conflict, the one against the other
met and with fraternal feelings marked
the places where their respective COM
mands fought and fell and consecrGtol
that historic battlefield as a memorial to
the Union forever and forever more. And
then few days later in the city of At
lanta, Ga,, the boys in blue and the boys
in gray met and talked over their battle
once more, all pledging the united loyalty
in the future of the government of the
United States and the preservation of the
honor Of our flag.
"Sectonalism has given place to ma
tional spirit and patriotism has smoothed
the asperities Of partyism, while the pres
ervation Of national honor constitutes the
great aim and purpose of all patriotic
American citizens. 1t is not, my fellow
comrades, what we may say of you, as Mr.
Lincoln put it at Gettysburg, 1t is what
you did while you lived. You have given
to yourselves a great name and to your
children rich legacy, because you served
in the holicst cause in which mankind
ever engaged-the cause of the Union, of
freedom and of civilization, Il cause which
has done so much for mankind every
where What we want to do now is to
take care of the future. You cannot up
braid yourselves for any lack of patriot |
ism in the past The future is now our
trust and In our keeping, and let us see to |
1t that the government which was pro- |
served through your valor and sacrifice |
and the millions of your comrades shall be |
preserved forever. Preserved not only to |
the present, but to those who are to come
hereafter.
II thank you, my comrades, for the warm
and eloquent expressions of good will
spoken by your chairman. His tribute
moves me deeply, l know something of
the services of the old One Hundred and
Fourth Ohio in war, and know some
thing Of your service as citizens in peace,
for believe that this entire regiment came
from the counties which for years consti-
tuted the congressional district which, by
your partiality, l had the honor so long
to represent
At the conclusion of the governors
speech Miss Bertha Martin, of Massillon,
in behalf Of Mrs, Major Mckinley Tent
No. /, spoke briefly. Major Mckinley re-
sponded by welcoming the young women
md invited them, us well as the other
ladies' in the party, to visit Mrs. Mckinley,
who was seated within the house.
Major Mckinley addressed reunion of