The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-08-14
A PATRIOT TO PATRIOTS
A'KINLEK'S INSPIRING WORDS TO
 HIS OLD COMRADES.


 The Men Who Offered Their Lives in the Holy Cause in the eos Win Stand in the Breach To-day--Sectionalism Once Kill- ed Cannot be Resurrected-The Future of the Country is In the Hands of the People and is Secure So Long as Their Precep- tors Teach the True Lesson of Devotion.
 Canton, Aug. 18-In his speech to the members of the 104th Ohio regiment to- day Major Mckinley said:
 T assure you that it affords me much pleasure to meet and greet my old asso- ciates of the civil war It is indeed, most gracious act on your part to make this call following your reunion in the neighboring city of Massillon. I am glad to know that you continue annual ly to hold your reunions. There is all ways sad side to these meetings of old soldiers, for every recurring meet ing and roll call that is had discloses that one or another of our members
 
 who met with you the preceding year is not present to answer when his name is called, and every year death is marching through our ranks. The sur vivors of the war now number less than a million, and yet there were enrolled 2,SOoO00 men who dedicated their lives to this country. (Cheers.)
 We are now thirty-fve years from the beginning of the war and thirty one or more from it's close. The bitter ness of the war has long disappeared. The resentments have gone out of the hearts of the old soldiers and the peo- pie who supported them in the great conflict of both sides. Incidents occur red last year throughout the country incidents of great signiflcance-which brought to every patriotic citizen spec ial qualification. 1 refer to the meeting fthe G. A. R. in the city of Louisville, Ky. (ApplauSe). Her boundless and prodigal hospitality were shown on every hand You could not have been more generously treated in any city of the north than you were in the city of Louisville. Then at Chickamauga where the government has dedicated
 
 Union soldiers and Confederate sol- diers met and with fraternal feelings marked the places where their respec- tive commands fought and fell and con- secrated that historic battlefield, as memorial to the union forever and for eyermore. (Great cheers.)
 .Then a few days later in the city of Atlanta the boys in blue and the boys in gray (cheers) met and talked over their old battles once more, all pledg- ing their united loyalty in the future to the government Of the United States and the preservation of the honor of our flag (Great applause) Sectional ism has given place to national spirit and patriotism has smoothed the as- perities of partyism, while the preser- vatfon of the national government con- stitutes the great aim and purpose of all patriotic American citizens. Loud cheering.)
 Ut is not my fellow comrades, what we say of you as Mir. Lincoln put it at Gettysburg; it is what you did which will survive You have given to your selves a great name and your children a great and rich legacy because you served in the holiest cause which man. kind ever engaged in-the cause of the union, of freedom and civilization, a cause which has done so much for man. kind everywhere. What we want to do now is to take care of the future. You cannot upbraid yourselves for any lack of patriotism in the past. The future is now our trust and in our keeping and let us see to it that the government which was preserved through your valor and that of the millions of your comrades shall be pre- served forever. Tremendous ap- plause) Preserved not only to the present but to those which are to come hereafter"
 After the reception Mr. Mckinley at- tended reunion of the Third Ohio Battery and took lunch with the old artillerists at the residence of Captain w. s. Williams. It was an informal affair, but Major Mckinley in response to urgent calls made an effective speech.
 Major Mckinley had, in addition to delegates, about seventy callers to-day. He is at work, when he gets an oppor- tunity upon his letter of acceptance, but at present he is intensely interest ed in the big meeting to be held at Co., lumbus on Saturday, This meeting will be the virtual opening of the cam paign, state and national.