Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-09-02

guest OF honor of Columbia post of Chi
cago, with 500 other distinguished guests
and soldiers. At the guest table sat
Commander c. H. Mcconnell of Column
bia post, POSTMASTER of the occasion;
/ President Mckinley, T. S. CIarkson,
Archbishop Ireland, Mayor Jewett, Cen
eral Russell A. Alger, Governor Frank
S. Black, General James Z. Curtiss,
Chaplain in Chief Mark 3. Taylor of
Brooklyn. Charles W. Anderson the
negro orator; Wilson s. Bissell, William
]. Connors, Colonel Swift, Governor
Plngree Of Michigan, Past Commander
in-Chief T. w. LAWYER Representative
Mahany, Representative Alexander, c.
7. Porter Johnson Of Chicago, Colonel
Blackburn of Chicago, Colonel Gage,
General Walker, General Romits, Colonel
John ID. Weber, Colonel J. II. Horton.
Colonel Atkinson, Alderman Fitch of
Chicago Henry d. Estabrook of Chi
oago, Fred w. Peck of the Chicago Audi
torium, General John S. Wise and Au-
gustus F. Scheu.
When an elaborate menu had been dis
cussed the POSTMASTER called for Gov
ernor Frank S. Black, and he responded
as follows:
The Columbia post of Chicago has per-
mitted me to extend to it's guests a well
rome to the state of New York. In dis
charging this agreeable task | wish first
TO extend to the post my own acknowl-
edgment Of its favors and to make at
least some imperfect expression of my
pleasure at meeting its members within
4 this state To all its distinguished
/ guests l am glad to offer the assurance
4 That their presence here will be among
the gratefully remembered events in the
history Of the city and the state.
Senator Hanna. who had just arrived,
came into the banquet hall. His entry
was noted by applause at the further
end Of the hall, and as the proceedings
paused, the president rose from his seat
and moved along the hall to meet him.
There was a shout Of applause as the
I two men clasped hands, and the presi-
dents left hand went upon Mr.. Hanna's
/ shoulder Both took their seats amid
applause.
The POSTMASTER then announced the
I toast "The City of Buffalo Welcomes
the Grand Army" Mayor Jewett made
an appropriate response. When Mr.
Jewett had finished his address President
+ Mckinley was introduced, and for fully
five minutes it seemed as though the roof
would have TO fall or the side walls bulge
with the roars of applause and the greet
+ ing; Wheat, 1OS; silver, 40"
Pres den :, .Ad iress
i Then the president said, very slowly
and distinctly:
Mr.. Toastmaster and Comrades and my
4 Fellow Citizens
| wish / might frame fitting words to
make suitable response to the more than
/ gracious welcome which you have ac-
/ corded me here tonight | come with no
\ set form of speech; l come with no stud
! led phrases to present to you, but come
! in the spirit of comradeship to talk with
! you as we have often talked in the past
/ around the campfres in war as well as
/ camptires in peace.
To me, / see by the program, has been
assigned the toast The Country and its
/ Defenders" My fellow citizens, blessed
4 is that country whose defenders are
patriots Blessed is that country whose
soldiers fight for 1t and are willing TO
give the best they have, the best that
! any man has, their own lives, 10 pre-
serve il because they love 1t. such an
army the United States has commanded
| in every crisis Of her history. From
! the war Of the Revolution 10 the late
| Civil War; the men followed that flag
| because they loved it and believed in
what it represented. That was the
stuff of which the army of 81 was made.
Everyone of them not only fought, but
they thought And many of them did
there own thinking, and did not always
agree with their commander.
That young soldier in the late war
upon the battle line, went ahead with
the color guard, bearing the Stars and
Stripes way IN front of the line, but the
enemy still in front of him. The gem
eral called out to the color bearer:
Bring those colors back to the line,
and quicker than any bullet, that young
soldier answered back, Bring the line
up to the colors." II was the voice of
command, there was a man behind it
and there was patriotism in his heart.
$50 nigh to grandeur is our dust; so
near to God is man when duty whispers,
'Lo, thou must the youth replies, L
can "
And so more than 100000 brave men
thus responded and made up an army
grander than any army that ever shook
the earth with its tread and engaged in
a holier cause than ever engaged soldiers
did before. What defenders, my coun-
try men, have we now? We have the
remnant of this old, magnificent, match
less army of which have been speaking,
and then. as all cases in any future war.
we have the brave men who fought
against us on southern DattlSneldS. The
army of Grant and the army of Lee are
together. They are now one faith, in
hope, in fraternity in purpose and in
an invincible patriotism. And, there
fore, the country is in no danger. In
justice strong, in policy secure and in
devotion to the flag all one. My fellow
countrymen l thank you and bid you
good night
The presidents allusion to the South.
and its unit with the North was re-
ceived with the most vociferous applause,
the audience standing on their seats to
cheer.
other Speakers.
National Commander Clarkson re-
sponded to the toast The Grand Army"
General Russell Alger. the secretary of
war, spoke to the toast, THE Army of
the United States" Hon. Henry Esta-
brook spoke to the toast, THE General"
Charles W. Anderson, a coIored orator,
talked of the colored troops; Hon. c. p.
johnson discussed the American volun-
teers and Hon. John S. Wise talked upon
Under the Flag" Mr.. Wise, who was