The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-09-02
TALKS TO VETERANS.
M'kINLEY RESPONDS TO A
TOAST AT BUFFALO,.
Old Soldiers Give a BANQUET in His
Honor-Thrcc Hundred and Fifty
Thousand People in Attendance
31st Annual Encampmcnt.
PUT 'Em Off at Buffalo,"

LII VII at
The incoming rush of Grand Army vet
Grams and their womenfolk to attend the
national encampmcnt at Buffalo was at
its height Tuesday. The different rail-
roads centering there gave estimates of
the number of passengers landed in Buff
falo during the twentyfour hours ended
at midnight. The total footed up 145, 900.
AS all the railroads expected arrivals for
Wednesday at least equaling those of the
previous day, it was estimated that there
would he at least 10000 more arrivals
before the big parade, which would bring
the grand total of encampment visitors up
to 100000
President Mckinley was the lion of the
hour. it being the first time in the history
OF the organization that a President of
the United States put in an appearance
at the national encampment Tie ban
quet which WAS rendered Tuesday night
to the President and other distinguished
guests was a notable affair. Covers were
lald for 800 guests at the Ellicott Club.
Inc hosts were representatives of every
department in the organization and sub
scrlbed literally toward the function.
1he President was escorted from the
Niagara Hotel to the club by n Chicago
post and an impromptu reception preced-
ed the banquet. Speechmaking was in
order at 6 o'clock, as the President de-
sired to leave early to attend some camp
meetings. Col. James A. Sexton of Illi-
nols was the toastmaster. President Nc
Nlnley responded to his toast as follows:
l wish | might frame fitting words to
nldhe suitable response to the more than
giacious welcome which you have accorded
NE mere tonight. / come with no set form
OF speech; come with no studied phrases to
present TO you: but come in the spirit of
companionship to talk with you as we have
so often talked in the past around the camp
r nres In war, as well as the camp-flres in
peace. 10 me, l see by the program, has
peen assigned the toast, "The Country and
its Defenders" My fellOw-citizens blessed
is that country whose defenders are patriots;
pressed is that country whose soldiers fight
tor 1t and are willing to give the best they
nayc-the best that any man has-their own
hves, to preserve it because they love 1t.
Such an army the United States has al
ways commanded in every crisis Of her his
tory. From the war of the Revolution to
the late civil war the men followed that flag
In battle, because they loved that flag and
DeIieyed in what it represented. That was
the stuff of which the volunteer army of
61 was made. Every one of them not only
fought. but they thought; and many of
them did their own thinking, and did not al
ways agree with their commanders. Note
that young soldier, who in the late war,
upon the battle line, ahead with the color
guard bearing the stars and stripes away in
front of the line, but the enemy still in front
OF him. The general called out to the color
bearer. "Bring these coors back to the line,"
and quicker than any bullet that young SOL
dier answered back, "Brlng the line up to
the colors." 1t was the voice of command;
there was q man behind II, and there was
patriotism in his heart
$50 near to grandeur Is our dust,
So near to God Is man,
When duty whispers, .Lo. thou must
The youth replied, can.'
And so more than 1000, 900 brave men thus
responded and made up an army grander
than any army that ever shook the earth
with its tread and engaged in holier cause
than ever engaged soldiers before. What
defenders, my cOuntrymen, have we now?
We have the remnant of this old, magnifi-
cent. matchless army of which l have been
speaking, and then as allies in any future
war we have the brave men who fought
against us on Southern battlefeds. The
army of Grant and the army of Lee are to-
gether. They are one now in faith, in hope,
In fraternity, in purpose and in invinci-
BILE patriotism. And therefore the country
Is in no danger. In justice strong, in peace
secure, and In devotion to the flag. all one.
Secretary Of War Alger, speaking to
the toast, "The Army of the United |
States" said in part:
at is hard for me to speak about the
army with the President present. The |
army of the United States, as far as it |
went, was the best on Gods footstool. |
He had been in London, and had been |
asked what if the United States was at
tackled by the great military nations. 1
answered that in thirty days we could |
put millions of fighting men in the field |
and back them up with wall of fire in |
the persons of the veterans. At the same |
time he thought that the army should be |
somewhat. He compliment
ed the national guard and said that it |
would prove great bulwark of the nation |
in time of need.
G. Porter johnson of Chicago, respond
ed to the toast, ''The Volunteer" Henry
Estabrook spoke to the toast, '"The Gen
,ral." Charles W. Anderson, a colored |
orator, spoke Of the colored troops, and
John S. Wise spoke upon Under One
Flag" Mr.. Wise, who was a Confeder-
lite officer, was received with much enthu-
'iasm. Archbishop Ireland was the last
general toast orator, and was received
With vociferous applause.
The feature Of the morning was the
second parade of the celebration and the
irst in which G. A. X. men took part.
rhe Naval Veterans Association and the
of War Association, to-
,ether with the survivors of Erie County
egiments and other organizations COM
,osed the Grand Army contingent Of the
,arade. The naval veterans wore the uni
orm of the United States naval service
md. made splendid appearance. AS they
,assed through the streets in the rolling
,ait of men-of-warsmen the crowds cheer
ID them to the echoes.