The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-08-05

suspicion OF your opponents. gallant SOL
diers without fear and without reproach.
You have won fame and glory for
yourselves, but you have won fame and
glory Tor us, too-and we rejoice in this
opportunity to express our pride in the
possession of the Governors Guard. the
best military company in the United
States.
But, srs. there is in this occasion
and its attendant circumstances deep
er source of satisfaction, accompanied,
though 1t may be, by some saddening
reflections. War is always calamity,
but IL Is necessity that must at times
come into the lives of every people, and
when 1t does come the sole reliance of
society is upon it's soldiery.
In their bravery and patriotism and
readiness to sacrifice self, society finds
its only protection against the horrors
and destruction of war; and is enabled,
IN the midst of battles, to pursue its
orderly progress.
In this country we are happy in that
our safety rests, not upon standing
army of hired soldiers. but upon the
citiZen soldiery of the states, upon the
citizens themselves with arms in their
hands ready at all times to effectually
protect their own government and their
own homes. Whatever, then, tends to
Duiid up the citizen soldiery is for the
pubic good, its glories are the glory of
the state, its effectiveness is the safety
or the people, and that community
winch possesses among it's own citizens
a well drilled and equipped military or
ganlzauon may count the foundation
stone OF its safety well laid, and may.
with manly disregard of danger de-
vote its energies to the upbuilding of
its civilization.
In you, gentlemen of the Governors
Guard. we feel that we have Il strong
rampant of public defense. You have
done more than your share for the pub
lie good. You, Capt. Roberdeau. have
displayed qualities as a commander and
as tactician that have made you
famous among soldiers and dear to your
friends. You, officers and gentlemen Of
the Guard, by your intelligent obedience
and soldierly precision have proved that
each and every one of you is n type of
the perfect soldier. And all of you. in
dividually and as a company, have
proved by your past career and your
recent magnificent success that You
possess those qualities of endurance.
self-sacritice, intelligence and honorable
ambition that deserve and earn, in
whatever field they may be employed,
the admiration of the world and the
undying confidence of your fellow citi-
zens. That you have done this in the
face of temporary neglect and discour-
agement by the state government,
whose safety and dignity you have done
so much to insure is the more creditable
to you and the more gratifying to us.
1t is regretable that your victory, hon
estly and fairly won to the entire salts
faction of the public and be the unani-
nous verdict of the regular army Off
GERS composing the board of judges,
should not have been accepted by ali
in the manly and honorable spirit that
alone can make such competitions
decent or agreeable. But the few child
ish and i'll natured complaints that have
appeared in the newspapers prove only
that you can not choose always honora-
bic competitors and in no way dim the
luster of your achievement Your honor
as gentlemen and that of the board who
made the award are too well know to
permit of doubt as to the justice of
the verdict or as to the honorable and
manly way in which you won it.
Soldiers and friends, we are yours.
You have won us as you won your
proud title of champions of the citizen
soldiery of the United States. We are
here to swear our fealty and to do
homage to your conquering arms: to
show you that the whole city is with
you in your triumph. May the Gov
ernor's Guard and it's able captain live
long and prosper still further, winning
new and more difficult victories mutual
ly shedding glory upon each other and
holding the Galveston cup against all
Corners. And you may be sure that
come victory or defeat, the hearts of
your people will always be with you so
long as you carry yourselves with the
honorable bearing that have won you
your present laurels.
Immediately upon the conclusion of his
speech. Miss Kellar. the sponsor of the
company unveiled the cup, which was
sitting on the table. Capt Bob Green
of the old Belknap company then ad-
vanced and presented the cup to the COM
pany. During the brief but interesting
talk that he made, Capt. Green took oc-
casion to say that he had seen all the
drills at the San Antonio encampment
and he knew that the Guard had won
the prize on their merits and not through
any favoritism. He also took occasion
to say that the slanderous report that
had been circulated about the drill and
the Governors Guard by the Mortons and
others was wholly without foundation
and unworthy any one who protested to
he Il gentleman. He praised the Guard
very highly for their merit in winning