Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-25
TALKS TO THE VETERANS
President Mckinley Responds to Toast at
Buffalo Encampment.
Eui"sfxcs the Patriotism OF the
American Soldier md Rciotces
That the Country Is United.

""eh PRESIDENT Mckinley and his party
arrived at the @. A r. encampment at
Buffalo yesterday afternoon they were the
| recipients of marked and enthusiasts at
| tention.
From the depot to the Niagara Hotel. a
| distance of two miles, the streets were
lined with people. and at the hotel i'm
front of which there is a great souare
the police and soldiers from the nearby
barracks, even with the reinforcemeuts
OF extras. had difficult work TO keep the
multitude in position. Even when. with
MRS. Mckinley and Gov. Black. the Prrsi-
Gent had entered the hotel. and vanished
from sight. there followed after him the
cheers of the people. until he was Obliged
10 come to the balcony. where after some
SORT OF order had been restored. he said:
Il come to greet you and to thank YOU
81 the same time for your generous well
come The CIR md Army of the Republic
seems see TO De on foot today. hut not carry
ing arms Those were long since laid
aside, and the Grand Army of the Republic
Is today dedicated 10 peace tapplauseD and
ane Cnioa forever l am glad to be in The
and o., and my comrades now. / thank
you all. and bid you good afternoon"
IN the evening he was the guest of honor
al banquet given by Columbia Post of
chicago. There he met Senator HAMA
who had just come ashore from his Yacht
He was on the program to respond 10 the
toast The country and its defenders"
President Responds 10 n Toast.
He said: Il wish / might frame fitting
words to make suitable response 10 the
more than gracious welcome which you
have accorded me here tonight I come,
with no set form of speech: l come with
no studied phrases to present TO YOU: but
L come i'm the spirit Of conlradeship great
aPplause). to talk with you as We have Of
ten talked in the past around the camp
llres In war. as well at campfires in
peace. CApplause.)
10 me, l see by the program has boon
assigned the toast. The country ami its de-
tenders. My fellow citizens. blessed is that
country whose defenders are patriots (Ap-
plause). Blessed is that country whose SOL
diers night for 1t and willing to give the
best they have, the best that any man has
Their own hves-to preserve il because
lhey love it applause Such army the
United States has always commanded in
every crisis of her history (Applausc)
From the war of the revolution to the late
civil war the men followed that flag in bat
Tie because they loved that flag. and be-
neved in what il represented. tApplauscl.
That was the stuff of which the volunteer
army Of 81 was made. (Applause) Every
one of them net only fought. hut they
thought. tApplause). And many of therp
did their own thinking daughter and ap-
plause), and did not always agree with
their commander. daughter and applauseD.
You all remember that young soldier. who.
of the line of battle and color guard. but
tie enemy still in front of him: the general
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 coors.'
prolonged APPLAUSE 1t was the voice OF
command; there was man behind it, and
there was patriotism in his heart.
SO nigh to grandeur is our dust;
So near TO God is man.
When duty whispers: .Lo thou must
The youth replies: L cam
Armies of Grant and Lee Together.
And so more than 2.0o0.oOo brave men
thus responded and made up an army
grander than any army that ever shook
the earth with its tread tapplause,, and en-
gagged in holier conflict than ever SOL
diers did before. (Applause).
What defenders, my countrymen. have
We now? We have the remnant of this old,
magnificent matchless army of which I
have been speaking, and then, as allies in
any future war, We have the brave men
VINO fought against us on southern battle
fields tApplause). The army of Grant and
the army of Lee are together. IApplause)
They are one now in faith, in hope in fra
ternitN, in purpose, and in invincible pa
triotism tapplause); and therefore the coun-
try is in no danger Applause). In justice
the flag all one. Great applauseD. My fell
low countrymen, / bid you good night"
prolonged applause).
The Presidents allusion to the south and
its unity with the north was received with
Vociferous applause, the audience standing
upon their seats 10 cheer. GcV. Black led
the applause.
Before his address at the banquet the
President visited two camp fires and at
tended services al two of the local churches.