Evening star., 1898-12-09
MANY PATRIOTIC SPEECHES
Veteran Officers Believe in Expansion and
the Wisdom of the People
Remarks Made at We~tins of the
commnndery of the Loyal
Legion.

of the Loyal Legion at Rauscher's was one
of the most dis istingushed and patriotic
gatherings probably ever assembled in this
city. The knowledge that many notabIcs
In army and navy circles a. wsu as a
number OF war veterans row occupying
high official positions would participate in
the social reunion after the business meet
Ing called forth a large attendance and
the capacity Of the hall was severely taxed
After short business meeting, presided
over by Senior Vice Commander General
John NJ. Wilson. L. s. A., 10 the unsvoid-
able absence of the commander Col. John NJ.
Harlan. Capt. Robert Armour read very
interesting paper on the Attack on and De-
feuse of Fort Sanders Tenn. the Key 10
Knoxville, by the Union Forces in 1s63.'' A
collation. followed after which Gen. joe
Hewley. chairman pro tenn. spoke Of the
greatness of the organization IN its patriotic
teachings and the effect they would hav.
upon the younger members Of tho order in
the shadowy future, which was coming
quite near to some of the older ones who
had fought ana bled in 81. H stated that
the commandery had as guests nf the ever
ing a number of distinguished gentlemeG-
members of other commanderies-and
among them several members of the war
investigating committee, all members Of
the Loyal Legion. He called first upon Gen
James A. Beaver, ex-governor of PennsSl-
vania who responded in a facetious strain,
saying first that from his observation the
future did not look as shadowy for his
friend. Gen. Hawiey. as few days ago.
He had been watching the situation quite
closely in Connecticut. and unless hn was
considerably mistaken, the atmosphere Vas
clearing up there very perceptibly AS the
fight progressed He further said, in speak
ing of fighting. that he, during the war,
had belonged to the Army of thu Potomac,
and they did good deal of fighting. He
had not dared to say much about the Army
of the Potomac since his membership on
the war investigating committee, for the
reason that there were only two members
of that army there represented. Capt. and
Ex-Governor Urban A. Woodbury. of Yer
mont and himself; the remaining five sol
diers of the committee wera from the
armies of the west, and that he wss
minus leg and Capt Woodbury. had but .
one arm. he feared they would get the
worst Of it in the event Of q disagreamcnt.
Col. Denby'. Remarks.
Colonel Charles Depby OF Indiana eN-
United States minister To China, also a
member Of the war commission. said thar
he believed. turning TO his friend General
Beaver, that the west furnished Grant to
the Army OF the Potomac. to show 1t how
to fight battles. and that il furnished
Sheridan, and, II he remembered correctly
also Sherman and a few others. He spoke
of his thirteen years residence in China,
where he was practically alone. and OF his
impatience at seeing Germany come IL and
take a large portion Of country. and then
France do likewise. and then Russia, and
finally England take a great stretch of
country at Hong Kong. aud while he want
ed to do something, to do some taking him
self, or TO at least protest against tue de-
stroying OF the identity of China and the
freedom of her markets to the great and
growing American trade. yet 10 protests
were entered and nothing was done, and Ia
felt very much alone and very impotcnt
Il
Then the situation changed. ''Th,n.' said
he, q held my head up very much higher
l am not going TO say now whether We
should hold the Philippines or whether w
should not hold them-I think We should
by all means hold them-but this victory
gave Americans in the east standing and
influence and created Tssp"rt, aud [ hope
We will not lose it 10y any reunquishmentS.
Tho Emperor of Germany boasts that
where once the German eagle fastens his
claws he never lets go. We are no weaker
nor more timid. and wherever our bald
headed eagle fastenS his claws. there. too,
Will he stay forever
Captain James A Sexton of Illinois. the
conmander-in-chief of the Grand Army of
the Republic, paid an eloquent tribute to
the great organize ton which he represents.
No word. he said. has ever been found to
surpass in meaning the word "comrade"
and the march and the battle and the camp
made friendships among men rare and On
during
for. continued the humorous hits made for
and against the Army of the Potomac. He
stated that is was unnecessary for him to
say that the characteristics Of these gen.
tlemen who had spoken. of the commission
Of which he. TOO, was member. was to
talk. The balance of the members he de-
pended upon for Judgment and good sense.
He made various ailusions to the running
powers of the Army OF the West. and called
attention to the fact that while he and
his colleague, Governor Beaver, were each
minus a limb. showing that they both knew
what the sound of n shell was like the
other members had all come off with whole
skins. One or two of the previous speakers
during their remarks had shown evidence
of colds in talking, and Captain Woodbury.
said that as the audience before him might
think it was tho fashion of the members
of this commission to talk themselves
hoarse he would express his thanks for
kind attention and sit down.
Commander Harlan on Patriotism.
Commander Harlan having meanwhile
arrived, was called upon and spoke at some
length, and incidentally expressed himself
strongly in favor of national expansion. He
said in part: AS I look upon the faces
present / see strength and character and
determination. If these faces before me
are an indication OF the American people,
as believe they are what do some persons
mean by saying that this country. in en-
terlng upon new duties, is TO perish2 The
people of the United States met the prob
lens OF 1872 they met the problems OF Oh
WI ny does any body doubt they are. unable
to meet the great problems now before us:
II, as had been stated tonight, patriotism IN
in the land is stronger, if possible, than
ever, why should we he afraid. as our
President says, to meet with courage our
destiny? Why should Germany and France
and England be able to meet sue h questions
and dispose of them, and yet this seventy
millions of people be incapable of meet
ing and handling these great matters now
before them? The people OF the country
are not degenerating; on the contrary they
are stronger than ever before. They are
more devoted to their government than
ever before; they are more devoted to the
principles embodied in our fundamental
laws than ever before; they are more de-
voted to maintain the just integrity of the
national government and at the same time
preserve as essential to il the liberty of the
states that compose the Union. Public ViF~
tue is higher than ever before. Why should
we be alarmed? We have the Aleutians
extending f.209 miles toward Asia We have
Hawaii Porto Rico, one of the Ladrones.
hope one of the Carolines and suppose il
does fall to our lot that We are to take
m lSx of hA