Evening star., 1899-01-02
Twentieth Annual Banquet of the
Union Soldiers All anoe.
A DISTINGUISHED GATHERING
Members and Their Friends Assem-
bled at the Ebbitt.
I H E S P Z E CHES NJ ADE

| LIE lWeHtiStn annual reunion ana
quet of the Union Soldiers Alliance was
| held Saturday night at s o'clock in the
| handsome dining rooms of the Ebbitt
| House. The closing hours of the old year
| and the inaugural moments of the new
| were spent in feasting and the enjoyment
| of happy speeches appropriate of the sea-
| son, of the past, of the future and the clos
| ing of a wonderful year in American his
| tory. The victories of '6165 were cele-
| brated anew by the veterans of the Union,
| and the soldiers of 1898 were toasted in
| brotherly fashion. The 100 members of the
| society and their invited and distinguished
| guests made merry together until 1899 had
started well upon the journey of a year.
4 Unique Organization.
The Union Soldiers Alliance is perhaps
| the most exclusive and unique of the or
| ganizations growing out of the civil war.
| and its functions, its reunions and ban
| quets are notable occasions always. The
| most prominent men of the District who
| fought during the hard struggle for the
| preservation of the Union are members CT
| the ( ICE, the membership of which is
| limtcu 100. An invitation to its social
| affairs is always considered high honor,
| and the adverse circumstances must be
| pressing indeed when such invitation is
| declined. The guests are, as a rule, SOL
! diers of eminence. Members are elected to
| the alliance only when a vacancy occurs
| and to become one of the 100 it is necessary
| that the candidate shall have unanimous
| approval. There is no soliciting and the
| newly elected member does not know of
| the proposal of his name until he is notified
| of the honor conferred upon him. The alli
| ance has been in existence twenty years
| and has been a marvellous success. 1t has
| a beneficial feature, and as the grizzled
! veterans answer the last roll call from the
| Great Commander their widows or repre-
| handsome
| Saturday nights banquet was given uu-
| der the happieSt auspices and was one of
| the most enjoyable gatherings in the his
| tory of the organization. The banquet hall
| had been tastefuiy decorated with Ameri-
| can flags and palms, while the tables were
| streWn with roses and other flowers. The
| tables were arranged in the shape of Il
| horse shoe. The attendance was so large
! however, two smaller tables We're arranged
| within the encircled space. Seated at the
| head of the tables were John ]. narrower
! the retiring president of the alliance; Geo
| E. Corson, the Eewly-elected president:
Maj. Gen. Nelson a. Miles, commanding the
army of the United States, and officers of
| the alliance. The other guests and members
| were seated in proper order. The diners
| entered the hall to the strains of Tobani's
| patriotic march. The Grand Army
rendered by Schroedcr'S Orchestra. which
| also furnished music throughout the even
| ing, and before being seated old glory was
brought in, escorted by the color guard and
| properly saluted. The menu was most elah-
| crate, made up of the daintiest dishes of
| the season, including rare sea food game
and domestic fowl and appropriate accom-
paniments in the shape of confections ice
| creams, four wines, including champagne.
| Frozen egg nogg was but one of the many
! delightful features.
The Speechmakinw.
| Mon, ye can max gran speech in five
| minutes was the Scotch quotation preced-
| ing the list of toasts. The suggestion thus
conveyed was kept well in mind during the
| speechmaking, with the result that all the
| remarks were pointed and pithy and thor
! oughly enjoyable. Bright bits of sparkling
| humor interspersed the responses to the
toaStS proposed.
President John J. narrower, before yield
| ing the gavel to his successor, called the
assemblage to order. and in few words
reviewed the past years history in the
alliance what had been accomplished and
projected during his term as president 1t
| is one of the rules of the alliance that
| there shall be rotation in the higher offices
and each year the first vice president be-
comes president. the remaining two vice
presidents are promoted one number re-
spectively, and comrade from the ranks
| is elected to fill the vacancy at the bottom
of the list the third vice presidency The
speaker then introduced the new president
Mr.. George F.. Corson. who assumed COM
mand of the army of diners and directed
the further operations of the evening
President Corson was greeted with ap-
plause. When the ovation was over he
thanked the members heartily for the
demonstration and declared his only wish
| to be that he might fill his high office with
the same distinction and credit shown by
his predecessors.
Mr.. Corson then introduced Justice c. c.
Cole of the District Supreme bench, who
responded to the toast: THE President of
the United States May he meet with in
teligence and fiimness the new duties
involved in the expansion of our territory
resulting from for humanity!''
Judge Cole is a fluent speaker, and his
words of commendation for the President
brought forth demonstration of deep ap-
Droval, as did his announcement of his
belief in the theory of expansion.
Gen. Miles Address.
General Miles was called upon for a
speech and responded in his usually happy
style. AS he arose from his chair he was
cheered to the echo. The general declared
that nothing in the great victories of the
past year; nothing in any victories that
might yet be in store for the American
arms in future years, could diminish or
detract from the honor and heroism of the
fighters of the civil war, whose work in
keeping the country intact had made pos
sibie the recent glorious achievements.
This thought was the signal for renewed
cheering, and General Miles must have felt
hatteTed at his enthusiastic reception. He
spoke of the new duties coming with the
expansion of the United States and spoke
also of the expansion of civilization all over
the world during the year 1898, ana said
that whatever duties come he had conf |
dence in the intelligence and honesty of the |
American people to properly meet them.
A. S. Worthngton responded to the toast: |
The Union Soldiers Aliance--The best and |
most compact organization ever formed of |
those who helped to save the republic" To |
become member one must have served |
with honor during the civil war and have
been discharged the military service with |
out blemish on the character. Mr.. Worth |
inston spoke of the excellent qualities of !
the men making up the alliance; spoke of !
its welfare in the past and the brightness |
of the future.
Comrade George H. Lilebridge sang a |
composition of his own, dedicated to and |
written especially for the Union Soldiers |
Alliance. The song is entitled we Drank |
From the Same Canteen." The song was !
well rendered and made big hit
1.-THE veterans of 1SG1 65-their ranks are |
rapidly thinning out, but those who remain |
are as loyal and patriotic as ever' was the |
toast assigned DR.. Franklin T. Howe who |
referred feelingly to the rapid mastering |
out of the veterans of the war of the re- |
bellion. He spoke of the deep regret felt at |
the loss of SO many comrades valiant SOL |
diers that they We're. and said that the day |