Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-07
LEADER OF THE GAR.
Commander In Chief Albert D.
Shaw and Son in Norfolk.
Warmly Welcomed Last Night by Warden
Post. No. e5-Addrcsscs of welcome by
Post Commander French and Depart
ment Commander Ruttcr.

in-Chief of the Grand Army Of the Re
public, left New York Monday morning
ana Washington yesterday at q. M.
lie reached Norfolk last night at p.
III. via Chesapeake and Ohio from Rich
mond. and went at once to the Month
cello Hotel, where he had dinner.
| At $50 he was received informally at
the rooms of "Worden' Post, G. A. r..
No. %. There were present the follow
Ing department officers: John W. Rut-
ter. commander; Augustus a. Hager, OF
Hampton, assistant adjutant and quar-
termaster general: A Il. Heistand,
medical director: John w. Stebbins. in
| spector; Past Department Comma nders
| Vm. n. Eaton and III. Is. Nichols.
Nearly all the members of Worden Post
were also present General Shaw is ac-
companied by his son, Dr. Shaw, also
| of Watertown. y. y.
The meeting was called to order by
Past Commander Charles j. Finch. OF
Berkley. who. in few brief words.
welcomed General Shaw and DR.. Shaw.
| Then all shook hands with the dis
| tinguishcd visitors.
Post Commander Pinch then again
called the meeting to order, and called
| Department. Commander Rutter 10 the
chair. Mr.. Ruttcr then delivered an
eloquent address of welcome.
| COMMANDER SHAW IN THE
| CHAIR.
The Department Commander then
called on the distinguished guest of the
evening, Commander Shaw. to take the
| chair. and he did so.
| General Shaw then spoke as follows:
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen:
1t is Il great pleasure for me. as com
| m n NJ -,l,t toe
the Republic. TO meet and greet you
! mere on this happy coca sion OF my first
| official visit to the State of Virginia
Il State famous in the history of our
nation as being the Mother of Presi-
dents"-and l thank you one and all
| Tor this cordial reception. I come as
| the official head of the Grand Army in
! whose peaceful ranks are found the
aging heroes of the Union armies of the
COS in visit of peace and concord to
the present and reaching to the flu
| ture. AS you are aware, / am just set
ting out on an itinerary. embracing
| twelve of the Southern States, for the
| purpose of visiting my Grand Army
comrades in these departments and Mt
the same time having in view the
strengthening of the common bonds OF
u common citizenship, based upon tho
new destiny of the United States OF
America
END OF THE WA
Five and thirty years ago the great
war practically ended in the surrender
| at AppomattoX. after four wears of ms
heroic struggle to break up the Union
as was ever known in the history of ar
mics ~ divided current of popular sem
timent. created by different views of
| the Constitution. and ideals of duty and
| freedom, finally resulted in a conflict OF
| arms of unprecedented bitterness and
| DlOO0Sh6O 81 Cnlnccn1 !
period of appalling sacrifices. by the
| South and by the North, 1t is not my
| purpose to speak here now except to
| say that the soldiers of the North and
the soldiers of the South were equal in
| the honesty of their convictions of duty.
| and with equal valor and equal courage
| periled their lives on either side for
what they believed to be right I am
| one who has always felt that whenever
IL man Is willing to offer his lifc-all
one has in the world-in defence OF any
principle or any cause. criticism as to
| his bravery dies. and the seal OF lofty
heroism is set upon his patriotism-as
| viewed from the standpoint of duty.
| The Judgment of the sword should be as
sacred as the judgment of the highest
| national tribunal, after such arbitra-
mont has been resorted to in the settle
ment OF questions which the pen has
| failed to compose. 1t is the true glory
and sublime of the issue of our great
| war. that its decision has been wonder
| fully accepted In view of the extent
and iierceness of the mighty struggle.
Within the life of u single generation
we have seen the dividing line of sec
| tons obliterated, fierce hatrcds give
way to friendships and as The rival
| Stars and Bars went down in brave de-
| feat, the Stars and Stripes have been
| raised higher and higher as the be-
| loved national emblem-more precious
| now TO all our people than ever before
| in the life OF our Republic.
NOW ALL ARE UNITED.
The glorious time has come for us To
recognize fully that we are now one
as American citizens. with happy con-
| cord from the centre all round to the
| seas, and with boundless possibilities
| for good and for God before us. Under
| God the new birth OF our new destiny
was sounded forth upon the Cuban an
| vii by the blows struck when the heirs
OF the South and the heirs of the North
| touched elbows again under the Flag of
| Washington and Lincoln and of Nc
| Kinlcy in behalf of suffering and inhu-
manly oppressed peoples dominated and
msgovcrner by Old Spain. l come at
| this time To look my old comrades in
| the face, and to shake them by the
hand and To say to them that they
| have been ideed fortunate to have lived
| and had IL part in two of the greatest
victories of the world. a. That of
having saved the Union and Won full
| individual liberty for every son and
daughter on our soil. and (2). to have
seen those who struck with dauntless
hcroism at the nations life with su-
perb valor peril their all for the digni-
~ and honor of the Union, and all the
people with glad acclaim unite in the
sentiments "One people! One flag and
One destiny!"
| Comrades. this is a consummation
OF commanding glory for those living
who fought either in the Northern or
| Southern armies in the great war
IArl. TILE 11rO1rA,1ac.