The National tribune., 1900-09-06

principles Of patriotism which inspired
them when they left their homes in the
cause of the Union.
| a perpetuation of the principles of honor
and righteousness which brought the men
of the last generation together in defense
of the Government, and he asked his COM
rades to appreciate the work of the Sons
of Veterans organization, to which we
must look for the future Of our Nation.
Asa W. Jones, Commander-in-Ch of
the Sons of Veterans, and Joel NJ. Longe-
necker, Department Commander of Illi-
nois, q. A. r., were among the speakers.
RECEPTION TO COMMANDER : IN CHIEF
SHAW.
In the same hall in the afternoon on
Monday there was a public reception of
the invited guests Of the city, and Com
mander-in-Chief Shaw was the central fig.
ure. Many veterans had their children
and grandchildren with them, and they
seemed delighted to have them shake the
hand of the Commander. Gen. John G..
Black, Chairman of the committee in
charge of the reception, stood next to
Commander Shaw. For two hours long
lines of guests passed through the north
entrance to the Library Building, and up
the marble staircase leading to the splen-
did halls of the Illinois Department of
the Grand Army, where Commander-in.
Chief Shaw and his officers received them.
Associated with Gen. Black on the COM
mittee were Maj. u. A. Blodgett, Charles
Dietrich and Col. Francis A. Riddle.
EX-PRIsoNERs CAMPFIRE.
The Campfire of the Union ex-Prisoners
night, when the great Auditorium was
| filled with people anxious to hear the story
| of these brave men who faced death in its
most terrible forms rather than accept
liberty with dishonor. National Command
er James Atwell called the meeting to or.
der and announced Mayor Carter n. Har.
| rison as the presiding officer.
Mayor Harrison recounted briefly the
suffering of the men held in Southern
prison pens, but stated that the old scores
which for quarter Of a century divided
the people of the North and South are
being rapidly wiped out, citing as an ex.
ample of the changed feeling the fact that
little old Gen. Joe Wheeler is now Com.
mander of the Department of the Lakes
with headquarters at Chicago.
Bishop McCabe was introduced and of.
fered prayer. Thomas II. McKee, who
was two years prisoner, told briefly OF
his experiences.
Gov. w. A. Stone, of Pennsylvania,
| himself a soldier, was introduced and
made very patriotic speech, which was
wildly cheered by the assembled veterans
Gen. Powell and Chaplain McCabe
were then induced to sing The Battle
Hymn of the Republic" Gen. Powell
related how it had been sung the first
time by them Feb. /, 1864, when he de
livered to President Lincoln in the House
OF Representatives the message of the
prisoners of war, in which they said, "Sa,
to Father Abraham that during all oul
suffering In prison We a.s loyal to the
| flag, and If II is necessary for us to stay
in prison we will willingly suffer unto
DEATH"
When President Lincoln heard tn.
message" said he, che stood, and the
tears ran down his furrowed checks
Finally, in a broken voice, he uttered
these words, God knows It is for thu
principle involved in this contest, and
can do no more Before we left Lincoln
made the request that we sing the hymn
that We had often sung to the boys in pris
on, and we sang II"
This story wrought the audience up I,
the highest pitch OF excitement, and wheI
the chorus was reached the audienc,
arose TO its feet and Joined in the singing
ARMIEs OF THE TENNESSEE AND cUMBER
LAND.
Several hundred veterans, men WIN
served with Grant and Sherman in the
armies Of the Tennessee and Cumberland
gathered in the auditorium of the Youns
Mems Christian Association Buildins
Wednesday night to take part in thS
Campfire arranged by the Local Commit
tee. II. j. Rathbone, son Of Maj. Rath
bone, who was in the box with Lincolr
! when he was assassinated by Booth, de