Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-07
SECOND ARMY CORPS
The Eighth Annual Banquet of the
Organization.
ADDRESSES BY PROMINENT ORATORS
General Nelson A. Miles as Presi-
dent and postmaster.
lESSES BY PROMINENT ORATORS
THE GU ESTS PRESENT

| Miles, commanding the United States
army, presided and acted as toastmas-
ter. The particular guests of the associa-
ton were Senator William V. Allen of
Nebraska, Representative Joseph G. Can
non of Illinois, Representative ]. A. T.
Hull of Iowa, and Representative Amos
Cummings of New York. The gathering
was a patriotic one and the toasts con-
formed to the spirit that pervaded the as
semblage. The dining room and tables
were Handsomely decorated and the dinner
served was daintily prepared
In augurating the toasts General Miles
called for health to the President of the
United States, in which he invited every
man present to join with his whole heart.
He next introduced Senator Allen, who re-
sponded to the toast. THE President"
Senator Allen said:
Responds to "The President.'
eve are here to do honor to the Second
Corps. and to take brief note Of the con-
spicuous part 1t took in the struggle be-
tween the states, but as its history has
been so frequently and fully written it
would be work of supererogation for me
to do more than to refer to it. 1t is suffi-
Gent to say that such men as Hancock,
of its valor, which proves again that in the
last analysis, the success or failure of
commander in civil or military life, de-
ponds on the men in the ranks. The more
the Constitution is studied the more ex-
tensive the powers Of the President APP
pear.
These extensive powers speak but one
language, that whoever is entrusted with
their exercise should reflect the wishes of
the people expressed at the ballot box.
This high office has been occupied by many
illustrious men during the brief history of
our nation, and perhaps three men, WASH
ington, Jefferson and Lincoln, stand forth
more conSpicuouSly than others as embody
ing the true ideals of a President. The
President should be the embodiment of the
highest intelligence, the greatest simplicity,
wisdom and patriotism of the people.
While the people repose confidence in
the integrity loyalty and ability of their
Chief Magistrate, and give him loyal sup
port, the history of the race shows that
this trust and confidence can only be MAIN
tanned through the frankest action on his
part. Republics are jealous, and Jealousy
can only be successfully met and over
thrown by course which will satisfy the
public that nothing they have a right to
know is being concealed from them. Heads
of monarchies inherit their rank or are
selected from the narrow confines of fami-
lies born in the purple. The head of the
American republic wears his honor as
common citizen. like the laurels that en-
twine the brow of the soldier, and
emblem of the achievement of his own arm
and the recognition of his individual worth
freely accorded by his feiiow-citizens.
NJ iluS VI hi-lSlS dilCeSlOfS cOulQ duu
to the glory of him who has been called by
the voice of his countrymen to the office
of President of the greatest nation of an
cient or modern times. Our Presidents are
like the founders of the dFnasties of the
old world. who. in recognition of their
achievements, were raised upon the shields
OF their comrades and made the recipients
of their fealty- Each man who fills the
requirements of the Office the people
would have him fill it, who preserves and
protects our institutions from its enemies
from without and within, not only builds
his own fortune and leaves an imperish-
able name to those who succeed him, but
attains the highest earthly honors that
can be conferred on man"
Representative Cannon's Address.
"Our Country" was the national theme
assigned to Representative Cannon, who,
| in responding, said:
1.-The country stretches from the Atlantic
coast on the east to the Pacific on the
west. 1t has been here for a million years,
and did not become a country until we oc-
cupied it. 1t is not area that makes a
country, but the men who occupy it. What
progress We have made in one hundred
years.
Think of It! A country of the people,
in which all have equal opportunity From
Ben Franklin up, there were our heroes
and our men. Thomas Paine was ours
Jefferson was ours Washington was ours
all were parts of other lands, but were all
success. Think of our list of Presidents.
All strong and great because they were of
the people. These were not of one party.
No; when the grave has closed over them
We have found that they were all Ameri-
cans. Jefferson felt his way in trembling
when he entered into the Louisiana pur-
chase, believing that he was violating the
Constitution. Later was jackson; later
was Lincoln-a man of the people. Not of
the north or south, but of the whole peo-
pie. Common by way of education. yet
President of the United States. He knew
the heart beats Of all men. He could
close his eyes and see into the future and
his sayings struck those who heard them
Hamilton, Adams, Monroe, Webster, all
were ours.the latter the grandest orator
ever heard in any land. Yet none in all
these were perfect. All were men. and
Americans. / am for progress. In the
distant future there may be a meeting of
Americans in Washington who will proph-
esy the domination of our civilization
Soldiers of the Republic.
Representative Hull responded to the
toast "Our soldiers, 1851 IS and 1S9S-t900."
He said: 81 want to say that as the years
go by the achievements Of the men of 1861
65-the splendor and magnitude of our
aehievements-are being recognized. We
had then thirty years of peace, but the last
two years have demonstrated that our boys
have our courage and have shown II. When
our little regular army landed in Cuba they
only thought to get at the enemy. Ell
Caney and San Juan showed that our reg
ulars were true volunteers. At the same
time our troops landed in Manila and
planted the American flag everywhere they
set foot. They have raised the flag SO high
that all the world does reverence to it. No
American soldier has ever had any bitter
ness toward those who fought, and this ]
regard as great step forward"
The American Navy
Representative Cummings spoke to the
toast "Our navy" and in a fyihute IN tho
service said: THE navy has spoken for
itself. from the time of Paul Jones to the
time Of George Dewey. The navy is the
bulwark of our country. The navy is al
ways the defense of coastwise nation The
navy saved England when the Spanish ar
mazda came down. Nelson really defeated
Napoleon. In 1872 the United States navy
won the victories. Perry's victory on Lake
Erie changed the aspect of the war. In the
civil war the navy was again at the front,