The age-herald., 1900-03-14
Gen. Albert D. Shaw, Command
 er-in-Chief of the G. A. R. E
GIVEN A ROYAL RECEPTION
Distinguished Visitor Arrived from At lanta on His Southern Tour Made an Eloquent Address-Trib-
 ute to the South

N. r., commander-in-chief of the Grafta Army of the Republic, arrived in Birming E. ham last night ito visit the local post of the Grand Army. He is accompanied by his son, pr. H. L. K. Shaw, and will remain in the city until tomorrow night, when he leaves for New Orleans, from which city he
 goes to Texas and other western states. $ General Shaw has visited nearly all of the | posts in the north and felt that a visit to 1 those in the south might result in strength
 ening them.
 In honor of the coming of the commander
 the local post, George A. Custer Post No. l, department of Alabama, held a special l meeting which was also largely attended
 by the members of George H. Thomas Camp No. l, Sons of Veterans. Refreshments tn
 the way of baked beans. coffee and cake. l prepared by the wives and daughters of the | veterans, were served during the evening. ss General Shaw did not arrive until 10 o'clock last night, coming from Atlanta, and to fill in the time prior to his arrival a programme consisting of songs, recitations and speeches had been arranged. This pro- gramme opened with a short talk by De partment Commander A. P Stone, and he was followed by the entire assembly sing ing America" Dr. A. M. Ballard and Judge c. w. Buckley, postmaster at Mont gomery. made short addresses, and MT. Martin gave a recitation. Mrs. Cassidy sang Days Gone Bly,"
 A committee consisting of J. c. Miller, Of George A. Custer Post, and w. F. Bolin and L. w. Friedman, of George H. Thomas Camp, met General Shaw at the train and escorted him to the hall in Nineteenth street, where the meeting was held.
 General shaws Address -3
 As General Shaw entered the hall he WAS greeted with cheers and extended a warfl welcome. After partaking of the refresh- ments he addressed the veterans and the1r families and sons of veterans of Alabanlh who had come together in honor of his visff.
 General Shaw,s address was a very able one, and while delivering 1t he was given the closest attention. It was in part as follows:
 Comrades, Ladies and, Gentlemen.
 'I assure you that this is occasion of great joy to me- and I come into yoqr presence with mingling emotions of graq- tude and pleasure for being permitted to receive the cordial hospitality of the con1- rades and friends in Birmingham, one of the famous new cities of Alabama. I have long desired to come to this promising cen- ter of enterprise and rapid developments and ito do so in connection with duties as commander-in-chfefo of the Grand Army of the Republic makes my presence here at this time doubly satisfying. I made up my mind when I was elected to my present office that I would try and visit the de- partments in the southern states, for the reason that the membership is compara- lively small and the head of our order Is not very often able to be present with them And so here am--full of admiration over the spirit of enterprise that has led so many comrades to find homes in the sunny south. and to take an honored part in the industrial growth of her wonderful resources.
 ''If many of them have married southern girls have no fault to find. for 1t does not take much of a student of beauty to quick ly see the dangers of captivity which viron young northerner within the circle of the charming young ladies of the south- land. I only dare to express the hope that the cancellations of the conquests of love have in every case followed these unions of hearts, and so settled forever under the roof tree of home all past irritations of the great war days. I rejoice over the full un- ion of our day. and over the one flag and one destiny for the future now assured to as a nation.
 "The last two years have brought glori- ous reconciliation, and now sectional lines are obliterated utterly. The sons of the gray and the sons of the blue, led by veter- ans of the blue and of the gray in a com mon American cause of righteousness in behalf of suffering peoples in Cuba, in Por- to Rico and in the Philippines, clasped hands around the Stars and Stripes and with one voice proclaimed a new destiny of fraternity, charity and loyalty hence forth as citizens of a common country. Out of the gloom of war has dawned that
 peace that passeth the understanding of foreign nations and many of our own peo-
 pie as they recall the events of the cos.
 But God reigns, and in His good time out of the hell of war has come the better days of righteousness.
 General Shaw took occasion to extend a generous invitation 10 all Grand Army of Ehe Republic men and to the people of the south generally to attend the taniry-fourt.h national encampment to be held in Chicago from August 27 to September 3. He maid tribute to the patriotism and fraternaism of the people of the great northwestern
 cities, and said that c hea1ty xelcome awaited all who attended the encanp- ment. - He expressed pleasure at the many veyi- dences Of reconciliation that had coma un- der his observation during the pastAteu days on his tour through the south, nien- tioning the fact that a gallant eesssederate colonel welcomed him ito Atlanta and that camp of Confederate Veterans came to shake him by the hand. ! III War and Peace
 General Shaw made eloquent reference | to the bitter struggle between the states. | and in conclusion said:
 Our nation has drunk the bitter dregs | of war, and it has now risen above the 1 gloom to a height of peace and wisdom oa | unprecedented happiness, following strife | that shook the world. The epoch of re- | conoilhatiop dS he4forA s,S-opa rse go+