The National tribune., 1900-09-06


who saved the Nation in the darkest hour
of its life, the men who stood between
it and disruption, the citizens who made it
possible for it to become the greatest of
Republics and the strongest bulwark of
liberty, gathered in mighty force and re-
minded the world by that gathering of
the debt the generations of today owe the
counuy's heroes of yesterday. Clad In
the loyal blue in which they marched TO
victory nearly four decades ago, they fol-
lowed Old Glory through the streets of
one of the greatest of American cities,
cheered by admiring thousands, stirred by
the ancient tunes of war-dayS, by the
blatant fife, by the triumphant beat of the
drum.
They bore no arms, these men; theirs
was procession of peace-the peace In
the Nations heart that they had wrought.
But they are soldiers yet, in spirit, Jeal-
Gus of the Nations honor, full of thought
and hOpefulnesS for its welfare, living eX-
amples by word and deed to those others
now on whom the burden rests. Until
they pass must they receive each year
their need of praise. Dined, feted, eulo-
gized in speech and song, made to feel that
this great, puising, energetic, rich Ameri-
can city paused in its throbbing twentieth
century lire to put on gala attire and do
them all honOr-this was another triumph
for the patriots of '61-65. and all went
we'll Free-handed Western hospitality
and patriotism ran riot last week in the
Windy City. ParadeS, banquets, Re-
unions, beautiful illuminatiOns, receptions,
out-ofdoOr entertainments, jaunts and
pleasure-parties, visits before and after
the Encampment to some of the scenes
of former strife all combined to make d
week of thorough enjoyment to the boys
in blue.
Notwithstanding numerous Encamp-
rlents and hundreds of annual Reunions,
comrades met who had not seen each
other before since the war, at regimental
gatherings men We're greeted as long-lost
brothers and their names once more put
on the list of survivors of gallant organi-
cations Some of these meetings were al
most sad the most of them were happy;
but here and there an almost sole sur
yiyor looked in vain for those who had
shared with him the trials of the march,
the camp, the battlefield. Old command
ers met once more the brave boys they
had led in the war days. Laughabie
yarns, pathetic recollections, the story of
the battle, passed the time among groups
of comrades when the foot was weary of
much tramping and the eye of sightseeing.
Not for an hour was there lack of pleas
ant occupation. not only for the veterans,
but for countless numbers of the families
of many.
Some reached the scene of the Encamp-
ment very early that they might enjoy the
sights of the great city itself then and
have more time for the festivities of the
week to follow, so that Saturday even
ing and Sunday saw the real advance of
the mighty host of visitors, martial mu-
sic was heard at frequent intervals, and
the trains deposited upward of 10000 per-
SONS until late Sunday night. They con-
tinued to pour into the city until Tuesday
afternoon, when the tide began to turn,
and by Sunday last the population of the
Windy City was again restored to its nor
NAL numbers.
Commander-in-Chief Albert d. Shaw
arrived early and was the recipient of q
handsome ovation at the hands of the Re-
ception Committee and those veterans al
ready in the city. On Sunday morning
he established his headquarters. There
after he was eagerly listened to whenever
he addressed the veterans, which he did
at several meetings.
SUNDAY SERVICES.
Services with features especially ar
ranged for the veterans and their families
were set for the morning hours in the
churches, and eloquent preachers dis
coursed from texts particularly suitable to
the soldiers, and griZzled leaders of the
veterans themselves made patriotic ad-
dresses. In the evening a monster relig-
lous-patriotic meeting was held in the
vast Coliseum, which was filled to over
flowing. Here Gen. Daniel Z. Sickles,
among others, made stirring speech, in
which he said:
AT AppomattoI people said, God has
Joined US together On that day q Nation
was born again to Immortality and power
Who is that man who will say in whining
voice, Thus far shalt thou 90 and no far
ther' The flag floats over all this broad
nd in tat md slu
will never cease to float there. No human
being now living ever will see the flag
come down"
This sentiment was cheered to the
echo. and was frequently referred to dur
ing the week; once before that same day
Commander-in-Chief Shaw had voiced it
at a church meeting, when he said: I'VE
are not hauling it down very fast, and
We are not going to-"
Gen. Shaw's speech at this Coliseum
meeting was also feature. He particu-
larly aroused enthusiasm when he said:
Il stood with Gen. Sickles a few days
ago in the presence of the President of the
United States, and while we were adyo-
eating the rights of the old boys and their
widows. in justice and righteousness,
along the line of pensions, the President
turned to me and said: Sir, Commander
in-Chief, ] wish to hear what you have
to say You represent the noblest body
Oh men the world mas ever known, and
you stand as the representative head of
the highest loyalty and the noblest patri-
otism, and | bow TO you, sir, at this time
and at this hour / felt proud of those
words, because / knew they came from
the heart OF one who had marched as a
private soldier and knew all the sacrifices
of brutal war, and he realized grandly the
great sacrifices of the years of that great
conflict that struck this great Nation to
Its center"
He spoke OF the blessings of peace, of
which the veterans We're representatives,
and Of the great destiny of the Republic.
The third feature Of this great gather
ing in the Coliseum was the welcomed
presence of the Duke d'Arcos, Spain's
Minister TO the United States
CAMP AT LINCOLN PARK.
A salute to the flag of 13 guns opened
The Encampment doinSs on Monday. At
ter that the Naval Veterans had the day.
The open-air camp for the veterans in
Lincoln Park along the beautiful Lake
Shore Drive was formally opened on Mon