The National tribune., 1902-02-27
"A COMRADE." ="
The President So Taken and
Accepted at the Grand Army
Banquet.
An Eloquent Welcome by the Comman,
der-in-Chief, and Splendid Speech by
the President.
He Pays a Magnificent Tribute to the
Grand Army Of the Republic.

R.-Israel w. Stone commanding-gr
ed Commander-in-C Chief Ell Torrance at
the New Willard on the evening of Feb.
10 with banquet which was one of the
very great occasions in the history Of the
Department. Nearly 200 guests were pres
ent. Among them were:
Hon. II. G. Payne, Postmaster General.
Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agri-
culture.
Hon. Redfeld Proctor, Senator, Yer
mont
Hon. N. B. Scott, Senator. West vir-
ginia.
Hon. Theodore Burton, Senator, Kan
sas.
Hon. W. A. Calderhead, Representative,
Kansas.
Hon. II. D. Bowersock, Representative,
Kansas.
Hon G. E. Littlefeld, Representative,
Maine.
Hon. John ]. Jenkins, Representative,
Wisconsin.
Hon. Frank Palmer, Public Printer.
Capt. VIM. Meredith, Superintendent Of
Bureau of Printing and Engraving.
Hon. NJ. Il. Allies, Assistant Secretary
Of Treasury.
Hon. Frank Campbell, Assistant Secre-
tary of Interior.
Leut-Gen. N A. Miles, q. 8. A.
Maj.-Gen. o. o. Howard, U. 8. A.
Rear-Admiral Bradford, U. 8. N.
Capt. Chas. ID. Sigsbee, q. 3. n.
Past Commander-in-C Chief S. s. Burdett,
G. A. r.
Past Commander-in-C Chief Leo Ras-
seur, G.. A. X.
Past Commander-in-C Chief VIM. War
ner. G. \. Il.
Commander-in-C Chief Ell Torrance was
accompanied by Adj't-Gen. S. Fl. fowler,
Quartermaster-Gener Chas. Burrows,
and the Executive Committee of the Ma
tiOnal Council of Administration.
Commander Stone presided, but after
the first proceedings turned the gavel over
to Past Department Commander Thos. s.
Hopkins, who conducted the affair hap
PLY and gracefully.
After the menu had been served, and
cigars were distributed, it was announced
that the President was coming. Com
mander Stone went to receive him, pinned
badge of the Department of the Potomac c
on his breast, and walked arm-in-arm into
the room, where everyone arose and re-
ceived him with cheers, while the orches-
ira played Hail to the Chief"
After he was seated, Commander-in-
Chief Torrance arose and said:
THE CoMMANDER-IN-CHIEF's ADDRESS.
I'VE are optimists, and have always be-
lieved in the flag and all it represents.
No prophet of evil is welcome guest
in assemblies like this. The war did not
demoralize us. 1t was constructive, not
destructive, Of character. The cause
sanctifed the work and made heroes Of
all engaged in it. Those who died suf-
fered only physical death. The rivers made
immortal by their deeds of valor unceas-
ingly murmur their names. The woods
that sheltered them in bivouac continual
ly repeat the story of their sacrifices, and
the mountains and hills perpetually guard
their sacred dust. Those who survived
were crowned with the highest honors.
Five times the White House opened
its doors to receive soldier as the Ma
tiOn's Chief Magistrate. The first upon
was Americas greatest soldier, Ulysses
S. Grant-in war, a warrior, brave, in
vincible; in peace, a citizen, modest, gen.
tie, patient, just. And last Of ALL that
true representative OF the men who
marched in the ranks, William Mckinley
Of exalted dignity and grace, loving and
beloved, the consummate flower of our
American institutions. He also, fell a
victim to the spirit of lawlessness and
hate, and received in his own body the
cruel wounds aimed at the Nations life
Never was crime more destitute of ex-
cuse nor good and evil so strongly con-
trasted. His work is finished, but the
great temple of liberty upon which he
wrought with such skill has been
sprinked with his blood and made doubly
dear to his countrymen.
WARM TRIBUTE TO THE PRESIDENT.
again the doors of the White House
opened, and again the soldier entered
not of the great war; but of the war
great in its blessings to mankind. The
flush Of youth is upon his face, his arm
is strong, his heart is brave and true
and, my comrades, the touch of elbows
has not yet been lost. Mr.. President. we
salute you, and extend to you a soldiers
welcome. We thank you for the gracious
tribute paid the soldier in your first mes
sage to the Congress of these United
States. We thank you for your action
taken in behalf Of veterans in the public
service and your manifest concern that
the cup of injustice shall not be pressed
to the lips of the worthy soldier of the
Republic, no matter how humble he may
be.
"Mr. President. our old commanders are
dead and our ranks break, break, like the
waves of the sea. We are fewer in num-
ber tonight than ever before, and from
beyond the mysterious sea comes to our
hearts the low murmur of voices that hal
low this hour and crown it with the sweet
ness of a benediction. With unabated af-
fection for our old commanders, we salute
you as Commander-in-C Chief, and pledge to
you the same devotion and obedience that
led us in the olden time to supremest sac
rifices for our country's welfare.
CANNOT FORGET THEIR SACRIFICES.
"There are yet some uRreconstructed
persons, and there are still some unfOr-
giving patriots, all of whom | love, but we
cannot consent to promote good feeling by
forgetting the sacrifices by which the
Union was saved. The principles for which
we contended were right, and not only so
adjudged by the wager of battle, but by
the considerate judgment of mankind.
Secession was a political heresy; treason
a political crime, and slavery morally alb
horrent.
THE first call to arms was to resent an
insult to the flag, and to suppress the re-
bcllion; succeeding calls brought great
armies into the field to save the Union;
men free. Thus our cause, which was
righteous in the beginning, rose from one
degree of grace to. another, until it be
came = IS at its CUnSummatiOn. The
very b. eur of our cause and it's COM
plete triumph made it impossible for its
defenders to keep alive the hatred born
of evil strife, and SO the hand of recon-
citation has ever been extended by the
Union soldier to the men of the South
since that April day in 1863 when the
clouds of war were dispelled and the sun
shine of peace lighted the way to every