The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-07
The VETERANS
AT WASHINGTON

interests or the honor of the country arc
threatened when the national conscience
Is aroused, an army will spring from the
soil, so vast, so docile, so intelligent, so
formidable that 1t need not fear to try
conclusions with any army on the face
of the earth.
But that was only half the lesson; the
other half was equally important-that
when that citizen army has done its work.
1t makes no claim. II cxects no conditions
of disbandment. but melts away into the
vastcr body of the nation, as the foam
crested sunit wave mets back into the
profound depths of the ocean. The great
host of 1865 ceased to exist rs an armed
force but i'm every town and hamlet of
the land IT lived us a part of the body
political nucleus everywhere of courage,
patriotism and self-sacrincs. This was
a new product the republic might proudly
show to the world, saying, "'rhesc be the
peaceabe heroes | breed from great
wars"
There were many brilliant deeds done
in the war that resulted in enduring fame
to fortunate individual solders but tho
disbandment Of that army, flushed with
victory and idolzed by the country. re-
Elected honor upon all our race. a glory
in which individual claims are lost. like
atoms of cloud in the crimson splondor
Of Il stormy sunset.
A Noble Record.
For -four years you showed yourselves
good soldiers-equal to the best the world
had seen. For thirty-seven years you
have been good citizens; and who shall
say in which capacity you have wrought
best for the republic? Each year YOU
come together with thinned ranks but M
diminished spirit to feed anew the un-
dying flame upon the altar of patriotism.
! should not have said your ranks are
thinned, for the place of each fallen
comrade is filled with a loving memory.
And who can ever forget the faces which
never had chance to grow old-the
brave young warriors who fell in battle
and gained the prize Of immortal youth?
For them there is no shadow of struggle
or poverty: no trouble of gray hairs or
failing strength; no care of the present
nor fear of the future. Tho unfading
light of morning is forever in their eyes,
the blessing OF grateful national hal
lows their names. We salute them with
loving tears. from which the bitterness is
gone. We hear their young voices in the
clear notes OF the bugle and the murmur
of the nuttering flags. Our answering
hearts cry. Hail and farewell. young
comrades, till we meet again."
Our fathers ordained that in this repub-
lie there should be no distinctions: but
human nature is stronger than laws. and
nothing can prevent this people from
showing honor to all who have deserved
we'll of the country. Every man who has
borne arms with credit has earned and is
sure to receive a special measure of re-
gard. And it is our peculiar privilege to
remember that our armies and navies,
regular and volunteer. have always been
worthy of esteem. In distant genera
tons. under different flags in conflicts
great and small. by land and by sea. they
have always borne their part nohly. The
mon who fought at Lousburg beneath the
meteor flag of England; the men who
stood with Washington at Yorktown;
with Lincoln in the Black Hawk war;
with Crockett in the Alamo: with Taylor
at Buena Vista: with Grant at Eiclls-
burg: and with Lee at Appomattox were
of the stuff of which not only soldiers
but citizens. were made. And in our
own time the young men who stormed the
hill of San Juan, and have borne our flag
with such honor to the forbidden city OF
Pekin and the iunglcs of L,izon, have
shown that their progenitors bred true
The men of today are rs good Americans
as the men of yesterday. and the men of
tomorrow. with Gods blessing, will be
the same. The dominant chara cteristc
of every American army that has ever
stepped to the tap OF drum has been
valor and humanity. They havc-in the
long run-cnrried nothing but good to any
land they have occupied. AS our com.
rade Mckiney-of blessed memory-sad:
'Ihe flag has never floated over any re-
gion but in bcnediction.''
BY order of the president of the United
States. these historic grounds the prop
erty of the nation. are during this en-
campment dedicated to Your Use. They
will receive from your presence an added
sacredness and value. In the history Of
the twentieth century. which is opening
with such brilliant promise, not the least
luminous page will treat of this meeting
of the Grand Army of the Republic-sol-
diers and citizens whom the republic de-
lights to honor.
When the cheers which succeeded
Mr.. Hays speech had subsidized, General
Ell torrance, commander-in-c chief of
the Grand Army, was introduced to
respond to the words of welcome.
lie spoke warmly in appreciation of
the reception given himself and his
comrades, which had been, he said, all
that they could expect Referring to
the fact that the eX-soldiers of 1861 had
disappointed the predictions of Europ-
can publlciSts that they would be a
menace TO the peace of the country, he
declared that there never had been the
least danger.
I'VE We're good soldiers because we
mad been good citizens" he said. I'VE
had been made good citizens at our
own tiresides and there never has been
the least reason TO anticipate harm to
our national institutions because of our
soldiery."
He closed with an expression Of the
desire of the old soldiers for the pros
perity and perpetuity of the reDublic
Secretary Moody was next intro
duced. He spoke for Secretary Root,
who was detained by Official business.
MI Moody expressed regret that the
shallowness of the Potomac had pre-
vented some of the war vessels coming
to Washington for the inspection of the
old soldiers. and then dwelt for a few
moments of the inspiration that the
example of heroes of 1861 had been TO
the sailors of the present day. He said
that Captain Clarke, of the Oregon,
had told the men under his command
when at Bahia, Brazil, that they might
meet the Spanish fleet and that after
reminding the men OF the strength of
the opposing fleet, had said to them,
'if we do meet it, it will not look so
Well" Captain Clarke had related this
incident to him and had added:
Il was with Farragut, you know"
The secretary said he had asked Ad-
miral Dewey how he had felt i'm con-
templating the mines and torpedoes in
Manila Bay the night before attacking
the Spanish fleet in the harbor of that
city, and that the admiral's reply was
he simply had asked himself what
Farragut would have done If confront