Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-10
Special to The Herald.

home.
The business places of Sawtelle were
gayly decorated with flags and
streamers of bunting, as were the bar
racks and other buildings at the Sol
diers' home.
The visitors We're escorted to Assem-
bly, hall. where they were received by
the local encampment.
The forenoon was spent in viewing
the various points of interest on the
grounds.
An old-fashioned army dinner from
11:30 to p. m, was served at Assembly
hall by the local encampment No. 1873
to invited guests of whom there were
about three thousand.
The chief event occurred al Ward Me-
mortal hall at o'clock. Standing room
was at a premium.
The exercises, which occupied about
two hours, were opened by an overture
by the home band, followed by Captain
E. B. Bailey, colonel of the Union
Veterans league encampment in an ad-
dress of welcome.
Principal Address
The chief feature of the program was
an grafton by Hon. Fred w. Houser
from Los Angeles, speaker of the day.
After expressing his thanks for the
privilege of renewing old friendships,
Mr.. Houser said:
What true American is there in this
day and generation who does not revere
the old soldier and applaud his noble
and gallant deeds.
1T matters not what may be his
politics or what his creed; whether he
is from the north or from the south.
of the east or of the west; if he loves
his country and takes that natural
interest and pride in the hitsory Of
his native or adopted land which might
be expected of the reasonable and re-
sponsible citizen, the reverence and re-
spect which he entertains for the boys
in blue as well as for the immortal
principle for which they fought ard
bled-aside and apart from those Cod
given attributes which hallow and sane
tify the home and it's immediate con-
nections and surroundings-will be SUI
preme.
Calhoun, Clay and Webster had each
labored earnestly and most arduously
with different phases and with diver
gent views upon the immortal question
of states rights without arriving at
an amicable conclusion. The arbitra-
ment of the sword remained. And in no
other manner at that time did it ap-
pear probable or possible that the solu-
ton might be reached. Horrible as
were the prospects, no different course
was apparently open to the distracted
people of our commonwealth.
TOO well, by far do you, the honored
survivors, know the result. The war
of the rebellion! Civil strife! What a
terrible nightmare! How horrible to
contemplate even at this late day. And
you, those who actually participated,
what must have been your feelings
then and your recollections and i'm
pressions now of that most desperate
and sanguinary affair.
THE ablest and best of the brain and
Drawn of the north, pitted against the
youth and chivalry of the south, each
attempting and striving to the utmost
the defeat and overthrow of the other
The contest was like unto an irresist-
ible body.
Americans Still
"All Americans at heart, if not by
birth, what else might have been ex-
pected than that the struggle would
be bitter and protracted? Had the re-
bellion been stifed within thirty days
the south would not have lived up to
her traditions and reputation for sagac-
ity and bravery, and the respect and
admiration for the boys in blue and
the boys in gray would not have been
of the same quality or quantity as that
which is now universally bestowed
upon them.
1.-The War of the Rebellion demon
strated the absolutely indisputable fact,
If any lingering doubt existed, that
Americans were then as capable of
fighting as valiantly and as gloriously
as they were in the days of 1776.
THE boys in blue, fighting for vital
principle, and the boys in gray, striv-
ing to maintain by force of arms their
mistaken idea of the right, and more
over engaged in defending their high re.
gard of honor and protecting their loved
ones and their homes, earned the we'll
deserved recognition and encomiums of
the world for highmindedness chivalry
and bravery on the field of battle.
Wholly Reunited
"Arother war has come and gone! 1t
has had the happy effect of wholly re-
uniting US! We are again one race,
one language, one people! 1t is our
union, our solidifica ton, which makes
us what we are! 1t is that which
places us in the proud position which
we occupy among the great nations of
the earth"
After the grafton, which was heartily
applauded, a selection by the Home
band was rendered. and Miss Evalina
Grohe, the daughter of the home"
recited Grants farewell address.
Among other features We're a song
and dance by the Bach sisters Of Los
Angeles, clever little performers as we'll
as favorites at the home a monologue
by Mrs. Sanderson, and the closing
song, America" by the audience.
The audience adjourned to the flag
staff, where the ceremony of saluting