The Washington herald., 1907-02-24
Veterans Give Banquet to
Commander Brown.
PRESENT AN INSPIRING SCENE
CoIors Are SaIuted as the Band
Plays "Star-SpanEIed Banner"
Bouquet to Guest of HOaor-StIr-
ring Speeches Are Made.


of the Grand Army of the Republic. was
given by the Department OF the Potomac
at the New Willard Hotel last night a
dinner that gathered together many OF
the veterans OF the civil war and which
in It's gathering must have touched
deeply the hearts OF those who wit
messed IT.
1t was au assemblage of the men who
had fought for their country forty years
and more agO-an assemblage of officers
and men. There was hardly "a man pres
ent who did not wear sIe little bronze
cross. suTmounted by the crossed guns,
that means so much; there was not a man
at the dinner Who had not, at some of the
battles OF the Army Of the Potomac,
faced death in a hundred dreadful shapes.
II was a beautifula dinner, but il was
pathetic. too. Here were brave men who
had fought for their country in the years
gone by, and now they came into the
banquet supported Dy cTutcnes or limpns
painfully to the seats assigned them.
More than one fine, soldierly looking man
had one empty sleeve pinned across his
breast. and others there were who bore
the marks OF one of the greatest and
most magnificent struggles the world has
ever known.
Wear Badges of Honor.
There was hardly man there last
night but who had a medal on his breast
not a mere badge, but a medal attest
ing the fact that he had fought through
one. at least. OF the bitter battles of the
civil war Some of the veterans We're in
the conventional evening dress, but many
of them were clad in the brass-buttoncd
blue with which their fame had been as
sociated. and they wore it proudly as
becomes men who have done things.
The dinner was given in honor Of
Robert B. Brown, commandments Of
the Grand Army of the Republic, by the
Department of the Potomac. Dept. Com
mander B. P. EntFiken, OF the Army Of
the Potomac. presided, and it was he who
gave the first toast, The Grand Army
of the Republic" and who quoted from
Matthew Arnold. a God mdTShaled
them and gave them their goal He
read a letter of regret from President
Roosevelt. who said that he would have
been glad TO have been present had he
not had a previous engagement He also
read regrets from Admiral Dewey and
from Senator Foraker.
Commander Robert B. Brown, in his
speech, referred TO the work that had
been done in the civil war by the Army
OF the Potomac. He said that the men
OF the Grand Army had always performed
their duty. whether on the battlefield or
in civil life. He spoke feelingly Of the
McCumber BILL which he referred TO Us
an act designed 10 do justice TO the SOL
diers who had saved the nation, aud he
hoped that all of the members Of the
Grand Army would praise the author OF
that bill. and he thanked him for what
lie had done, Concluding his speech. he
said that the time was near at hand when
the Grand Army would be a thing of the
past. and he hoped that the sons Of the
men who had fought and saved the coun-
try would carry on the work.
salute the COIOrs.
Toastmaster B. r Entriken ordered in
the officer Of the day who came IN bear
ing the flag. Everybody rose and saluted
the coloTs, the while the band played
The Star-Spangled Banner" As the tune
ceased, the postmaster said. Left face,
Forward march, and in military order
the oy!ors were carried from the banquet
hall
Then came the Daughters Of Veterans,
d committee of four ladies, bearing a
bouquet OF splendid flowers, which they
presented to Commander-in-chief Brown,
who responded in a happy speech.
Senator McCumber then spoke. He told
of what he had done for the q. \. r. and
what he had hoped TO do. He was thank
ful that he had been able to provide, by
his bill, for many widows and orphans
who would otherwise have been unpro-
vided for, and he said that though he had
been too young TO take part In the great
war, he was always willing to help those
who had come to the country's aid in the
hour of need
Gen, Horace Porter, ex-Ambassador to
France then spoke. His remarks were in
luminous vein, and he reminded his
comrades Of the time when they had to
30 10 the SUtleT for something to eat
vastly different from the dinner they had
just enjoyed. He told of the veterans
marching down the Avenue in the last
parade and said il was all some of them
could do to marie across the Avenue, let
alone adOwn its length. He declared that
the war was so long continued because
of the labor trOubles-there were so
many nonunion men in the COnfeIeracy.
His speech was a delightful after-dinner
talk full of funny illusions, and it was
heartily cheered.
Cheers for Warner.
Vespasian Warner. Commissioner OF
Pensions, was called on for a speech.
but declined 10 talk. and so the guests
rose and gave him three cheers.
Then the POSTMASTER announced that
C0mrade Springsteen, who had entered
the army as a drummer boy at eleven
years Of age was present, and Mr.. Spring
steen rose and did stunts on his drum
which met the hearty approval Of the
comrades present.
Many other comrades spoke, and all in
the vein OF the highest patriotism, ana
recalling with great JOY the service they
had been able to render their country
Patriotic songs were sung. and the ban
quet ended in a burst Of real oId-fash-
Toned patriotism.
Among the distinguished guests were:
Senior Vice Department Commander Graham
Jasper Dean NCgJn. Hon. r. T. Barnes. J. Walter
Mitchell. department commander Spanish War Vet
Grams; Air. f. II. otl'uz Hon. Charlie g. StilinF~
Public Printer; Senator Ncturbcr Gen l. -
GlTletr, senator Dick Gen Sh1uluhcfgJ- Omar
te,mastcr General Burrows. Senator Sp0onsr. Hon
Charles r. Littefcld. Hon. Charles r. Flint. Gen
Horace Porter Thomas = Hopkins Derartrc75
Commander EriTlkIu. tonmaudCl-il-0 Chief Goh-rs
r. Brown Hon. James Tanner. senator Warner
senator fgraker, Speaker Cannon Capt. John r.
King Z. S. pension agent: Senator scott Ger
doln =. BLACK Commissioner Cf Pensions Warner
Commissions Msclaraud Mai. LoeHer T. s. &.
and Junior Wise Department Commander WaIter.
The banquet committee consisted Of:
Thuuas s. HcIEinz chairman. H. p, Naulton.
secretary, Il. L. johnson, treasurer; JOAN AlcElroy
T. Tasser. q Hart. e.. n Robinson. L. T. WI
ianis, A. Hcnlr.cS-. q. d. SLasbau-h. and T. a.
Ho'UrocE.
Other guests included.
l. ID. Alden, ". e. Bayly j. T. Begzinger II.
". Barr James II. Rojeetf J. H. Bradford T.
N. Brooks H. II. Bunyos, =. j. Burt. Frank A.