Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-28

IDDREss BY JUSTICE HARLAN

Also Make Remarks-orchestral
and Vocal Selections. -
More thar, 800 members and friends, of
members of the Department of. the Poto-
mac, G. A. R.. united last evening in cele-
brating the eighty-sixth anniversary OF
the date of the birth of Gen. Ulysses g.
Grant the exercises being held in the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles presided and
the speakers were Representative IA.
Hull of Iowa. Representative Washington
Gardner of Michigan. and Mr.. Justice J.
M. Harlan of the Supreme Court %of the
United States. The church was appro-
priately decorated. with palms and with
flags and red. white and blue bunting
while the flags OF; all the posts Of the De-
partment of the Potomac. GAR, were
draped about the pulpit. High tribute
was paid to the Silent Man. whose life
and deeds filled such a marvellous chapter
in the history of the country.
The Marine Band Orchestra occupied
place In the gallery C. the church and.
while the G. AR. men and their guests
were assembling, the musicians played a
series OF selections appropriate to the be-
ginning Of such a celebration The for
NAL opening occurred when Department
Commander John 8. Walker stepped to the
edge of the platform and. calling to the
officer of the day." asked:
rs. us Grant rantui Post: No: 4 in waiting?%
and moment later he saluted and an
nounced the veterans of the post which
bears the name of the man in whose
honor the exercises were held. The
veterans marched down the center aisle
and thence to their stations. being round
ly applauded. at each STEP The flag ex-
ercise Of the Woman's Relief Corps. under
the leadership of Mrs. E: L. Newton.
president. followed. and it proved both a
unique and effective number on the pro-
gram. the ladies being assisted by fully
fifty school children. each of the little
ones bearing a tiny flag and waving it
Mrs. Alice Burgess. department color
bearer. led the children. Little Miss
Ruth Hollingsworth recited poem in
tribute to the flag. Twelve OF the boys
costa.
"The Star Spangled Banner"
The flag exercise closed as Color Sergt.
Hazard Wheeler Of the Department Of
the Potomac. G. A. r., marched slowly
down the aisle and presented the depart
ment's handsome silver banner. Mrs B.
H. Swart sang THE Star Spangled BAN
ner.' the audience rising and joining In
the chorus, and Mrs. Nellie Newton Shore
and George Newton. sang d duet. "A
Thousand Years"
ut now becomes my very pleasant
duty to present to you the presiding Of
ficer." Department Commander Walker
said. as the preliminary portion of the
program ended. and he paid a high trib-
ute to the war record of Gen. Nelson A.
Miles. into whose hands he placed the
conduct of the meeting. Gen. Miles call
ed ror Rev DR.. Wallace Radcliffe pastor
OF the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church. to pronounce the Invocation.
In his opening remarks Gen. Miles
spoke with great feeling of Gen. Grants
memery. and he also voiced the apprecia-
outpouring Of citizens who joined in the
celebration of Grants natal day.
1T IL particularly gratifying to the citi-
Gems. patriots of the country to see a
gathering such as this Gen. Miles
should assemble on this day. the anniver-
sary Of the birth Of one of the most re-
markable men Of the United States. one
of its bravest men. and one of its greatest
patriots.
The speaker referred to Grants historic
remark. Now. let us have peace at the
end of the war. and Gen. Miles character
ICED 1t as a benediction and an indication
of the way in which the glory and the
i IL.
Views Of Representative Hull.
The presiding officer then introduced
Representative Hull to make one of the
addresses Of the evening Mr.. Hull said
he would speak more of the accomplish
ments of Grant by the arts of peace than
by the arts of war. and in his opening
sentences he recalled the arbitration with
England on account of the depredations
upon the commerce of the country on the
high seas during the civil war. which re-
suited in the allotment of the Geneva tri-
bunal Of $15.OO0,OOO which was paid to the
United States.
Mr.. Hull declared nothing would so
gladden. the spirit Of Grant if the hero
could look down on the gathering as the
presence of the little boys and girls-an
| evidence that the youth of the land is
being brought up to honor. respect and
love the tenets of liberty for which he
fought so valorously .upon the greatest
fields against the Confederacy.
Continued applause followed Represent
alive Hull as he concluded. and the in
PRODUCTION of Representative Gardner,
past department commander G.. A. R.,
Department of Michigan. was also the
signal for hearty handclapping. Mr..
Gardner briefly reviewed the history of
the United States and spoke particularly
of. the events which led to the final de-
termination of the right of state to Sc
Upon the question involved depends
the glory or the condemnation Of the pre-
cipitation Of war" Mr. Gardner said. 1T
has been said by an eminent world stu
dent that the only just war of the past
two hundred years was the war for
American independence. The smen who
made history in this country after inde-
pendence had been won looked upon the
| United States as very much of an expert
ment. and ii was more or less regarded as
Iao Oh nj n
| Union whenever it became dissatisfied
Great Stand by Lincoln.
The speaker referred to the great stand
by lincoln, that the Union Of the states
was a union In perpetuity. He led up
gradually to the great issues which were
determined for all time by the civil war.
and outlined the early reverses of the
Union arms, which resulted in the sum-
moning OF Gen. Ulysses s. Grant into the
breach.
Mr. Gardner summed up the wonderful
| series Of victories following the placing
of Grant at the head OF the army, but
he specified as more wonderful still the
leadership Of the same chieftain In the
settlement of the political and other prob
lens which followed the declaration of
peace. ~
Mrs. Shore sang THE Song of the
Flag, as solo. and she Joined Mrs.
Ethelyn M. Smart. Mrs. May NJ. Scott
and Miss Margaret Stamford in quar-
| tet, singing, Way Down upon the
Suwanee River"
A great ovation attended the introduce