Evening star., 1909-05-16


With simple but impressive ceremony,
William Howard Taft, President Of the
United States took the necessary oath
and was formally received as a member
of the associate society Of Farnsworth
Post. No. ITO. Department Of New York.
Grand Army of the Republic, yesterday
afternoon. The services took place in the
east room Of the White House at 1:30
o'clock, where sixty comrades OF the
g. A. r. and members Of associate So
cieties'' Of Farnsworth and other Grand
Army posts gathered for the purpose by
previous arrangement. The assemblage
formed a circle in the room. with the nag
Of Farnsworth Post in the center Rev.
William s. Hubbell, DID,, acted as chap
lain and read the prayer of the Grand
Army ritual The necessary preliminary
questions were asked and the oath ad-
ministered by Gen. Horace Porter, fol-
lowing which the President addressed the
gathering.
At the time set for the ceremony COM
associate societies to the number OF sixty
assembled in the spacious east room.
which was cleared of everybody except
these members. The President entered
and was received by Gen. Horace Porter,
who had been designated as installing Of
ficer. Gen. Porter expressed the gratinca-
ton Of the comrades at the admission OF
the President Of the United States into
take the oath. President Taft responded
clearly and decisively in the Affirmative.
He was then requested to raise his right
hand. and Gen. Porter administered to
him the oath OF the G. A. r., to which
the President gave hearty assent. At
the conclusion Gen. Porter welcomed him
as a cOmrade.
After administering the obligation Gen.
Porter pinned upon the Presidents lapel
the badge Of the association.
President Taft's Remarks.
In his responsive address the President
said: Every man at times has some
more or less vague wishes that he might
have been born in an earlier or later
generation. I have sometimes wished
that / could have been born in the gen
Grafton to which you comrades belong.
l was born in Cincinnati in September,
1857, and I have only some shadowy
memories Of the lines Of blue passing
through the streets Of Cincinnati to meet
Morgan's raid, or that of Bragg. have
some memories Of the wild. stirring music
and the strong excitements Of those times.
There have been wishes that l could
have been one OF you, and, though l un-
derstand that this Initiation Is something
like what In the courts Is known as
gratified at 1t as giving me some sort
Of a standing among you. and the right
to think myself in some degree a COM
rade. The generation to which you be-
long was generous IN Its sacrifice and
service for the country, and 1t Is to be
hoped that the one to which l belong
will be inspired by your example to a
similar generosity Of sacrifice. should the
occasion demand. l feel strongly the
honor Of associating with the men OF
to make our country what 1t is, and 1
can assure you that 1 shall do everything
to show myself worthy OF the honor that
you have conferred upon me. l thank
you very much for II"
At the conclusion Of the address the
line passed by the President. and each
comrade was introduced by Commander
Doremus and shook hands with him, and
the ceremony was at an END.
Those Present at Ceremony.
At the head Of Farnsworth Post was
David NJ. Doremus, commander Of the
post. The other delegates from the post
were Edward F. Brush. N. D.; Capt.
William H. Cox, Joseph J. HOFFMAN,.
Henry Lilly. Lafayette w. Lord. Howard
s. scnenck. Capt. William Wilson. jr..
Herman c. Weiss.
With these were the following delegates
from the Associate Society: Thomas l..
Paskett, president; ]. Mortimer Bell, Ar
thur w. Bertine. Samuel w. Berthe, l..
-. Boynton, M D.; John K. Burton,
Frederick w. Clark, Frederick H. Den
man. J. NJ Grimes. James P. Hayes.
John G. Wintjen. Edward II. Hufnagel.
Minot c. Kellogg. George w. Mclean.
Mason T. Matter. Charles NJ Miller, r..
R. Ross, William F. Sleight. Frank X.
Taylor, w. O. Throop. D. D. s.; w. A.
Waterman.
sted and John Whalen were the delegates
of similar society Of Lloyd Aspinwall
Post. No. 600.
The others present by invitation were
Maj: G. D. F; Barton. George .IiD De Forest st
George Washington Post. No. JOB: Maj.
Frank A. Butts, Kit Carson Post, De-
partment of Potomac: Col. A. w. Col
well, John A. Dix Post. No. 13o: Hon.
ment Of Potomac; Gen. N. w. Day. John
A. Dix Post, No. 1875; Maj. G. w. Debe-
voise. George Washington Post. No. 103;
Col. George E. Dewey. John A. Dix Post,
No. 1856; Gen. E. D. Dimmick, Washing
ton, D. c.; Arthur Hendricks. past de-
partment commander. Department of Po-
tomac, Maj Rev. William Hubbell.
d. D., George Washington Post, No. 103:
Maj. W. T. Huxford, Washington. D. c.;
Capt Frank M. Kelley, Gen. Edward H.
Ripley and Gen. Horace Porter. George
Washington Post. No. 103: Lieut.. E. p
Wooley, John A. DIX Post. No. 1856: John
McElroy, past senior vice commander in
chief Maj Gen. Cyrus Bussey. Lafayette
Post. New York. and Maj. Charles M.
Loeffier.
The ladies' accompanying the party were
Mrs G. D. F. Barton. Mrs. F. H. Den
man. Mrs. NJ. C. Hufnagel. Mrs. NJ. r.
Matter Mrs. George De Forest Barton.
Mrs. j. G. Wintjen. Mrs. c. M. Miller.
Mrs. r. r. Ross, Miss Ross and Mrs.