New Britain herald., 1915-04-15
ANNUAL BANQUET OF
 SONS OF VETERANS
First War Meeting in New Britain
 He'd Flfty-fGuT Years Ago.

The attendance at the annual ban quet of the Connecticut Sons of Vet erans held at the Hotel Beloin last night was so great that the orchestra could not be wedged into the banquet hall and consequently did not figure in the program. An ante room had to be used to accomodatc somc of the delegates during the dinner.
 The enthusiasm was greatest during the dinner, when songs and cheers were interchanged by the different camps. So interested were the ban queters in the merry making that the dinner was not finished until after 10 o'clock, which left little time for the speakers.
 Rev. Henry w. Maier member of Camp 16, gave the invocation and r. A. Goddard, commander of l.. D. PcIl- field Camp 16, delivered the official greeting. Charles H. Cooley, jr.. sang Mother Machree." The toastmastcs was Rev. pr. G. w. C. Hill, of Camp 16.
 First War Meeting.
 The first speaker on the program was Mayor George A. Quigley. who spoke on New Britain in the Civil War" Yesterday was the fifty-fourth anniversary of the first war meeting held in New Britain, he said. Ii was held in the Center church, of which Rev. Rockwell was at that time pas tor. It was Valentine R. Chamber lain, father of Fred S. Chamberlain who was sitting at his left, who held aloft a picture of Fort Sumter and entreated the men to enlist. Seven hundred men answered the call to arms from New Britain, and of these about one hundred never returned from the field of battle alive.
 New Britain, he said, is glad to hon or such names as Chamberlain, stan ley, Latham, and Judd. They have been mayors of the city or its judges o. have occupied other positions of trust and honor in the city.
 silent Toast to Lincoln.
 At the close of the mayors speech pr. Hill proposed a silent toast to Abraham Lincoln the fiftieth anniver- sary of whose death is celebrated to- day.
 Chaplain William r. Hilton of he Connecticut department of the c. A. r. added to the Lincoln thought, clos ing al earnest perorat!oa with the words, "If Abraham Lincoln belongs to the ages. it i8 for us to cary his principles and his worl; in-o tla ages that arc to comc."
 Fie spoke on the "PriNi!Cgos-0p- portunities of tho Sons of Veterans" They have. he said. the privilege of being the son of their father, but thCy also have the privilege of intoxicating; :I>oso basic principles upon which the new nation shall be built
 Lieutenant Governor C. F. Wilson spokc on "F'raternalism." He began bv quoting Abraham Llnccln's state n1ont. beginning With charity. toward all. with malice toward none." and praised the loyalty with which he supported the highest ideals. He urged this loyalty to a purpose as au ideal for the Sons of Veterans.
 TIe said that many of our obstacles are purely imaginary. The Sons of Veterans are held together by friend ship and fraternalism. flo spoke briefly on the duties of tho Sons toward their country.
 Commander Strcctcr Spcake.
 Commander Frederick V. Strceter was next introduced. He said that in his visits to the posts during the year he had veen cordially received by the Sons of Veterans. "We fully realized he said, "that no organization can take up our work and carry it on as well d.; the sons of Veterans"
 He told of Abraham Lincoln's as- sassination and his experiences in Washington in connection with that event and the funeral.
 'The Grand Army of the Republic" he said, knows no creed. no politics. It knows but one word: "Patriotism.' Tn God We Trust is our motto and I have tried to make it my motto" The commander spoke of the arrange r1cnts for the G. A. F. cncampmcnt