Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-26
The Grand Army.

saved the republic. Inc cause was
the greatest ever submitted to the
arbitrament OF arms-"government OF
the people. by the people. tor the
people" Had that government per
ished from the earth" the loss would
have been colossal and the effect
Worldwide. But it survived. and has
since strengthened with the years
and become beacon-light and IN
spiration to mankind.
We found" ourselves as nation
in and by that fratricidal strife which
ended fifty years ago. Until then tins
country had existed hall slave. half
free. That condition. as the wlsest
and best men OF the period declared,
could not continue; and from the
time the new order was inaugurated
the whole country free, and as
sured of its power to govern and pre-
serve itself-phenomenal growth and
prosperity have marked the way. 1t
is America now. from ocean to ocean.
for good and for fair. with one pur-
pose. sustained by genuine feeling
of brotherhood.
Our own fortunes come first. and
we consider them oftenest. But it is
a fact OF profound consequence that
in serving ourselves we served 9TH
ers Everywhere the spirit OF true
democracy was heartened by the re-
suit of the American civil war. Not
people anywhere has advanced
since on the path to a more liberal
government. and a voice. however
small and restricted. i'll its own at
fairs. but owes in part its better con-
dition today to what was achieved in
this country in the four terrible years
between 1861 and 1866 under the SUI
preme direction OF Abraham Lincoln
Popular government. having proved
itself in America, was proved possible
wherever men were willing to work
for its establishment and were
worthy OF its benehcent operations.
Nor do we pay all OF the tribute
due to the men OF the Grand Army
when we cite and praise their mill
tary performances. After they had
laid aside the implements of war, and
returned to peaceful pursuits. they
continued to serve the country with
signal credit Many OF them were
young; but the hard and rough life
of the camp and the fury of battle
had not demoralized them. They took
their places in civil endeavors, and
won success in all walks there. The
bench. the bar, the pulpit. the medi-
cal profession. all branches of the
business world. the agricultural
world, and the political world, tes-
tify to their 1abors as citizens.
Five Presidents of the United
States had worn the blue uniform
Grant. Hayes, Garfield, Harrison and
Mckinley-while senators and repre-
sentatives, governors of states, cabi-
net officers. justices OF the Supreme
Court. ambassadors and ministers,
and other officials of high degree
have had. and been proud to men,
ton. an army record.
A very gracious feature. adding to
the happiness of this occasion. is the
tact that the presence of these vet
Grams in town gives no greater pleas
ure to any portion of the population
than to those who in the war wore
the gray. They fought their fight,
and accepted the result. like men.
They. too, since the war have labored
hard and we'll to build up the re-
united country; and all walks of our
national life today show names
which won renown on the southern
side at the time of the national up
heaval
Washington welcomes the surviv-
ing veterans of the Grand Army. AS
the capital of the country they help
ed save, it salutes them both in graft
rude and admiration, and hopes for
lair skies and unmixed enjoyment for
tho,,