The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 16, 1903, Page 6

d anv people. But what could have better illustrated the man, his real spirit and love of peace than the closing words of his in- augural address g “In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-country- men, and not in mine, is the momentous issue r‘-v{ civil war. The Government will not assail you; su can have no conflict without being your- selves the aggressors. You have no ocath regis- tered in heaven to destroy the government; While ‘preserve, protect and defend it 1 - 3 one to i s existence. So long as history shall en- ~ 201!:& ::c!h :‘lv:rfld u;h’?;;‘g,,:--—!::me contradiction to all who claim or as- sume that yank or station, opportunities, or even speclal preparation are essen- tial to the Ereatest usefulness and success in a position of the greatest P"SS} e responsibility and honor. No civilized man ever came into the world in greater loneliness or poverty. He was born upon the border and grew up along the ragged edges of civilization. Without gchools or churches, except of l!je poorest and rudest, wholly without the supposed broadening influences of travel, know- ing only the advantages of that university of the outside world, that college common to all of the American people, he showed himself the equal In skill, patience endurance and true statesmanship of any man of any age or country. When others, whose radical and sectional course had brought the country to the verge of war and separation, recoiled in alarm from the responsibility of the danger they had created he alone of all the leaders never faltered. In all that pertained to the bonds of affection that should have united his distracted countrymen. in the memoriessof the past, in the common interest of all, in everything that tended toward peace and to avert war, he was vine and flower. But in the performance of his duty as he saw it, in his adherence to his offi- cial cath, in the preservation of the Union as he found it, he was rock and oak. In simplicity, in high character, in the possession of that characteristic we call humanity or human nature he was the greatest character of all history. Many of the great orations of the world have been preserved. Two of these ere each, many times over, shorter than the others. Both of these were produc- tions of Lincoln—his second inaugural and his Gettysburg address.—From Nota- ble Speeches by Notable Speakers of the Greater West, published by the Whita- ker & Ray Company. MYERS--The Greater Grand Army HE coming National Encampment of the Grand Army, of the Republic promises to be an event of much greater magnitude than that held in this city in 1885, and owing to the fact that it will undoubt- edly be the last of its kind held on this coast will possess an unusual interest to many thousands. From the shores of thefAtlantic, from the North- ern Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, from almost every city, town and hamlet of that great domain lying east of the Reckies, will come the grim, grizzled and white-haired old veterans who fought during “the eventful period of the Civil War, now ended nearly forty years ago. These will present an ob- Ject lesson of patriotism to the young and growing generation, who will see in the bent and broken forms those who stood together in the shock of battle for the preservation of aUnion handed down to them as a priceless heritage by their forefathers of a century and a quarter ago; will see the ones Wwhe fought—Americans against Americans, fathers against sons and brothers against brothers; fought those whose mistaken bellef in State right doctrine influenced them to seek for the destruction of the Union, which bas now become as dear to those valiant men who wore the gray as to the gallant defenders of Old Glory, who wore the blue. Many empty sleeves and artificial imbs will this coming week bear silent testi- mony to the heroism of those who stood in the front ranke of battle ready to die and to the liberality of California and the citizens of San Francisco they will owe an obligation, for it permits the veterans an opportunity to again re-establish their bivouacs. May the glow of their campfires this week light up with Joy the faces of those gallant soldiers and sallors of the Civil War whose imperishable deeds saved us a Unlon that is now leading the world in the light of civilization. Commander Garfield Post, G. A. R. “FELLOW CITIZENS: CLOUDS AND DARKNESS ARE ROUND N i THE SUNDAY CALL., - i Lincoln, Garfield and Mexin- | Jreasurable Excerpts From Brilliant War Speeches by Gen. l ley—were peculiarly the type and character of | - ¥ that, cven trom an accasine pomt of view, aia | M. P. Chipman, Newton Booth, Julius Kahn, Frank H. not justify sassination. Each had advanced from | e j e e Short, Edward S. Salomon and Frank Elliott Myers o fn his own way, but in an uny : Lt $ degree, was kind, considerate, gentle and % ivin; I S e that during the adminis b A e e o CHIPMAN--The Sacred Brotherhood he most fearful and lamentable wars . 1 do not think it is overstating the fact when Ide- C5I3S 22 e that the sentiment of comradeship among the Union veterans of the Civil War is stronger than any other bond of friendship known to the soclal relations of men; and among the numerous fra- ternal organizations in this gountry I know of none where so sacred a feeling of brotherhood exists as in the Grand Army of the Republic. I never meet a man wearing the bronze Grand Army button without experiencing an instinctive desire to exchange salutations with him. That little tal- isman awakens in my mind unconsciously a flood of memories the most precious in my life, and speaks to me of the most important epoch in our nation’s history. That little, modest, unostenta- tious Insignia, worn by our comrades as a badge of membership, has a significance far more hon- orable than any decoration or symbol worn by the members of any fraternal society to which men - may attach themselves. ’ My friends, it is difiicult to realize how rapidly the survivors of the Civil War are passing away from these earthly scenes: It is easy to fix the day, not far distant, when the last remaining veteran of the Union army will have been called to join his comrades in the realms of eternal life. The muster roll of the Grand Army in the year 18% showed a membership of 400,480. The roll at the close of the year 1900 showed 276,662. In a decade 123,527 had ceased to answer roll call. Thirty per cent of our number died in a brief ten years. There is something mournfully pathetic in the thought that a splendid or- ganization ltke the Grand Army of the Republic, with such an fllustrious his- tory, should have so brief an existence; that post after post must surrender its charter; that department after department must close its headquarters; that the occasion for a natlonal encampment must soon pass away, and that members of the Grand Army will be found only in small groups scattered over this broad land, untll finally the nation will search out the small remaining band—the last remnant of that Grand Army that saved the Unlon—and will honor them as never men have been honored, and will tenderly guard them until the Great Reaper shall have summoned them to foin thelr comrades “in that undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveler returns. £ BOOTH--The Voice of Freedom The place where we had assembled is eloquent Wwith the voice of-freedom. Liberty s nature's gospel, and the mountains are among the grandest of its teachers. Mountains were consecrated by the presence of God when he rgvealed *himself to Moses upon Sinal; they were baptized with the blood of our Savior when he died upen Calvary. They are assoclated with the grandest passages of history. In their rocky fastnesses freedom has ever taken refuge in her weakness until she cou! grow strong enough to battle for her rights upon the plains, To-day, before these great altars na- ture has bullt to liberty, in this favored region that has never known the presence of a king or footprint of a slave, we have gathered together, Wwithout one pulse of trembling for our country’s fate, without one thrill of fear for its destiny, With no f oreboding of eventual danger from lurk- Ing lightnings in gathering clouds; we are here to celebrate a nation's birthday, not to contem- plate its grave: We are still laying bare the golden treasures of the mountains, and develop- ing the agricultural riches of the plains, but our hearts are ill at ease. Again “‘our brethren are in the fleld. . Every breeze that sweeps from the East brings to our ears the clash of resounding arms.” Armlies are mustering, such as the continent has never known before, not now to repel forelgn invasion, nor carry the terrors of the republic into untriendly lands, but sons of the sires who fought at Bunker Hill an. Yorktown, at Moultrie and Saratoga, have met in deadly conflict over the torn and bloody garments of the nation’s-glory, around the tomb of Washington.—From “Notable Speeches by Notable Speakers of the Greater West.”” Published by the Whitaker & Ray Company. <> L 2N ABOUT HIM; JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT ARE THE Those Were the Solemn Words With Which Garfield Relieved the Tension of Men’s “inds of the Republic are of course of greater interest to the members of the organization than to others. This interest depends somewhat upon the locality where the encampment is held. The only gather- ing of this kind ever held on the Pacific Coast was the Twentleth National Encampment held in this city in August, 1886. California generally and San Francisco particularly established at that time & reputation for such magnificent and lavish hos- pitality that at every succeeding encampment It was talked of as the grandest and most memor- able gathering in the history of the order. ‘When, therefore, at the encampment of Washington last Beptember San Francisco offered to entertain the veterans every competitor for this honor dropped out of the fleld, and our city by the Golden Gate was almost unanimously chosen. Of course, our Eastern comrades expect great things of us, and our committees ar, rEin; and night so that their expectations may be realized. sihery v Our {lluminations and decorations will surpass anythi: line. Our hospitality is proverbial and Its nandnrdy:-vhul;‘n;t'.:o TZ'-'QP;"; :;: week. Lincoln, Thomas, Garfleld and Meade posts are making great preparations findTwHI keep open house the fwnole waellx to entertain our visitors. 'Wo great parades, one of a general nature and one Army men only, will be had on the 18th and 19th inst. N:::&::‘G;uomd with each other for the opportunity to entertain owr wvisitors, and n et excursions are planned for the pleasure of tha vaterans, ! e A feature which adds greatly to the Interest in this encampment members of the Grand Army of the Republic is the fact that almost s ganization of the great army and navy of 1361-65 s Fepresented in the lg: partment of California. In 1887-S8 the writer was commander of th: As such he presented a tabulated statement to the departm which showed that 1107 regiments of Infantry, 188 regiments is department. ent encampment, teries of artillery and 3 independent organizations, all volun“ o ments of white, 39 regiments of colored and e regular army, as wellvas 128 ships of war—in represented In the membership of the Departm. Late Bt. Brig. Gen. U. 8. Vo KAHN teers, and 39 - 2 reximents of marines of iy all 163 different commands wer ent of California ana Nevada. B is., Chalrman Parade Committes, -Hail to the War Heroces Hail to the herces of the Qv generation has grown to man’ War! A new S estats since they oD many & hard- Dages of hi that record their noble deeds our hearts m’::“x; quicker pulsations, our cheeks burn with new- born pride, our eyes glaam with added luster, for We realize that thess men, Americans all-i? not by birth, at least in spirit—gave to the world an exhibition of valor, and enthusiasm, and patriot- ism, such as never before had been witnessed since time began! They are rapidly approaching the evening of lifs, for them the shadows lengthening, the lights are growing dim, will soon be sounded, and all will be well with them! But their acts, their deeds, their unselfish devotlon to thelr country's cause will be an fn- spiration and an example to millions yet unborn. Two score years have roli@§ by since the scenes in which these men were the principal participants were emacted. The are “taps™ asperity, the hatred, the rancor of those days has happily been in oblivion. Men of the South have learned to understand beue:“r:;: men of the North, while those of the North. have discovered ¢! Southern brethren were imbued with equally high motiv: e saw things from different viewpoints, and the arbitrament of the only solution of the problems t! distracted the nnuo;.ml"o::x;lg“:’s‘n?z gogy In the North as well as in the South was responsible for much of the bit- terness, and all too long protracted the struggle and kept alive the fires of enmity. But after the struggle was over our country, thanks to wiser coynsel, arose phoenix-like from the ashes of that fratricidal strife, and stnce thes ane has been soaring to higher and higher endeavors In the great cause of liberty AR ety crists, still have such noble d. May she, in every s, noble defo *those days that tried men’s soul: when brother ':: ?mn y‘.‘d -h.‘:mh:" ,,f:,j,':‘,‘ friend against friend. May the God of battles still breathe his blessings npou; American arms and American valor. May the American soldler forever stand as the champlon of right, the guardian of his country’s peace, the protector of his coum.r;"- woltstr;i PR And we, on s Western ntier, with the broad Pacif rolling teat, proudly welcome the Grand Army of the Republic to our n:-pmx- l‘.:n: es as themselves. They