Show JJLTEftT TELEGRAMS a A TECtJMP TALK Of Mia Owa Life and the Army Washington 8The following is an abstract of the speech of General Gen-eral Sherman at a banquet commemorating i com-memorating his Cad birthday General Gen-eral Sherman began as follows According to our family Bible I was born on the 8th of February 1820 consequently I am In my 64th year and if I survive another year will pass from the active command of the army of the United States to a life of comparative ease and retirement re-tirement The law for the compul sary retirement of all army officers at the age of 64 was in my judgment judg-ment wise and proper I did not ask for or wish for an exception in my own case and I then as now approved ap-proved the measure and asked my friends not to interpose any objections objec-tions by reason of the effect on me I think I am duly qualiBtd that I have passed through sixtythree years of varied life with mind and body sound enough to promise a reasonable remainder and am thankful to Congress that suitable and liberal provisions have been male for me and those dependent de-pendent on me to enable us to live out our appointed days of comparative compara-tive ease He then revieved briefly the progress of the world in the arts of civilisation in the past half century He reterred to the stirring events which had taken place in this country in that period and especially to the wars in which the people of the United States had been engaged and said even now after a very short lapse of time it could be seen that these wars accomplished accom-plished valuable results which could not have been reached in any other way As an illustration of this he cited the Mexican war which extended our system of government from the Atlantic to the Pacific converting lands which had remained for centuries in possession pos-session of wild beasts and wilder savages into prosperious states and territories in a short period of years After pointing out the fact of the acquisition of California as one of the results of this war the general reviewed briefly the rise and development devel-opment of that great state and the opening of railroad communication communica-tion across the plains In these mighty enterprises he said the soldier went hand in hand with the civilian Referring to the late civil war General Sherman said I need not speak to you of the civil war Its history is written and all who now hear me remember its details I will venture to say however how-ever in this connection that friend and foe alike now share its glories and fruits No part of the Union experienced a larger measure of profit than the section over which we seemingly triumphed I believe be-lieve nine of ten of the soldiers of the south would rather today be a member of our present glorious Union at peace with all the world than citizens of a southern confederacy confed-eracy with slavery as the cornerstone corner-stone and at constaut war with their neighbors I have not the least desire to boast a share in that war but I do feel a sense of pride and satisfaction that we as a peeple met the issue then like brave men and carried our ship through the breakers In conclusion the general said the occasion is not suitable for me to say even this much but though my military career Is in its penultimate penulti-mate year I cant help plead to my countrymen at every opportunity oppor-tunity to cherish all that is manly and noble in tue military profession because peace is enervating and no man is wise enough to foretell when soldiers will be in demand again |