717 .7 .MS I I .M5 Bancroft I -rary MILITARY ORDER OF THE LOYAL LEGION OF THE ^ UNITED STATES. HEADQUARTERS COMMANDERY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, 224 SANSOME STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, February 15, 1899. Circular No. 4. } Series of 1899. > Whole No. 500. ) I. Circular No. 18, whole number 484, August 18, 1898, read as follows : ** " 1. MEETING AT MANILA, P. I. "It is suggested that the Companions of the Order stationed at Manila, Philippine Islands, celebrate the capture of that city and the glorious conclu- sion of the war by holding a meeting of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. "2. With the arrival of the U. S. transports 'Arizona' and * Scandia,' there will be over sixty Companions at Manila, of whom more than half are Companions of California. It would therefore seem proper for them to take the initiative in the matter. Total Companions in Manila ......................... . . 61 Companions of California ............................. 31 Companions transferred from California ................. 7 Without doubt there are other Companions at Manila. 3. Brigadier General Thomas M. Anderson, U. S. Vols., Colonel 14th U. S. Infantry, an ex-Companion of California, and Past Commander of Ureyon, is requested to call together the Companions." ***** **'**** II. In conformity with said circular a meeting of Companions of the Loyal Legion was held at Manila, Philippine Islands, on Monday evening, November 28, 189$ at " Lala Ary's English Hotel." III. The menu was beautifully got up. The U. S. Coat of Arms at top and (M. O. L. L. U. S., 1861 1898) b'elow, were follbwe* b: 7^ "7 / "7 Oysters Consomme Fillit of sole, sauce tartare Pounnes Duchesse. Tenderloin of beef, financiare Green peas. Amontillado. Julien. Haut sauterne. St. Julien. Roman punch. .Stuffed young turkey aux truffes Mumin's extra dry. Asparagus en beurre. Shrimp mayonaise. Vanilla ice cream. Nuts, cakes, fruit. Edan cheese, hard tack. American cigarettes, Liqueurs, cigars, Manila cigarrittos. IV. On the third page was a list of Companions present, and on the fourth page was an excellent picture of the U. S. S. " Olympia." The card was a credit to the artists of Manila. V. Following is a list of those present : NAME. COMMANDERY. Admiral Geo. Dewey, U. S. N Vermont Maj. Gen. Thos. M. Anderson, U. S. V Oregon Maj. Gen. Arthur MacArthur, U. S. V Wisconsin Brig. Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, U. S. V California Brig. Gen. Sam Ovenshine, U. S. V Illinois Brig. Gen. C. McC. Reeve, U. S. V Minnesota Capt. R. F. Bates, 18th Inf , Minnesota Pay Ins. Ed. Bellows, U. S. N California Capt. W. E. Birkimer, 3d Art California Lieut. Walter J. Bradshaw, 1st Mont Indiana Paymr. Clerk B. H. Bowley, U. S. V California Capt. J. B. Coghlan, U. S. N California Capt. C, A. Devol, A. Q. M. U. S. A Kansas Capt. N. M. Dyer, U. S. N Maj. P. G. Eastwick, Jr., 2d Oregon ,...-, ., Oregon Capt. Lea Febiger, 23d Inf California Lieut. Robert Field, 14th Inf . , California Major R. H. Fitzhugh, A. C. S., U. S. V Chief Eng. J. D. Ford, U. S. N California Lt. Col. Jno. W. French, 23d Inf California Maj. G, A. Goodale, 23d Inf California Capt. C. W. Hobbs, 3d Art California Lieut. Chas. E. Hooper, 1st Colo Colorado Chief Eng. Rich. Inch, U. S. A Lieut. Rhees Jackson, 2d Oregon California Lieut. Jas. R. Kemper, 14th Inf Ohio Lieut. F. W. Kellogg, U. S. N California Col. Harry C. Kessler, 1st Montana California Capt. Amos W. Kimball, A. Q. M. U. S. V , California Major W. A. Kobbe, 3d Art California Capt. W. P. Lamberton, U. S. N District of Columbia Lt. Col. Henry Lippincott, Med. Dept. U. S. V California 2 Capt. Leon A. Matile, 14th Inf , California Major Chas. McClure, Chief Paymr. U. S. A Ohio Capt. John Murphy, 14th Inf Oregon Capt. Stephen O'Connor, 23d Inf Illinois Major Geo. H. Penrose, Med. Dept. U. S. V Major Carroll H. Potter, 14th Inf California Lieut. C. P. Rees, U. S. N Major L. H. Rucker, 4th Cav Missouri Capt. C. G. Sawtelle, Jr., A. Q. M. U. S. V Pennsylvania Lieut. T. F. Schley, 23d Inf Kansas Major W. B. Schofield, Addl. Paymr California Lieut. Fred W. Sladen, 4th Inf Oregon Pay Ins. D. A. Smith, U. S. N California Major Theo. Sternberg, Ad. Paymr California Lieut. I. R. M. Taylor, 23d Inf , Eligible Col. D. D. Van Vatzah, 18th Inf Minnesota Capt. Chas. C. Walcutt, Jr., A. Q. M. U. S. V Ohio Capt. W. H. Whiting, U. S. N California Lieut. Wm. Winder, U. S. N California Guests Hon. 0. F. Williams, U. S. Consul; W. F. Bass, O. K. Davis, J. M. Knapp. J. F. McCutcheon. VI, The following named Companions in Manila were, by sickness or exigencies of the service, deprived of the privileges of being present : NAME. COMMANDERY. Brig. Gen. Chas. King, U. S. V. . Wisconsin Col. A. L. Hawkins, 10th Penn ^Pennsylvania Col. A. Wettstein, 103d New York California Major C. R. Paul, 18th Inf California Lieut. C. S. Babcock, 1st Art . California Lieut. H. M. Boutelle, 3rd Art , California Lieut. J. S. Parker, 4th Cav California Pvt. I. McD. Hoyt, 1st Colo California Pvt. E. H. Gallagher, Hosp. Corps California Capt. Henry Glass, U. S. A California Brig. Gen. R. P. Hughes, U. S. V New York Lt. Col. C. F. Robe, 14th Inf California Capt. R. K. McGregor, 1st S. Dak California Capt. N. T. Messer, A. C. S. U. S. V California Pvt. A. H. Anderson, 10th Penn California Lieut. T. M. Anderson, 13th Inf California Lieut. W. A. Lieber, 23d Inf California Lieut. F. W. Kobbe, 23d Inf California Capt. A. C. Gillem, 1st Tenn California Lieut. G. L. Goodale, 23d Inf California Lieut. H. M. Merriarn, 3d Art Eligible VII. The programme was as follows : 3 TOASTS. Our Country. Major General Thomas M. Anderson, U. S. V., presiding. Song, "America." The President of the United States. Brig. Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, U. S. V. Song, " Star Spangled Banner." Dewey and His Fleet. Captain Henry Glass, U. S. Navy. Song, "Columbia." A Nation's Birth, Brig. Gen. C. McC. Reeve, U. S. V. Song, "Columbia." Our Volunteers. Col. A. L. Hawkins, 10th Penn. Inf. Song, " Marching Through Georgia. The Army. Brig. Gen. Charles King, U. S. V. Song, " Benny Havens, Oh ! " The Navy. Capt. J. B. Coghlan, U. S. N. Song, "Don't You Forget We Have a Navy." The Loyal Ley ion. Major Gen. Arthur MacArthur, U. S. A. Song, "The Loyal Legionrer." The California, Commandery and its Recorder, reponse by all. Song, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Finis, " Auld Lang Syne." VIII. The following report of the proceedings, forwarded from Manila, is published for the information of Companions of the Order : MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, Nov. 29, 1899. Carrying out a suggestion of the California Commandery, the Companions of the Legion in Manila and vicinity held a banquet in the city of Manila on the evening of November 28, 1898. Fifty Companions were present, and the important historical event, the capture of Manila, was enthusiastically and appropriately celebrated. The reunion was delayed because Major General Anderson, the senior ex-Commander, was stationed at Cavite at the time the circu- lar of the California Commandery was received in Manila. 4 As soon, however, as General Anderson resumed station at Manila he appointed Companions P. G. Eastwick, of the Oregon, Captain C. C. Walcutt, of the " Ohio," Captain C. G. Sawtelle, of the Pennsylvania and Lieutenant C. E. Hooper, of the Colorado Com- manderies, as a banquet committee, all Companions of the second class, who, by their energy and good taste, organized and carried through a most delightful and successful banquet. At a preliminary meeting Rear Admiral George Dewey was invited to preside. Answering, he expressed his thanks for the honor conferred and his interest in our project, but begged to be ex- cused from presiding. General Anderson was then asked to preside and act as toast master on the occasion. A satisfactory hall was found and beautifully ornamented with flags and foliage plants and military symbols. The tables were bril- liant with tropical flowers. The menu was excellent, and wine not wanting for the toasts or libations. Rear Admiral Dewey sat at the right of the presiding officer, but " where McGregor was, there was the head of the table." Major General Arthur MacArthur sat on the left, and then, alternately, the ranking officers of the army and navy, the naval heroes in white, and the army veterans generally in blue. Nearly all wore our insignia. After the creature comforts had been disposed of there followed the flow of soul, if not the proverbial feast of reason. As some one quoted : "Hands that the rod of Empire might have swayed, close at my elbow, stir the lemonade." But the lemonade votaries were in a small, but respectable minority. After the menu, General Anderson rose and said : COMPANIONS AND WARRIORS : Aloha ! I will not presume to welcome you, for we are here to welcome each other, without distinction of rank, service or previous condition of priority. I appreciate the honor of acting as Master of Revels in this first meeting of American Argonauts in these islands of the Hesperides, where we have come not to gather apples of gold or to shear the golden fleece, but to conquer the dragon of oppression, to annex the Southern cross, and to plant the tree of liberty where it should grow, between the tree of knowledge and the tree of life in this paradise of the Pacific. This is not the Fourth of July, but as we did not celebrate the last Fourth in Manila, this is given as a lay over sentiment. It is our good fortune to have formed a part of the first army our country has sent abroad on a crusade of justice and right. It is a pleasure to see so many of the " Boys of '61 '' here to-night ; and we see with pride and satisfaction that the same spirit animates our sons. Had not our members of the Second Class been with us in this war we would have despaired of the Republic. Continuing, he said that so many companions had begged to be excused from speaking, emulating the excellence of Washington, whose modesty had been pronounced as equal to his merit, that he was compelled to answer the first toast himself : "OuR COUNTRY." Not this Ultima Thule of Freedom, but our dear Mother Land beyond the sea. Our Country ; God's Country ! Dear to us by the graves of .our fathers ; the homes of our loved ones. The first and only true Republic ; the refuge of the oppressed, the hope of the world. Land of Decatur and Farragut, Grant and Thomas, Washington and Lincoln. Soldiers of the sea and laud, we may well be proud of the military record of our country ; but as citizens we have greater reason to be proud of moral example and civil triumphs. We were the first to abolish kingly rule and class privilege ; the first to abolish torture in judicial process ; the first to establish manhood suffrage ; to give women equal property rights. But the jewels in our crown are : Free speech, free press, free schools, free laws, free conscience. The next toast was : "THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES." General Anderson, in proposing it, said : When Rome was a Republic, the proudest title was " Civis Romanu* Sum." Our proudest title is, that of American citizenship. But the supreme honor on earth is held by our uncrowned sovereign, throned on justice and right and sceptred with the loyalty and fidelity of a free people the Commander-in- Chief of the Grand Armies of the Republic. The High Admiral of Freedom's Fleet, one of our companions, holds the honor now and sheds honor upon honor's head and who knows but that other companions may succeed to his high office. (Applause.) Over seven thousand miles of sea and a thousand leagues of land we pledge The President ! Our President ! God help the office and the man. Companion and Brigadier-General Harrison Gray Otis, of Cali- fornia, responded as follows : COMPANIONS, SOLDIERS, GENTLEMEN : It is and ever has been the great glory of the Army and Navy of the United States that they have stood fast as the strong arms and the sure defense of the Republic in times of danger. Whenever liberty has been assailed in the home of her birth, these allied powers have willingly, yea ! eagerly, at the signal of the Commander-in-Chief, the President of the United States, arrayed themselves in a solid cordon in her forefront, ready to shield with their whole united force her pure and precious breast, and defend with their blood her priceless life. Whenever the assault has come from a foreign enemy, our serried ranks have faced outward to meet it ; whenever from within, they have promptly turned and faced the internecine foe. 6 It is the high mission of our soldiers and sailors, springing from the loins , of the people, to defend the laws and the liberties of the people. The army and the navy are direct creations of our republican system of government ; not an outgrowth of despotism, never a menace to public liberty or private rights, but ever strongly intrenched in the hearts of their grateful countrymen. These allied powers move in obedience to the edicts of the Nation's Con- gress, obeying the commands of the President, who is the direct and chosen exponent of "the will of the people," which, in the happy language of a great soldier whose glorious memory we all revere, " is the law of the land." That citizen who occupies the most enviable position as a ruler among the nations of the earth is the President of the United States, because he is chosen by and from the people in a land which, thank God! has demonstrated the capacity of man for self-government, that magnificent human achievement which for so many weary centuries was the aspiration and the dream of liberty-lovers throughout ages of despotism. And thus this blessed land of ours has made itself, let us hope, the chief refuge of liberty for evermore. When the army and the navy obey the behest of the President, himself pursuing the sure pathway blazed out by the lawmakers of the nation, they are doing the will of 70,000,000 of freemen ; they are drawing the sword of a great and a puissant power. It is a beneficent feature of our republican system that the people, having met together under the forms of law to choose their President, must first stand pledged, as good citizens, to abide by the result of the popular election, no matter who may be chosen. Once chosen, the President is the President of the whole people ; and it is to the everlasting honor of the army and navy that they stand abreast with the foremost patriots of the land in loyally recog- nizing that powerful safeguard of liberty, Jaw and public order. And thus it happily comes about that the President of the United States, no matter by what political party he may have been elected, has at last come to be looked upon throughout the whole land, from the pines of the rugged New England coast to the palmettos of the Southern Atlantic shore and to the palms of the Pacific, as the lawfully chosen head of the nation for the time being, to be respected and honored accordingly ; and it is to the high credit of the officers and soldiers, both regular and volunteer, who have served, or who are now serving, under the banners and beneath the eagles of the Republic, that they have held themselves ever ready to draw sword in the noble task of upholding this great basic principle of our republican system. So that, when we do honor to the office of the President, we pay that sincere and respectful deference which is due to Vox Populi ; we make our obeisance to the all- compelling popular verdict. Companions, it is a grateful task, here and in this presence, to speak per- sonally of the incumbent of the highest office in the land or in the wide world. It is not strange that the illustrious citizen who to-day stands as the civic and military head of the nation enjoys so deep a hold upon the popular heart ; for William McKinley is a man and a patriot, a soldier and a statesman. His career is a graphic illustration of the possibilities of citizenship under the Republic. He sprang from that class which we are proud to call " the average good citizenship " of our country. He began at the foot of the ladder, and slowly, steadily made his way up to and upon its highest rung, through his own efforts, aided by a sterling father and a pious mother. 7 When, as a boy, he was pursuing his education and thirstily seeking for knowledge, a great war broke, with startling crash, upon our then unhappy Union. Putting aside all else, the boy offered himself as a soldier and marched away with his comrades of the Buckeye State to the imminent field of hostili- ties. For more than four years he did his whole duty under arms, with supreme devotion and conspicuous gallantry, fighting on many a field where the rough edge of battle grated harshly against the opposing lines of the nation's adversaries. At Antietam, with marvelous self possession and excep- tional thoughtfulness for a boy of eighteen, he achieved a unique feat. In the midst of that mighty conflict, as it raged on the left of the line, late in the afternoon of that uncertain day, while his regiment, the Twenty-third Ohio, was upon the firing line, protecting the famous Burnside Bridge, Commissary Sergeant McKinley made his way to the supply train in the rear, procured food supplies for the men of his brigade, caused them to be cooked and sent across the bridge to the front, where he himself personally superintended the distribution of the hot rations to the hungry men in line, directly under the enemy's fire. This is no long-distance fable no pretty campaign fiction -it is a historic fact, and I myself am a personal witness to the truthfulness of an incident unique in the history of warfare. You know his distinguished civil career ; how, returning as a man from the war into which he had eagerly gone as a boy, he took up the study of the law ; how he was chosen, while still a very young man, by the suffrages of his fellow-citizens to a local office ; how he served for fourteen years in Congress ; how, later, he was twice elected Governor of Ohio, that famous State of famous men, and how, finally, he became the Chief Magistrate of this mighty nation of freemen. A man of tried patriotism, of exalted principles, of pure life, of large heart and brain, and of conspicuous devotion to the public welfare, he is justly entitled to a position with the foremost in the long list of great Presidents who have gone before. He possesses a patience that is inexhaustible ; a faith that is sublime ; a conception of the needs of his country that is as broad as the confines of the Republic. He carries the heavy burdens of his office with an endurance that is marvelous. When a foreign war that he deplored, and would gladly have averted the second great conflict of arms in his country and time came inevitably upon the land, he hesitated no longer, for the honor of his country and the rights of humanity were at stake, and the nation's sword had to be drawn to vindicate them. He has displayed supreme wisdom, skill and Statecraft. He has restrained the too impetuous, spurred forward the laggard, encouraged the weak, and disarmed the hostile by the high patriotism and supreme unselfishness of his public course. He has never yielded to the clamor of the hour, never followed the dictates of a mere temporary expediency. He has not permitted himself to be swayed by elusive popular applaise, nor has he departed from the strict line of duty, as he saw it, under the pressure of partisan threats. The President, being himself a soldier, is able to understand and appreciate the army and navy of his country. He knows not only how to estimate the value of the great services of the chosen commanders of her fleets and her armies, but to sympathize with "the man behind the gun," the " Jackie " on shipboard, as well as the soldier in the trench, in camp and in bivouac ; for he has been there himself. 8 President McKinley has, in brief, shown himself to be worthy of his high trust and a fit incumbent of the first office of the Republic. Long life to him ! Happy is the land that has such a government and such a ruler ! Companions, come what may, we will never despair of the Republic. Let us swear again to hold up the hands of the President ; let us dedicate ourselves anew, both as soldiers and citizens, to the indispensable work of defending the Union, enforcing the lawa, and maintaining the integrity of these United States of America ; and with these great ends achieved, we may well hope that the very stars in their courses will fight for the Great Republic, and immortal Destiny claim her for its very own ! General Anderson then announced the next toast : " DEWEY AND HIS FLEET." When we read Mahan's "Sea Power," we little thought how soon the achievements of one of our companions would illustrate his.theories. As the guns of Sumter awakened the nation from apathy to action, so the guns of Manila bay were the morning guns of a new era. They sounded the death knell of monarchical assumption of universal sovereignty. They proclaimed that the Star of Empire still held its westward way and that the Pacific ocean would- soon become an American lake. Here's to the brain that conceived and the hearts of oak and ready hands which won the victory. [Applause.] Admiral Dewey arose and thanked the chairman for his kind words, the companions for their welcome, and asked that Captain Whiting of the Monadnock might read a reply prepared by Captain Glass, who was prevented by illness from being present. Captain Whiting then read the following : . ^aneio "DEWEY AND HIS FLEET." COMMANDER AND COMPANIONS OF THE LOYAL LEGION : It is with great pleasure that I attempt to respond to the toast we have just drank, but I must say that the pleasure is largely dashed with fear of my want of ability to do justice to the sentiment, inspiring as it is ; but any oue^night well hesitate as to his ability to speak in fitting terms of the achievements of Dewey and his fleet in Manila Bay, achievements of such vast importance to our country at the present time and in the future, destined to influence the history not only of the whole of the Anglo-Saxon race, but of civilization itself. It was not my good fortune to follow the Admiral's flag into action on May 1st, but on that account, and from the study I have been able to make of the operations of the squadron, before and after the action, while events are still fresh in the minds of the principal actors, I may be permitted to speak more freely than others would feel at liberty to do, and if I seem to become too personal in what I have to say, I beg that you will consider that -for a few brief moments only I am attempting the role of the muse of history, and put- ting before you a hasty sketch of a brilliant chapter in our naval anmils that will in future tax the pen of a Mahan or Napier when it is endeavored to com- mit to the serious pages of history deeds that will delight and encourage men as long as they reverence daring and devotion to duty ; the watchwords of the, services to which our lives are pledged. 9 When the war with Spain was declared, Commodore Dewey found himself in Hongkong in command of a squadron composed of six cruisers, one only being of the first rate, and a dispatch boat, and received orders to capture or destroy the Spanish force in these waters ; a somewhat vague order, but fortunately comprehensive enough in its terms. Think for a moment of the conditions ; with the force named the Commodore was to search for and attack a Spanish squadron superior in number, with every advantage of position, having a base of supplies and an arsenal for repairs, while he was seven thousand miles from a home port, knew that for months no increase of his force was possible, and with no means of making needed repairs or place of shelter for disabled ships. But the plan had already been matured in his mind, and he was ready to carry it out with a dash and cool determination that made failure, or even a half success, impossible. Delaying only four days for needed repairs that had to be made on board the ships themselves, the squadron sailed for Manila, and so well had every condition been studied that the Commodore was able to fix practically the hour at which he would make the attack he had determined upon. Entering the bay at night, with no lights to guide them, even the charts upon which seamen are taught to rely being untrustworthy, the squadron passed heavy batteries and crossed lines of torpedo defense as coolly as if entering a friendly harbor, and Dewey and his fleet were in a trap from which it had been boasted they could not escape. But the idea of escape, or retreat, had never occurred to a man or officer in the squadron ; the feeling of trust in their leader animating all hands was that expressed by Anthony Wayne to another great American, when he said at Stony Point, "I will storm hellif you will plan it." The ships had come to stay. Waiting for daylight, and passing under the fire of the guns lining the walls of Manila, without deigning to reply, Dewey steered straight for the flag of the enemy at Cavite, to encounter a force greater in number than his own and fully prepared and supported by well placed shore batteries, and one of the world's greatest naval battles commenced. The story of the battle has been so often and so well told that we need not at this time recall any incident of the brilliant victory achieved, but the results of these few Sunday morning hours are even now almost beyond belief, familiar as they have become to us. Without the loss of a single life, and with ships as ready for action as when the first shot was fired, not a single Spanish flag was to be seen afloat in the waters of Manila Bay. The power of Spain had been broken and a new em- pire added to our country and to civilization. Our people, ever ready to applaud gallantry, made of Dewey and his cap- tains the heroes of the day, and rewards, all too small as yet for what they had accomplished, were bestowed upon them. But the smoke of battle clear- ing away, the thunder of the guns becoming silent, few could appreciate the enormous responsibility resting upon the successful leader, whose task it now was to secure permanently the fruits of the victory and to see that the inter- ests of our country took no harm. Then commenced for the Commander in Chief and all under his command a period of months of anxious waiting, through days and weary nights of 10 watching and exposure, that would have tried the nerves and resolution of any men that ever lived. And through it all Dewey was cool and patient, holding Manila in a grasp that never relaxed, and exacting with stern resolu- tion the respect due his country and its flag. In all things he was supported loyally and ably by his captains ever ready for any duty or exposure without hesitation or question his subordinates, but at the same time his trusted friends and companions in arms. Knowing that he had only to demand and receive the surrender of Manila at any time, but not having a force present that could insure order in a cap- tured city of three hundred thousand inhabitants, the Admiral resisted the ever present temptation, and thus was prevented a scene of bloodshed ami plunder that would have been an eternal disgrace to our flag. But when at last troops had arrived, and all preparations made, Manila became ours on August 13th, after a resistance so slight as scarcely to deserve the name. As long as men love courage, and reverence high devotion to duty, DEWEY and the fleet at Manila will be words to arouse patriotic fervor and to nerve every American to deeds of heroic daring. General Anderson then announced the toast, "A NATION'S BIRTH." We have tried to bring this about by a Caesarian operation. Years from now it may be written in history that a great island empire owed its origin and independence to some strange uncouth sailors and soldiers from a distant land. " Who can look into the womb of time an^tell which will grow and which will not." But the seeds planted here will grow, and may the sunshine of prosperity ripen the fruit. In reply General Reeve, of the Minnesota Commandery, quoted Mark Twain's remark : That, "while George Washington could not tell a lie, Mark could, but wouldn't." General Reeve both could and would (laughter), for he had solemnly assured the Toastmasfcer he would not make a speech, and yet here he was making one. There seemed to be a great moral triangle, of which truth was the base, George Washington who couLln't tell a lie was one side, Mark Twain who wouldn't lie was the other side, and General Reeve who would, could, and did, was the apex ! (Laughter.) He was in some doubt as to the meaning of the toast, "A Nation's Birth," for if it had been "berth " it might refer to the accommodation on the troopship coming to Manila. (Laughter.) If it referred, as General Anderson suggested, to the doings of the American army and navy in the Philippines, the toast would be more fittingly treated by one of the physicians, because, so far as could be known by the Police Department (with which General Reeve is connected) there might very probably be a new nation born here before very long. (Laughter.) One of the companions of the League said he "didn't think much of A country where the women's legs were the same size all the way up and the men wore their shirts outside of their pantaloons ;" but that argument seemed to have 11 little weight with most of the men ; they seemed to look on it as a necessary evil, and to put up with the evil all right. (Laughter.) To speak seriously of the birth and development of a new nation, possibly under American rule, possibly a protectorate, possibly under their own rules if found suitable this was a question on which the authorities would probably not wish much dis- cussion at the present juncture, especially from the officers who might have a good deal to do with carrying out the scheme. Others higher in authority might elucidate the question, which would require a great deal of statesman- ship and legal lore, as well as perhaps military knowledge and naval ability. Owing to the lateness of the hour, he begged the Toastmaster to excuse the rest of his speech, and to have the remaining 744 pages printed for private circulation. (Laughter and applause.) The toast, " Our Volunteers," was to have been responded to by Colonel A. L Hawkins, of the Pennsylvania Commandery, but as he was not present it was omitted, as was also the toast " Navy," on account of the absence of Captain J. B. Coghlan of the California Commandery. Brigadier-General Charles King, who was to have responded to " The Army," was absent on account of illness. But General Anderson announced the toast : "THE ARMY." It is Britain's boast that there is no land whicli has not been pressed by the feet of her soldiers or seas that have not been plowed by the keels of her ships. We do not care to make this boast, yet our armies have of late come far afield and far afloat. But it follows the same banner of beauty and glory and is animated by the same sense of patriotism and duty as the Men of '76 and the Boys of '61. He then said : The companions seem in regard to speaking, to be in the same boat with the Irish gentleman who said he could sing at sight, but not at first sight. As I can get no one else to respond, I will say this much myself : That we of the army are most happy to meet our compatriots of the navy in this celebra- tion. The naval and land forces fought together at Henry and Donelson, Shiloh and Vicksburg, New Orleans, Charleston and Fort Fisher. They fought in co-operation in McDonough's glorious victory on Lake Champlain, and there were many volunteers from Harrison's army on Perry's flest at Put in-Bay ; and last and most gratifying to us it is to have shared with you the victory of the 13th of August, 1898. Then, in the words of Mr. Richard Swiveler, Perpetual Grand of the Glorious Apollos, " let us pass around the rosy and drink to good-fellowship and perpetual amity." (Drank with great enthusiasm.) Then Admiral Dewey pledged the army, and was greeted with three times three. 12 The last regular toast was "THE LOYAL LEGION." The chairman, in proposing it, said : Caesar had his Tenth Legion ; Thebes its Sacred Band ; Macedon its Phalanx ; Cromwell his Iron Sides ; Napoleon his Old Guard ; but all these will be forgotten before our Loyal Legion will be, which fought for the Union, the Constitution and the Supremacy of the Laws. There is no Masonic tie so strong as that which binds brave men together, who have faced the same dangers and endured suffering and privations in a righteous cause. Long live the Legion, loyal to our country and loyal to each other. Major General Arthur MacArthur, of the Wisconsin Command- ery, in responding, Spoke in approval of the various celebrations and reunions designed to commemorate historic events by which the continent of America had been reclaimed, populated and civilized. Among the many institutions of this kind the Loyal Legion stood pre-eminent. Its mission was to instruct the nation in the national history, to foster its patriotic pride, to stimulate its resolution on behalf of American principles, and to champion liberty through- out the world. [Loud applause]. The planting of the power of the United States in these distant islands was regarded throughout the world with vary- ing degrees of agitation, according to the point of view of various nations. Even among Americans there were many who looked forward to the remote consequences with misgivings. In this connection, it should be remembered that nations were like individuals they could not escape from the pressure of surrounding circumstances. The American nation had a destiny arising from the nature of events through which it had to pass. Sooner or later the idea of expansion must seize all nations, generally producing in excess of their own consumption. This amounted to the same as saying that the natural tendency of every progressive race must always outrun the timidity of its schoolmen. In the light of these brief premises the broad general proposition arose that the permanent occupation of these islands by the United States must be re- garded as simply one of the consequences, in logical sequence, of the great prosperity of the United States. The country was engaged in a great tran- saction, an event not only grand and heroic in its broad outlines, but pictures- que and attractive in all its details, an event which would add strength and grandeur to the Great Republic, and bring peace, happiness and prosperity to the teeming millions of these islands. [Applause], In these circumstances, naval or military service on this station must be regarded as a great privilege, for which adequate thanks, could never be rendered to the great Admiral, his peerless seamen, both officers and men, and their splendid ships the ships must also be remembered [applause] through whose instrumentality this splendid reformation was made possible. In a great commercial community like the United States, where the demands of public and business life were so exacting, it was fortunate that the Loyal Legion and kindred societies existed, to keep alive and transmit to generation after generation the chaste sentiments, dear traditions and sacred memories of American sailors and soldiers. [Ap- 13 planso], A warlike spirit, which alone could create, civilize and defend a State, could only be kept alive throughout a nation by a general and intelli- gent interest in its military institutions. [Applause.] After the singing of " Marching Through Georgia " by the com- pany, General Anderson said that : While the army and navy were usually regarded as the pioneers of pro- gress and the first to open up new fields, there was in truth another pioneer service before them, namely, the consular service, the avant couriers of civil- ization. He proposed the health of the consular service, coupling the toast with the name of Mr. Williams, who took a distinguished part in the pre- liminaries of the Philippine campaign. Mr. O. R Williams In acknowledging the compliment, said he would not discuss current questions of diplomacy now, because they were far more than could be brought within the range of an after dinner speech. At this juncture he would say to the army and navy, " an ounce of diplomacy is worth a ton of gunpowder." It had been his privilege to be in Manila before the war and to help the grand man who had been already toasted so warmly, Admiral Dewey. The judgment of the world, which placed Nelson, St. Vincent, Bruix and Farragut in the topmost niches of fame, must now move them aside to make room for another, and engrave in characters of golden light the name of George Dewey. (Loud applause and calls for ' 'Admiral's Speech.") Admiral Dewey Rose amid roars of applause, and said : "Mr. Williams and gentlemen, I thank you. My friend, Mr. Williams, stood beside me on the bridge of the ' Olyinpia ' on the day when we came in and fought ; he was in just as much danger as I, but he has the advantage of me he can talk and I can't." (Loud laughter and applause, and three cheers and a li tiger " for the Admiral.) General Anderson then said : We must not forget that this, the first meeting of the Loyal Legion in a foreign country, has been called by my old friend and comrade in arms, Col. W. R. Smedberg, the Recorder for nearly thirty years of the California Com- mandery, to which the majority of the companions present belong. I propose the prosperity of the California Commandery, and health and long life to its Recorder, my old friend Smedberg. Toast was enthusiastically received, and followed by song from Capt. Hooper and the singers, " For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Some file firing followed. The speeches were interspersed with the Loyal Legion songs set down in the programme. In the whole progress of the meeting no unkind words were said 14 against Spain or the Filipinos. Every speech was kind and tem- perate in tone. The Reunion was altogether one of patriotism and good-fellowship. After singing "Auld Lang Syne" the meeting adjourned. And so ended the first meeting of Companions of the Loyal Legion ever called in " foreign lands." By order of Capt. JNO. C. CURRIER, U. S. Vols., Commander. VV. R. SMEDBERG. Bvt. Fieut. Col. U. S. Army, Recorder. I60$008\2l>