Soldier's Reunion = Co. B, 6th Kansas Cavalry

The Seymour Leader - 16 August 1906

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  All soldiers of whatever name or order as well as the general public are invited to come and enjoy the day with us.

  10:00 a.m. Song, Boys' Glee Club.

  Invocation, Rev. W. O. Smith.

  Address of Welcome, C. A. Conger.

  Response, J. J. Stone.

  Social Hour.

  Business Meeting and Election of Officers.

  Adjournment: Basket Dinner.

  Bring a well filled basket. Coffee and beans free to everyone.

  1:30 p.m. Song, Ladies Quartet

  Oration, Pearly Rinker.

  Song, Boys' Glee Club.

  Recitation, Nina Merritt.

  Five Minute Speeches by Old Soldiers and others.

  Recitation, Dottie Silvers.

  Song, Ladies Quartet.

  Flag Drill, Sixteen Little Girls.

  Adjournment.\

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The Seymour Leader - 23 August 1906

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  The reunion of Co. B, Sixth Kansas Cavalry and, incidentlally, others of the old comrades was held last Saturdy at his place according to program and the meeting was long to be remembered.  The program, as previously published in the Leader was carriede out and in this connection we have not time to mention all in detail. A basket dinner was served and enjoyed by all, at the dinner hour.

  The chief event of the day (aside from the dinner) was the splendid address by Purley Rinker in the afternoon on "The Problems of the Republic."  We present briefly a few points upon which the speaker touched and wish we might have room for the entire oration, which was certainly appreciated by all who heard it.

  After a brief introduction Mr. Rinker discussed the early problems of the republic; the problems which confronted the fathers. He dealt with the work of Hamilton, Jay, Marshall and Jefferson and showed that it was required of them to mould warring elements of the people into one harmonious whole and give our country a commanding position among the nations of the world.  Immediately following came the question of slavery. For over half a century it was discussed before the people, in the press and pulpit and for over half a century it occupied the foremost place in American statesmanship, when such men as Clay, Calhoun and Webster adorned the senate of the United States.

  The slave power, virile and aggressive, placed John C. Calhoun in the vice president's chair and made him the heir apparent of the presidential throne; when as a successor to the senatorial toga of Calhoun, Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina appeared upon the senate floor and with his masterly and subtle logic ade a full and clear exposition of the and principles which for years had enthralled the minds of mighty statesmen. Then it was that Daniel Webster appeared upon the scene to battle in the senate for a cause, a constitution and a people that he loved; he dealt state rights a stinging blow; uttered the slogan of liberty and union; and in doing so, touched a responsive chord in the heart of the American people. The south, unable to gain a point by logic, was compelled to resort to arms.

  Right here the speaker paid a tribute to the men of Company B and their companions.  He spoke of the leaders who guided them to ultimate victory. When the was closed the dream of the fathers was realized, and in addition we were given universal freedom and an indissoluble Union.

  The speaker then showed that we, of the present day, had problems entirely different in their nature from the problems of the fathers; that our probldems are commercial; that the problem as shown by legislation and recent literature is the control of corporate wealth.  He asserted also that at the present time we were developing bold aggressive statesmen and he inclined to the belief that these qualities in our leaders would serve as an antidote for the conditions, and that we should look to these strong, aggressive characters to lead us onward and upward in the development of national purity and the perpetuity of our national greatness.

  The meeting was held in the leafy grove of the Christian church yard, which was pleasant and agreeable to all. Toward the close of the program a shower came up suddenly which drove the participants to cover.

  The members of the Sixth who were present at the reunion were John Goldsberry, Albert Root and Robert Wright, of Centerville, J. J. Stone, N. M. Scott, Mystic, J.Crouder, R. F. Rinker, Geo. Ross, John Farnsworth, Dan Coster, John Tibbets and W. J. Manning.  Besides these there were present a number of other soldiers of various regiments.  B. F. Bradley, W. W. Elliot, Geo. Sens, Joe Pratt, W. A. Park, W. W. Copley, W. I. Speers, Marion Gunter, Reuben Davis, James Lindsay, Jesse Kinney, N.C. Michael, J. C. Phillips, Isaac Gump, most all of this city or vicinity; John Adamson of Nebraska, Captain Wyckoff of Cincinnati, and a number of others whose names we cannot recall at this time. No record of those present was kept as far as we can ascertain. But 'twas a glorious event.