The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-07-06

scription, for he found it very comiortaoie, and
an abundance of room, out of dOor-outside
of party limitations.
1t is great faacy that the South is fight
ing for independence. independence! 1t
could be only an independence Of God and Of
the rights of man. The rebellion goes on
from bad to worse, and every throb of its life
| is crime against mankind. A similar faacy
was that which made distinction between
support of the government and of the admin
istration. There may be philosophical dis
| tnction, but the administration is the hand of
the government, put forth to do its work, and
! it is entrusted with that work for the time be-
ing The speaker feared We were not fully
pursuaded that this rebellion and consequent
war are the climax of an age of political
corruption and dissoluteness. War is settling
controverted questions. Emancipation, think
of or oppose it as we will, is past discussion.
The war is fast coming to involve the destiny
of race. The black race is one of the old
est on EARTH one that cannot be exterminated,
one that grows tougher and tougher, and its
destiny, as it shall be developed, we must ac-
cept in Independence of God. Whether we
like it or not, in his opinion, within two years
we are to have an immense black army in the
field. He believed this, had faith in it, not as
an abolitionist, for he never was one, but yet
this very thing involves abolition. The ques-
ton of race would not be settled by spelling
the negro's name with two gs. He pitied
the man who thought to settle ii in such
way. The negro had shown by his acts that
he could fight, that he would fight, that he had
motives for fighting, and he felt it his duty to
accept the facts as thee come, and stand by God
and his country. Mr.. Stebbins closed his
thrilling speech of thirty-fve minutes, which
was frequently interrupted by applause, by re-
citing Whittiers poem, couched in the simple
dialect of the plantation, entitled the Con-
traband." Singing followed by the Quartette
club.
SPEECH OF REV. DIR. BOSwoRTH.
Rev. DIR. Geo. w. Bosworth, pastor Of Free
street Church, said that in following his elo-
quent friend he feared he should. only afford
an Illustration Of the manner in which ex-
tremes sometimes meet The spirit of the
times is tending to individualze the people.
ton and OF this occasion, there was variance,
indicating the evolvement ofindividua thought
the growth of individual man, and yet all
this variance met in common patriotism. He
had growing faith in the people, made up as
was the people Of individual sminds. Our in
situations are of the people, peculiar, and de-
pend upon the people for their maintenance.
Our President, like the old patriarchs, sits
down with his people, in the midst of the great
family Of which he is the head, and talks ia
miliarly with them, reasoning with them, listen,
and replies to their questions and their adj
dresses, and is not despot to issue arbitrary
edicts to be executed with iron rigor by au-
tomaton subordinates. Despots sneer at this.
They see in IT no evidence of authority or of
power. They cannot comprehend a nation
united in head aud heart. Gov. Curtin the
other day, appealed to his people to save the
Commonwealth. Despots would say he be-
trayed weakness and had none of the elements
of Governor, but the people responded in
faith and love. The speaker referred to the .
assertions from our volunteer army, and ar
gued that they afford no evidence Of weak
ening process, but rather II was like separating
the worthless chat from the good wheat To
illustrate one Of hfs, propositions. he referred
to that gallant portion of the Maine 9th which
had promptly offered TO do more than their
contract required-surplus works for the sake
OF country in distress. His remarks on this
point were interrupted by the widest applause
/" You clap your hands loudly" said the speak
er, but you viii clap louder still when they
return" Long continued appause.l
The speaker rejoiced that his own son did
not belong to returned regiment; that he
was still in the field, battling for his country's
cause. Tremendous applause.I To his mind
it was glorious thought that out OF this ter
rible war good would come-that through the
nations terrible struggle and throes 1000, 5000
OF people would be boin-that nation of in
diciduai men were to take the place of mere
living Mings-that things were coming to
think and act as men.
DR.. B. occupied about twenty minutes.
SPEECH OF REV. MR.. CLARK.
Rev. W. II. Clark, pastor of Chestnut street
Church, was the closing speaker, and it was
fortunate for him and the audience that he is
gifted with good lungs and can command the
attention of an audience, for just as he began
the noon salute and the ringing of bells COM
menced. Mr.. Clarks was an admirable speech,
and we regret that we are able to do no fuller
justice to it. He felt like sinking into nothing
when he heard father rejoice that his own
son was ready TO die for his country A few
days since gentleman said TO him that the
secret Of much that now appears mysterious
is found in this: The South makes business
of war; we make a business out of the war;
We are engaged in bushes, in making money.
The South have melted their church bells into
cannon, torn up their carpets for blankets,
sweethearts say to their lovers ego to battle
or never see us more" while we have not, as
we should, brought our duty home and school
ed our minds up to full appreciation of the
momentious issues involved in the struggle.
He would do what he could to create proper
public sentiment, snch an one as would make
the replies of secession, if such there be among
us, writhe as though in fame of fire. He
referred to the eventiul Saturday, and said he
was credibly informed of man who express
ed the wish that the pirates would get clear
with the stolen Cutter and that the boats sent
in pursuit would be sunk to the bottom OF the