Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-02-28
distinguished, warm hearted friend from

chair the honorable gentleman who has so sat-
isfactorily filled it, has been period OF con-
tinuous and arduous labor. Our Speaker
struck the key note for short session, ana
the House has truly and wisely responded to
the call. In consequence of the multiplicity
of important and often times embarrassing
questions, which necessarily have occupied
the undivided attention of the legislature, but
; little time has been spent in cultiyating those
social qualities and ameneties of a personal
character which take deeper hold of the
feelings. STILL friendships deep and abiding
have sprung up among us never to be forgot
ten In virtue Of the tramp of time and the
4 onward marching of events, the morning OF
the last day of the session is before us, and be-
fore the setting sun will cast its shadows upon
the Capitol and its surroundings we shall have
turned our backs upon these familiar walls,
pregnant with "reminiscences never TO be for
gotten. Goodbye is hard word to speak :;
its painful effects however are but momenta-
ry, if frightened by retrospective considera-
tons of mutual friendships and good will
Thus we leave each other for our homes, and
carry along with us the kindest feelings to-
wards our Speaker for his faithful and Impair
tial services-knd feelings towards each
other, and feel that we can all unite in feel
I ings of devotion for the national interests
and prosperity of our noble State. Long
may you all live and prosper is the prayer OF
your humble colleague ard friend.
Mr.. STICKNEY said
Mr.. Clerk, rise PROBABLY for the last time
in this Hall, with mingled emotions of pleas
Ure and pain to say my parting words.
With pleasure, because hope soon to meet
my constituents, my friends, my family, my
loved ones at home. With pain, because the
friendly greetings, the pleasant interviews,
the Interchange of kindly courtesies with the
II.
be over.
There is deep significance and contin-
ual reminder of the truth of the often repeat
: ed aphorism, 1.-THE places which now know us
will soon know us no more forever" These
! halls and corridors which for few short
, weeks have echoed to the tread of our foot
) steps, resounded with the sound of our voices
= been made cheerful with our smiles and pleas
f ant words. will soon be silent, and when next
: these seats shall be occupied. other footsteps
other voices, and other smiles will make
pleasant and enjoyable this capitol.
1t is ever so with the ever moving panora
ma of human life. An eloquent writer ha;
beautifully said, that this world is but an inn
; which is being constantly entered and evacu
E ated by troops of succeeding travellers. 1
i is well that it is so. l would not live always
is not only the feeling of the christian heart
: but of the true mind which regards the here
e and hereafter as they certainly are. The wisC
: and the goodwill equal sincerity can say Iwoul(
T not always be member of the Legislature
h And why? If for no other reason, because j
= is well that others should occupy these seats
e that this hall be vocal with other voices. anC
u resound with the utterance of other thought
l. than ours. We are not in any exclusive sense
: the people, nor will wisdom die with u.s. 9th
er men as honest, as intelligent, as patriotic
o as wise, faithful to the interests of the PEG
: pie and the State as we can possibly be- vii
: come after us, in whose keeping all will b.
= safe. If we have been conscientiously faith
y full in the performance of the duties we OWE
to our con stituents and common country, Il
: the vast interests which have been entrusted
i to our care, we can now retire to our home,
: and friends.
"WthoUt fear,
Without trouble or A tear,
And mingle with the politically dead
But, Mr.. Clerk, there is thought which
Expresses the warm heart, the heart suscepti-
bic of tender emotion, the heart which
loves and enjoys friends and friendships, and
!, that is, our liability to be forgotten. ''For-
get me not" is not only the language of ardent
affections in the young, but Of all true hearts,
= old and young, when the loved and the good
are passing away the last pulsatiou of the
heart of the dying, breathes in the ear of de-
voted affection, Forget me not And we
| raise the monumental marble over the spot
where reposes the jewels of our hearts, and
| and strew the couch with flowers that the
loved one may not be forgotten. The regrets
| at parting are to me enhanced by the thought,
that in the hurry, hustle and strife of life, the
, frindships which have been formed here, the
pleasant interviews in this hall, and the mutual
Interest in each others welfare which we
have learned to cherish, will pass from our
recollection and will finally be but a small
portion of the pleasant memories of the past
that even this has its compensation in the fact
| that of the thousands who have preceded us
| in the occupancy of these seats, although
, the names even of the most of them
are unknown to us. yet we see all over
our widely extended State, evidences of their
wisdom, fidelity to duty, broad and expanded
, views of public policy, and profound devotion
to the interests of the State. Our schools,
our institutions for the reformation of the
{ guilty, and the training of youth in the way
they should go, our charitable institutions,
our hundreds of prosperous industries, our
, beautiful cities and lovely towns, our fertile
: farms and happy homes, our noble sons and
daughters who will ere long be pillars of
glory in church and State, are monuments of
| the greatness and wisdom of hundreds of our
predecessors on this floor whose very names
are unknown to us.
And although our memories of each other
may dim, and in the lapse of years become
extinct, and from the memery of the world
1 will pass, our very names be forgotten, yet if
} our duties here have been done as wisely,
t and as well as were the fathers, we shall not
fail of our reward
In closing wish to express my thanks to
l the officers and members of this House, for
the uniform kindness which has been accorded
; to me by all.
t If my impetuous nature which those who
know me best know all about, has betrayed
me in the heat of debate, or on any other oc-
casion to any discourteous word hope to be
: pardoned. No other than the kindest feeling
fingers in my bosom towards every member
t of this House, and the sunniest memories of
the future will be Of my associates upon this
floor.
May the Being who watches over all, go
with us to our homes and at last take us to
himself in world where the poorest and
humblest will not be forgotten.
Mr.. BLISS said;