Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-06-26
HAM LINCOLN, the best friend soldier ever


living. They ought to make us better citi-
zens, more devoted to our country, and more
strongly bind us to the grand principles OF
this now free republican government. Re-
membering the soldiers dead, let us in mer-
cy's name, not forget their widows and Or
phans. 1t ought to make the people of any
loyal State blush to know that they are not
cared for. Yet SO it is. 1t would be hard for
you to believe what | know to be true in this
respect. may differ with some of you about
another practice to which now allude. refer
TO the building of soldiers monuments, while
we neglect to care for their widows and or
phans.
Besides making us better citizens, these ser
vices ought to make us better men and wom-
en-, better friends and neighbors. If we are
correct in the belief that this state of existence
is only preparatory for the one to follow, andit
we are also correct in stating that man has the
ability in this life to improve and expand
that intelligence which is to live on forever,
and make it better fitted to begin the next
life by living obedent to the golden rule,
what reason we all have to look carefully to
our daily conduct. What are we doing now
to make humanity better3 ought to be the
question uppermost in our minds.
The speaker closed with an appeal to his
hearers to look carefully upon life, to act well
our part here and look hopefully forward
when the soul shall press onward to enter the
gates of the celestial city.
THE POEM.
After music, the following poem, which was
received with the most earnest expressions OF
favor, was given by II. S. Webster Esq, OF
this city:
When by Creations fiat Earth appears.
speck amid the multitude of spheres,
Fornless and treeless in the realms oi space,
1t holds its mute and undistinguished place.
No blades OF verdure from its bosom shoot,
No branches laden with enticng fruit,
No warbng songsters, or in field or grove,
Trill forth their notes of tenderness and love.
At length upon its plains, no longer sere,
In quick succession signs Of life appear;
Der field and hill the tender grass Is seen
10 spread its luscious garb OF living green,
And giant trees above the varied glade
Rear their huge forms and stretch their welcome
shade,
Developing the great Creators plan
That Earth should be the dwelling place of man.
But stlll no blossom, pale or red IN hue,
Opes its bright lips to drink the morning dew;
Der all the wide eXpanse of field and fell
Through all the secret haunts of dale and dell,
No floweret rears its tiny petals there,
Or breathe its fragrance to the morning AR,
And not till man appears in Eden's bowers,
Does mans Creator strew the Earth with flowers.
Flowers are for man for him alone they shed
Their fragrance over field and garden bed;
For him alone the radiant meadows vie
" it'll the rich tnts that deck the evening sky;
To him alone the wild flower rare and rude,
I.its its pale head in seeming solitude,
And Ger its petals spreads a brighter bloom,
If man but stoop to breathe its sweet perfume.
Flowers are for man; their mission Is to bless,
TO soothe his sorrow, cheer his loneliness,
10 add a brighter tint to joys fresh glow,
And to relieve the sombre shades of woe.
But Ills their hottest Office when they shed
Their fragrance DER the unforgotten dead,
Mute messengers Of woe; when words are vain
To utter the unutterable pain,
TO speak OF wounds that time can never heal,
OF aching voids that earth can never ILL.,
Their precious aid they lend us TO impart
The sad and silent language OF the heart,
And on their unseen wings to Heaven they bear
The voiceless requiem, the unspoken prayer.
lis lifting, then, 10 strew them on the grave +
OF each that died, noble and 80 brave
To save his country from the base retreat
Far worse than death and fouler than defeat.
Here in the thankflness of praise we bring
our brightest, loveliest. purest offering,
The glorious Gala, the sweet violet,
The blushng pink, the fragrant mignonctte,
Rch-hued syrngas, myrtles pure and pale,
The lovely -pertumed lily of the vale,
The gorgeous fuchsia and the iris, too,
Roses that mock the rainbow's brilliant hue
And, most of all appropriate to the spot
And hour, the patient sad forget-me-not.
Here let them lie above each grassy mound
That tender hearts and loving hands have crowned,
While every leaf some sad remembrance bears,
Wet with our tears and laden with our prayers.
'ris not for us to pass in sad review
Those gallant heroes, clothed in coats of blue,
Who went, obedicnt to their country's call,
And to that country sacrificed their all
Some on this quiet hillside rest al last,
Amid the scenes where chldhood's hours were
passed;
some moulder still in aforementioned graves,
Or sleep beneath the bright Atlantc's waves.
But there or here, their memories lnger yet,
And their brave deeds we never can forget
This Is no passing tribute year by year
We and our children shall assemble here
To deck these honored graves with sacred flowers,
In thanks of what they did for Us and ours.
Upon noble land, now blessed with peace
May neer come to make the blessing cease,
Brother more in fratricdal strife,
TO save his country's, take his brothers. life
But should Wars cloud again oerspead our sky,
His handicapped again resound on high,
His lurid lightnings cleaning Ger the land
Reveal the focman's arms, the traitors band
This sacred spot where sleep the patriot dead
Resound once more beneath the martial tread
Then may the thought of those who dared 10 die
For God, for Union and for Liberty,
Call to our aid "A host upon that day,
As strong as fearless, and as true AS they.
And here they are in martial ranks they stand,
Cued from the youth and beauty of the land;
To them We owe the honors of this day,
The solemn pageantry, the stern array;
From peaceful homes i'll warlke garO they come,
With peal of rifle and with beat of drum,
hearing that banner, sun our country's pride =,
For which these slumbering heroes fought and died
peaceful errand; but should War again,
Peal his wild note and sound his harsh refrain,
Around that flag in clustered ranks they'd stand,
4 firm, uudaunted, patriotic band,
Ready, whe'er The voice OF duty call,
To guard our country and our capital.
But while Irvine chaplet for the dead,
And lay the wreath upon their lowly bed,
The living may some tribute justly claim,
And share with them the bright reward of fame,
BY many wall the war-scarred musket leans,
Needed no more mid slaughters dreadful scenes,
While he who bore it on the bloody field
Feels the content that truth and val0r yield,
And, sitting by his door when day is done,
He fights again the field of glory won
All honor to the brave; they nobly fought,
The yal0rous deed bespoke the valorous thought
Around their brows let wreathes of mytle Irvine
And fame attend them to their lite's decline.
In humble walks some ply the arts of peace,
And see by toll their scanty stores increase,
While here and there may we behold name
OF more extended, not more noble, fame.
Time shall not pluck single starry gem
From the bright deeds that form their diadem;
Their names transmitted still from age to age
shall grace the poets line, the patriots page
And time shall perish ere the sons of Maine
Forget their Howard and their Chamberlain.
Not those alone who mingled in the strife,
Some, in the humble walks of civic life,
BY kind and patient toll have earned the crown
OF heartfelt gratitude and fair renown;
None more than he-alas too soon has death
Claimed for its own the tribute of his breath
The patriot Governor, who through those years
OF toll, of blood, of heartbreaks, and of tears,
On his strong shoulders bore the cares of state,
And ne'er complained or faltered at the weight
Wisely he ruled and well; the watchful eye,
The patient hearing and the kind reply,
The unremitting unrequited ZEAL