The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-10-16
IN MEMORIAM.
Unwilling the Lincoln Monument.

the Army of the Tennessee assembled this
morning and selected Des Moines, Iowa, for the
next meeting. Sept. 29th and 30th, 1876. Gen.
Thomas Q. Fletcher of Maine was chosen ora
tor. The society then adjourned to participate
in The ceremonies of unwilling the Lincoln
statue at Oak Ridge cemetery. The procession
began to form at II o'clock. Gov. Beveridge
acted as grand marshal. All rlF7I
President Grant, with Secretary Belknap, oc-
cupled a carriage at the head of the procession,
preceded by the military band from the New
port barracks, and escorted by the Governors
Guard, military organization of this city, as
guard OF honor. Next came Rev. DIR. Hale, an
old friend of President Lincoln, and Bishop
Wayman (colored) and in the other carriages
rode Vice President Wilson with Sir POWELL
Buxton: NJ. P, and W. e. Forster, NJ P, of
England, Gems Mcdowell and Custer, ex-Gov
J. III. Dubbars with Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Gov
Beveridge. Gen. Sherman marched on foot at
the head of the Army of the Tennessee, and
following him was long line of army, mill
tary and civil societies Next to the carriages
containing members of the Lincoln Monument
Robert f. Lincoln, the only surviving son of
the deceased President, Mrs. l.. L. Smith, sis
ter of Mr.. Lincoln, and other relatives Mrs.
Lincoln was unable to be present as she was
quite ill at her residence in Chicago.
Among the notable persons present we're ex-
Secretary Barrie, ex-Gov. Noyes of Ohio Gen.
John Pope, Gen. MacDewell. Gen. Grierson,
Gen. Wescott and Gen. Ekin, with many 9TH
ers.
The procession arrived at the cemetery at IL
o'clock. Twenty-Five thousand persons were
present. After the playing of the Dead March
by the band, Bishop Wayman made fervant
and eloquent prayer and choir of singers
chaunted "With malice towards none, with
charity for all,'
Hon. Jesse X. Dubois then read a histor ical
sketch of the Lincoln Monument Association
and result of its labOrs, concluding as follows:
by the liberal contributions of grateful ma
ton we have been enabled to provide suitable
place for the remains of the wisest and purest
of men known to our national history. There
may they rest in peace"
The statue was then unveiled, and Senator
r. g. Oglesby delivered an eloquent Grafton.
The Grafton was an eloquent tribute to the
memory of the dead President, giving faith
full sketch of his public life and services to the
country, noting the most striking events of his
administration of the affairs of the nation and
concluding as follows; "The glorious deeds and
the shining example of the great citizen and
martyr will stand for the illustration of all
men of every cline, nationality and condition,
who, in search of the highest aims and loftiest
purposes of life, shall come to this fountain for
inspiration and hope. Here the humble may
take new courage; the proud learn humility;
the ambitious that the true way to grea tness
lies through industry, integrity, and patriotism,
and all men that only the truly good can be
truly great
In no other country under the sun could the
OUoVulC wy nave lOuuu way eutOuSu q
long succession of mysterious and grave events
to such eminence and power, and where and in
what land could one be found who welded
power with such grace, humanity and wisdom?
The living assign him his proper place in the
affections of all men,. Posterity, profoundly
moved by the simplicity of his private life,
elevated and enlightened by the purity and
splendor of his administration and public
services, cannot fail to fix his place amongst
those who shall rank highest in their venera-
ton.
After Og1esby's grafton the choir rising sang,
crest, spirit, rest" at the conclusion of which
two sisters of charity seated on the other side
of the statue rose and amid deep silence raised
the red, white and blue drapery from the mar
BILE fern. #Ff8
President Edwards then read poem written
for the occasion by James Judson Lords. The
bands again played an appropriate air, when
| loud cries being made for President Grant, he
| stepped forward amid tumultuous applause and
spoke as follows: r
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen-On an
occasion like the present, it is duty on my
| part to bear testimony to the great and good
qualities of the patriotic man whose earthly re-
mains now rest beneath the dedicated monu-
ment. 1t was not my fortune to make the per-
sonal acquaintance of Mr.. Lincoln till the be-
ginning of the last year of the great struggle
| for the national existence.
| During those years of doubt and desponden-
| cy among the many patriotic men of the cOun-
| try, Abraham Lincoln never for moment
| doubted but the final result would be IN favor
of peace, union and freedom to every race on
this broad land. His faith in an all wise Provi-
dence directing our arms was the faith of the
| Christian that his Redeemer liveth. Amidst
oblOquy, personal abuse and hate undisguised
and which was given vent to without
restraint through the press, upon the stump and
| in private circles, he remained the same
staunch, unyielding servant of the people,
never exhibiting revengeful feelings towards
| his traducers. He rather pitied them and hoped
for their own sake and the good name of their
posterty they might desist. For single mo-
Inent it did not occur to him, to the man Lin
coin, that he was being assailed but that a
reasonable spirit, one waiting to destroy the
freest government the sun ever shown upon,
was giving vent to itself on him as the chief
executive Of the nation only because he was
such executive.
AS a lawyer in your midst he would have
avoided all that SANDER, for his life was pure
and simple one, and he no doubt would have
been much happierl man. But who can tell
what might have been the fate of the nation
but for the pure, unselfsh and wise admins
tration of Mr.. Lincoln? From March, 1864, to
the day when the hand of an assassin opened
grave for Mr. Lincoln, the President of the
United States, my personal relations with him
were as close and as intimate as the nature of
our respective duties would permit To know
him personally was to love and respect him for
his great qualities of head and heart, and for
his patience and patriotism.
With all his disappointments from failures
on the part of those to whom he entrusted COM
mands, and the treachery on the part of those
who had gained his confidence but to betray it,
[ never heard him utter a complaint nor cast
censure for bad conduct or bad faith.
1t was his nature to find excuses for his adj
versaries. In his death the nation lost it's great
est head. In his death the South lost its tru-
est friend.
Ex-Vice President Colfax, who was discover
ed on the platform, was loudly called for, and
in some very feeling remarks paid his tribute of
love and respect to the honored dead.
Remarks were also made by Gen. Sherman,
Vice President Wilson and Gen. f. Lindal, af-
ter which the doxology was sung. The bene.
diction was pronounced and the vast assemblage
quietly dispersed.