The Portland daily press., 1874-10-06

and say with pride for this city, that know
the work was faithfully done. sh
The same evening q member of the council
offered and the council passed a resolution
saying to all the men that had or should here
alter enlist that we should consider their FAM
llles as children of the city. l am thus par
tcular that you may more plainly see under
what fair promises and pledges those brave
men who had heart and courage enough to
lay down their lives for their county, left their
beloved wives and precious children. How
well remember the warm pressure of their
hand as they tearfully left their homes to
light that you and might enjoy the blessings
OF this free country. And how feelingy they
would say to you, meaning The people of this
city: I'VE leave our wives, our children, our
loved ones all in your care, see to it they do
not suffer at you hands," Friends, have we
done all for them we promised, all that they
desire? We have done much for which God
will bless us a thousand fold, but much more
needs to be done. Shall we shrink from our
duty now, or go on? know you will say 90
on. Time will not permit me TO follow the
course OF events during that fearful struggle.
10 picture our hopes and our fears, our VIC
torres and our reverses, the sad scenes we all
passed through, the terrible anxiety of those
VINO had relatives aud friends in the great
battles, or the sadness and gloom that en-
shrouded US when the news Of the death of
some OF our idols was brought to us. All
these scenes made impressions on our minds,
that are deep and lasting, and may we not
hope they have done us good, made us better
inen and women, helped to open wider our
hearts to the needs and wants of those that
suffered for US and for their country's good.
The great day of deliverance finally came,
the last great battle was fought and victory
won, the cruel war was over, How we ex-
ulted, how we cheered, how fervently we
thanked Almighty God for our deliverance.
Then the noble heroes who Survived tie ter
ribe scenes of death, of rebel prisons and
starvation, of suffering aud hardships, too hor-
ribe TO name, came marching home they did
not look as they did when they so calamity
left us. The southern sun had burned them,
the war had vastly changed them; they were
few in number compared with the mighty
hosts that left us, yet the numbers were still
great; more than one million of these brave
men were thus sent home to care for them
selves as best they could.
Thoughtful men looked with great anxiety
on the situation. Neither our statesmen,
newspapers, or people forgot that Rome was
shaken to its very centre, by disbanded SOL
diery, while in Greece and Spain the ILouu-
tain fastnesses had been filled with men dis
charged from their armies, whose subsistence
was wrung from the passing travellers, and
peaceful homes of the people. But thank
God and our free schools and enlightened
people, and patriotic, honest soldiers, no such
calamity fell upon us. Our soldiers returned
to their homes, and all that were able to
labor were ready to work at any honest call
ing for their livelihood and again become
what they had been before the war, peaceful,
law-abiding citizens. Thus oar armies passed
away and disappeared like the morning mist
The men sought their homes with hearts full
ofjoy. No tears of mourning were shed over
the cast off trappings of strife. They were glad
ly laid aside for the sweet sanctity of that
heavenly place called home.
Thousands were broken down in health and
in spirits, other thousands were manned and
crippled for life, others found it impossible to
procure employment that would afford them a
living, hence in many cases these patriotic brave
men that had done so much for their country
and deserved so well from us, found nothing
but poverty and distress staring them in the
face. This state of things was seen by none
so quickly as by the soldiers themselves, and
to the lasting honor of those able to help
their unfortunate comrades, let it be said,
they lost no time in giving this matter their
attention and serious consideration. The
government gave pensions to very large
number. States, cities and towns did
all perhaps that could be expected
of them, but much, very much still needed
to be done. How to do it was the grand and
all absorbing question with this band of pa
triotic soldiers. They turned to history for
their guide. They found the society of the
Cincinnati had been formed at the close of
tie revolution bct it consisted wholly of the
officers of the war. Its plans and purposes
were of an aristOcratic order and not partlcu-
larly for the good of the soldiers, since
it furnished no precedent for the condition
our citizen soldiers found themselves in.
They desired some kind of an organiza-
tion that should improve and benefit all the
officers and priyates alike. Finally there
sprang up in the state of Illinois early in the
spring OF 1866 an organization calling itself
the Grand Army Of the Republic. Who its
originators were is matter of tradition
rather than Of record, although the
late Gen. B. F. Stevenson was no
doubt one OF its prime movers, being
generally recognized as such, he organized
the first post at Decatur, Illinois, in the
spring of '66, and from that has sprung the
present wonderful organization. The order
spread rapidly through the state so that in
July '66 a meeting was held to organize de-
partment, and elected Governor Palmer as
their grand commander.
The order now began TO spread in other
states and so rapid was its increase that in
October call appeared for national CON
vention to organize national encampment
That convention met at Indianapolis, Nov.
30, 1865, and remained in session three days.
Delegates were present from eleven states
and the national encampment was organ
lied and the regulation and ritual adopted.
After the convention at indianapolis, posts
sprang up in all the northern states as if by
magic so that in December 1867 when they
met in convention in Philadelphia twenty
one states were represented with member
ship of over 200, 900, and they have continued
TO increase rapidly ever since. The depart
ment of Maine was organized in Jan. '6S,
and now we have 21 posts in the most
perfect working order. For the very great
amount of good work they have performed
they are entitled to the lasting gratitude OF
all good citizens. The organization is rightly
named the Grand Army of the Republic.
That name "Grand' was indeed proper
one; but the good work it has performed is
thousand times more grand than any name
could he.
We often hear it said that it is a political
organization. Thousands have honestly
thought SC, ,and yet how far this is from the fact
In no society ever formed were there or could
there be more efforts made to exclude every
thing of political turn, than has been in
this society.
The officers of the Post have placed in my
hands all the records and orders from the
date of the organization to the present time,
and l have looked them over with interest
and care, and take great pleasure in assuring
you in the most positive manner that every
thing of the slightest political nature is en-
tirely excluded. From the records and reso-
lutions passed at their national conven-
tons, make the following extracts. These
extracts cover, as you will readily see, tie
whole grand work of this great organization,
and tell the whole story of its inestimable
worth.
The first object avowed in their rules and
regulations, published in 1874 is to preserve
and strengthen those kind and fraiernal feel
ings which bind together the soldiers, sailors
and marines who united to suppress the late
rebellion, and to perpetuate the memory and
history of the dead.
Object 2. To assist such former comrades
in arms as need help and protection and to
extend needful aid to the widows and orphans
of those who have fallen.
take the following from the resolutions
passed at the national encampment at Gin
cinnati in 1869.
Whereas, The welfare of our living comrades
and that of the orphans and widows of the hon
ored dead, and the maintenance of our sacred
principles demand renewed efforts in Its behalf
therefore, by the National Encampment