The Portland daily press., 1881-05-03
Soldiers Monument.


There seems to be a sad neglect on the part
in some public place in this city, a suitable
monument dedicated to the memory of the SOL
dierS and sailors from the city, who during the
war laid down their lives for their co@ntry
With the exception of the yearly decoration Of
the honored graves OF those who repose in our
cemeteries, there is nothing to show that our
people have any special remembrance OF those
who went from US and who fell on nearly eF-
cry Southern battlefield or dragged out a
wearisome existence at Andersonvile CT other
prison dens. Many Of our towns and hamlets
in the North have some endurable column
pointing upwards, conSecrated to the memory
of their dead heroes. Portland, during the
war, occupied high position of influence and
Importance for its patriotic services in the fur
nishing of men and means to put down the re
bellion. Its citizens and municipal authori-
ties felt the; grandeur of the cause, and in
contributions of its best blood and the wealth
of the community, they were surpassed by
none.
Twas forcbly reminded of this omission Of
duty on our part, when few weeks since
stood before the stately column of magnificent
proportion and artistic design which adorns
one Of the beautiful parks of the city of Savan-
nah. 1t bore simply this inscription, To the
COO10u6ral8 Deau. w nile LnuS viewing THIS
elegant memorial, these thoughts came to my
mind:
II our Southern brethren, after all the mis-
cry and suffering brought upon them by their
mistaken zeal, could, on the first commence
ment of their prosperity, show their regard for
the ''loSt cause" by the erection of this SPLEEN
did tribute of affection, why should our beauti-
full northern city be so remss? Why should we
not have as elegant memorial for those who
died in boiler cause. We have in this city
Soldiers Monument Association" organized
for the procuring Of funds for the purpose OF
constructing a monument. BY the laws
of the State the city is authorized to contribute
the sum of $5, GOO towards its object. 1t is not
probably known that the city has in its poss-
ession quite large sum of money which could
be legitimately used for this purpose. It is
known by some, and more particularly by the
writer, that during the war a portion Of the
bounties paid to soldiers from this city was by
private subscriptions and by individuals fur
nishing substitutes for themselves and for
which the city paid no bounty, but received
were about $4,000. In some places in the
State such payments were refunded to the in
dividuals by the towns, but in Portland this
was not done. In the settlement with the State
in 1870 in Tue equalization of counties,
the City received about onc-third of the
amount paid by it during the war, which in
cudel this amount of $4,000; so that some
$4,000 were received for which it gave moth
ing, and of which it has had the use since.
All claims that any parties may have had on
the city have probably lapsed, and it might be
considered very appropriate use to apply it
for the purpose of g SOLDIERS Monument" 1t
must not be expected to ask the City to appro-
pirate such an amount at once, but recogn-
ton of the claim, aud allowance Of it by the
City to be paid in yearly installments, would
be sufficient basis to act on III the matter, and
secure within a few years the completion of a
worthy memorial of the cause. The late Judge
Shepley, a short time previons to his death,
| expressed warm interest, in the view of the
matter as submitted to him, and it was his in
| tention to have moved in the matter in accor-
dance with the suggestions made, toward ac-
| complishing the desired result
| One of our citizens now in Europe is fast OBJ
tanning reputation among the celebrated
| sculptors of the world A representative OF our
Oldest families, and it would be worthy rec
! ignition Of home talent, to have the use of his
brilliant imagination and artistic taste in the
| design for a structure, which should be an Or
nament to our city, and just tribute to the
memory of those who with us should never be
| forgotten. H.