The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-25
The Spaachas.

The Speeches.
| Major Gen. Chamberlain, advancing to the
front, was received with cheer upon cheer
from the mass of veterans and citizens, some
1000 in number, who took up every inch of
space. Gen. Chamberlain said:
| ComrddeSl
We are all one to-day in the name Of our
delivered country. The State of Maine will
welcome you here as those who stood in the
| front of battle for her safety. The Governor
of the State claims the privilege OF welcoming
| you here to-day and introduce Gov. Plaisted.
Gov. Plaisted come forward and after
handsome recognition spoke as follows:
GOV. PLAIsTED's ADDRESS.
Soldiers and sailors of Maine and of the
| Republic; veterans of the great war-of it's
| hundred hard fought battles on land and sea-
| | bid you welcome. Thousands of your fell
low citizens are here to greet and
welcome you, and, in the name and behalf of
the whole people of Maine, bid you welcome
l greet you with their blessing and tender
yoa the homage of their hearts the homage
grateful people cannot but render to our
country's defenders. Welcome victors! Wei
come to this grand reunion of victors to this
glad feast of victory,-the victory of Apo
| mattox.
Happy are We who survived the great strug-
gle and were permitted to return to your
homes and loved ones; permitted to witness
the greatness and happiness of our reunited
| country. But your comrades who returned
| not, who shall nevermore return, whose NOR
tai eyes shall never more behold the glory of
the country they died to save; them we name,
but not to mourn them as lost or to lament
them unfortunate. They died for great
cause.-the cause of mankind-and nothing
| at p,,r ha,I TO
ing the fame they have won for themselves !;
for that rests upon the sure foundations of the
Republic, and shall be as perpetual as the
Republic ITSELF
| On Fame's eternal camping ground
| Their silent tents are spread,
| And glory guards with solemn round
| The bivouac of the dead.
Happy, thrice happy, are we who have lived
to see this day; survivors of the survivors, for
time has thinned your ranks. You recall a
multitude of your comrades who survived the
war, but who now are no more. In their
life march, they have meet the last great
enemy, Death. and received Gods crown of
immortality: "Hail and FAREWELL"
Veterans of Maine! You represent an army
of Maine men, seventy thousand strong, who,
in time of public danger, found, in the post of
danger, their post of duty, where they fought
like brave men, long and well. Bravely they
bore their countrys flag in front of battle,
where the fight was thickest and no banner
of theirs, of regiment, battalion or company,
trailed in the dust. Proud is the distinction
you men of Maine enjoy that from Bull Run to
Approximation the beginning to the close
of the conflict, no flag of Maine regiment
was ever captured and held five minutes by
the enemy-not one! Yes, all fought like
Maine men, long and well. When from a
thousand men their ranks were reduced to
only twice hundred, their little battaliona
seemed then to suffer no diminution of strength
Whatever their loss, their eyes were undm-
4 med and their natural strength undated
Yours were regiments that could die
well, hence knew no loss, no defeat; for those