The Portland daily press., 1881-10-01
HARTFORD VISITORS
And Their Reception by the Artillery.

And Their Reception by the Artillery
Yesterday afternoon Major Embler and
| Judge Advocate Hyde Of the Hartford Foot
| Guard arrived in town bearing testimonial
to the Brown Light Artillery in recognition OF
| the courtesies extended by that command to
the Guard last August They were received
by the Browns at the Preble House last even
| ing. The reception was quite informal. The
visitors and the artillerymen sat down to fine
| collation. prepared and served in the best man
ner of the Prebe under its present manage
ment. Intimacies were renewed "reminiscences
| of the summer visit revived and song and
jest indulged in around the pleasant board AT
the conclusion of the feast and over the coffee,
| Major Embler introduced Judge Advocate
| Hyde, who presented the gift in the following
| appropriate words:
| Lieut. LaYrabee and Gentlemen Of the Broacn
Light artillery.
Il is said that Sir Edmund Andres, from
| whom it was necessary to conceal the Connectl-
cutcharter in the famous charter oak, exercised
less than his usual severity in dealing with the
people of Maine. We of Hartford can easily
believe that, for if anything like the rare hos
pitality of Portland of to-day prevailed here
in the colonial times the temper OF old SlE Ed
mund even, must have been subdued by your
kindness. 1t was my msfortune-I count it
an exct edingy great oue-not to be able
to accompany the Governors Guard on
that pleasant August day on their excursion
from the banks of the gentle Connecticut to
your beautiful city that sits by the sea. It was
my loss-I shall never cease to regret it-not
to be able to partake of your hospitality
on that occasion, and in common with other
members of the Guard form those friendships
with members OF this command which we all
prize so highly. But, because of this, it may
be because was not in person subjected to
that charm under which you seem to have
placed all who were present, and l can there
fore speak OF you and TO you, not with the
vehemence of young and urgent lover,
but dispassionately and without prejudice as
better becomes the dignity and gray hairs OF
our venerable organization, that upon me has
been cast the pleasant duty OF attempting to
convey to you the sentiments OF admlraJon re-
spect and friendship which we of the guards
entertain for you of the Artillery. Along the
line of our history those hourszspent up here
are jets lof living ght which mark the brief
Resting places in our march of life where we
have halted moment to clasp the hand of a
brother soldier, to exchange with him SOL
diers hospitality, and bid him God speed on
his way. OF these resting places there are many
| wish there were more--on our pathway, but
none are of more precious memory, none were
more thoroughly enjoyed none we're better fill
ed with hearty greeting and adorned with
warm friendship, none will be illuminated by
a brighter light than the few short hours in
last August when were your guests and
partakers of your bounteous hospitality. We
Came among you strangers, we left you friends.
What more can say? AS a pledge of that
friendship, allow me to present to you in be-
half of the Governors foot Guards this slight
testimonial, and as you read the words engrav-
ed thereon, you may be assured that they ex-
press the honest, true and genuine feelings OF
every member of the Guards.
The testimonial, which has been elegantly
framed by Capt. Thomas f. Burke, contains
the resolutions adopted by the battalioa, while.
on either side are two portraits, one represent
ng First Sergeant Hillman in full dress uni
form, and the other, Sergeant Dwyer in the
fatigue dress of the command. The portraits
were executed by Delamater and are fine
specimens of work. The resolutions were en-
crossed by Horace Heath, of the Secretary Of
States office. The frame is of Gothic style,
five by three feet, of rich gold ornamentation
and entirely new in design. The arch topped
panels, embodying the guard figures and reso-
lutions are singulariy appropriate and artistic
The inscription is this:
The Gocernof's Foot Guard to the BroD1l
ATtitery, Greeting: On the 10th and 11th of
August 1881, we received at your hands such
desire in some way to express our appreciation
of your good will. The accompanying pictures
of the guard may serve to recall TO your minds
visit and the friendships formed We
trust the association commenced thus favor
ably may continue during the existence of
both commands.
Lieut.. Larrabee made the following fitting
response:
1t is not easy for me to fittingly respond to
the extraordinary courtesies of the, e,command
which you represent. Concerning what has
been said in the presentation of the beautiful
token which you have brought with you,
must not speak; for were to deny the allega-
tions which you make of your obligations to
my command | should be discourteous and
we're / to acknowledge their truth should
cause many good artileryman to blush. The
Brown Light Artillery accepts the token with
all the pleasant grsetiIgs which accompany it
from Hartford men. Such testimonial of
regard, coming from such a source, will not,
assure you, be unappreciated or undervalued
by toe men in whose hands your destinies fell
on the 10th and 11th of August last.
We admire the general attractivenesS and
striking beauty of your gift. We regard the
elegant taste displayed in its preparation and
commend the skill of the artist We thank
you for the expression of friendship in the re-
solutions you have indited upon is face to en-
dure and be when human memories shall fail.
As we read your testimonial tonight we hard
ly stop to catch the meaning of your rounded
periods. We look not at, but through them,
and in our Inemories-moSt beautiful
retrospect-rse the faces of the guard We
see your company of courteous, genial, happy
men whose pleasure but yesterday was our
desire. We experience again the joys of your
recent visit.
But gentlemen of the committee, we need
no sign to put such light into our eyes, to awak-
on such memories; and it is not for that we
most highly prize your gift, but for this: the
relations of the respective cities which we rep
resent have been sensibly affected by your re-
Cent visit to city. AS citizens we have re-
newed and strengthened the bonds of friend
ship which had before been sealed by older
friends The testimonial you have offered
will find an honored place upon the walls of
ant and constant reminder of your exemplary
command, and when the individuals who now
comprise the Brown Light Artillery shall no
longer be counted in the militia of Maine, the
company will remain and this favor tell to new
members of the friendship of Hartford and
Portland and invite its continuance.
Gentlemen, accept our hearty thanks and
convey them to your command for this en-
blem of friendship. Be assured that though l
spoke for the Artillery alone, the citizens of
Portland who are friends of the battery-and
they are many-regard you with more than
dinary interest and wish you as glorious fu-
ture at your present is inspiring.
After the speeches the time till midnight
was pleasantly passed in social converse, and
the company dispersed, feeling that the senti-
ment of comradeship between the two COM
mands had been materially strengthened.
The testimonial will be ON exhibition at
Dresser & McLellan's to-day
Portland Lumber Trade.
do r;f fha Norfh