The Portland daily press., 1882-03-06

1866? sLook not mournfully upon the
past" But let us view it as it now pre-
sents itself from the observatory, or from
the dome of City Hall, for good evidence of
its material growth. When l made the ac-
quaintance of Portland, it contained less
than one third of Its present population,
and there are some present who saw Port
land with only one-fifth of the number who
now have home here. Only few years
ago, and the outlook for Portland was not
encouraging.
1t is said that every man does very
foolish thing once in his life, and as a gen.
eral rule, it is when he builds house.
And we might say of our Maine towns, that
when they do very foolish thing it is
when they build railroad. At present
we can take hopeful view of Portland. II
has partaken in a measure of the general
prosperity of our country. Our trade has
largely increased. 1t is having slow but
healthy growth, and with its promises or
improvement in the near future, we
have every reason to be gratified with our
prospects. We claim nothing OF this as
due to the acts of our city government;
that city is best governed where the cltl-
zens pursue their avocations with the
greatest security and freedom, and with the
least ANNOYANCE. and-with reasonable
taxes. We enjoy the first now, and with
few years of care, patience and economy,
the latter will surely follow.
The settlement of this state was largely
by English or those of English descent,
with the almost only exception OF Dutch
Marlborough. Our city received some
settlers from Massachusetts. Latterly, our
additions have been from Europe as well
as from Oxford County. No one can be
regarded as interlopers or tramps, except
by the original owners, the Indians, whom
we banished to Canada or to the Holy
Land.
We all have equal political and civil
rights, and are entitled to such social priv
ileges as our behavior, or our social stand
ing merits, and that is all that any one can
claim of whatever color or complexion.
So you see that we are all equal and 1t is
not becoming to take on airs. The So
called liberal christian sects claim. each one
of them, that it has liberalized theological
views. And in this mutual admiration
gathering, it is to be expected that Oxford
county has stamped its superior charcter
upon benighted Portland. "God made the
country, but man made the town."
Whether we trace ancestry from the
blondes of Northern Europe the original
Aryaps, with light and sandy compilations,
or from the brunettes of Southern Europe,
the Basques with African tincture, black
hair and dark compilations, aoe are aoao
americans. We can no more boast OF an
cestry, than could the proud Englishman
in the time of De Foe who said, YOU'RE
descended from Norwegian, pirates and
buccaneering Danes, whose red haired OIL
spring everywhere remained" We had no
choice in our birth. We find ourselves in
existence and we accept the situation. but
would not repeat our lives, if the offer
could be made US. 1t should ever be our
purpose to make the best of this life. To
do cur duty in any and every relation. So
far as we abjure selfshness, and practice
love to our neighbor, we can quote Burn s: !:
nIf there's another world, he lives in bliss.
And if there's none, he made the best of this.
And may all present, citizens, whether
We rejoice to hail from Oxford county, or
elsewhere, have the satisfaction, when we
leave Portland by any conveyance what
ever, that we have respected ourselves and
have been an honor to the city.
The next toast announced was
Our St0tesDsea-From all parts of our coms
mon country we find them hailing from Old Ok
ford-among the goodliest fruit our native nils
have borne.
Responded to by Gen. j. j. Perry. The
following is careful abstract:
Mr.. President--Without consuming time
upon preliminary remarks, proceed direct
ly to the discussion of the part assigned
me to-wit, '.Statesmanship' of the Sons OF
Old oxford. l start with the bold assump-
ton, that Old Oxford in craftsmanship, has
prouder and more complete comparative
record, than any other county in New Eng
land-aye of any other county in the Union
The fame and glory of her sons, has not
resulted from the accidents OF birth, the
Establishments of wealth, or the polish OF
education; but is due to the genius, the
chivalry, the high toned morals and in
domitable energy, and perseverance of her
men and women.
The bows that have been Dursed and
reared in the modest, unpretentious cot
tages, that cot the majestic hills, and nestle
in the green valleys of that alpine region,
are statesmen and heroes from their birth.
From the noble sires. they inherit the
chivalry of the highlanders, and drink in
the inspiration that surrounds the wild and
romantic regions of their mountain homes
they learn to play with the lghtnings and
storms, with the heroic daring OF the an
cient gods Genius and talent sometimes
90 unreWarded, but not always.
The large political honors conferred upon
the Sons of Old Oxford, in this and other
States in the Union, is the natural develop
ment Of sound and healthy public senti.
ment among the people. tits evidence OF
their good Judgment, and wise discrimina-
ton ia the selection of their rulers. Thelr
record is a proud one-but / have only
time for brief analysis-the mention Of
only few of the names lllustrious in the
annals OF fame.
Gen. Peleg Wadsworth Of Revolutionary
memory was member of Congress from
ho a
tion-removed from Portland to Hiram in
oxford County, where he resided until
| his death in 1929. A residence of % years
| in Oxford County, made the old general
| full grown ibear''-the first member oi
| this honorable fraternity who had a Con
! gressional record.
Gen, Levi Hubbard, of Paris, was the
| first representative to Congress from Ok
| ford County, and served from 1913 to 1915
| Albion <. Paris, native of Hebron, wai
| a representative to Congress from 1873 te
| 1919; and Enoch Lincoln, long a reslden
| of Paris. was member of the same body
from 1918 to 1920. This brings as up K
| the admission of Maine into the Union as ;
| State in 1920.
Since then, Maine has sent IS men-na
| tives or residents of Oxford County, to the
| National House of Representatives--who
L
yeSrs-and from other States during thiI
| lime, eleven Sons of Old Oxford have beer
| sent to the same body--with an aggregate
term of service of 80 years-so that in fact
Oxford County has had what is equal tt
! two representatives in Congress, all tht
time for the last sixty years.
Maine has sent four Oxford County
| bows to the United States Senate-the ag
gregate of whose terms amounts to 35 years
| while other States have sent natives OF The
| same county-to the same body 70 years
an aggregate service of go years-equal t.
one senator and 2 representatives in Con
| gress from Oxford County ever since Maln'
| became State.
What other county in the Union car
boast of such a Congressional record?
! Old Oxford has furnished members o
the Cabinet, 4 ministers to Foreign Courts
| and ConsUls to foreign ports too numerous
to mention. She furnished Collector o
the port of Boston and a Collector for tn
port of Portland II years. The office o
United States Marshal for Maine has beel
fllcd o=er -tw ststy years by I'VE or per sons
one of which has just been appointed. Ant
for twenty-eight years she furnished th'
Clerk of the United States District Court
in the person of the distinguished '.bear'
who presides over us to night.
Oxford County has furnished six Govern
ors for this State-whose aggregate servic
was sixteen years--more than fourth par
of the time since Maine became a State
And during this time the political partie
in the minority have presented Oxfort
County boys as their regular candidate
nine years-all of whom would have beel
n l. xr<1fO