The Portland daily press., 1883-05-29
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it is not because we lack appreciation, generos-
ity or patriotism. In all these qualities Port
land stands second TO no city in our land. 1t
is rather, am sure, because in the hurry OF
business and the pressure Of material cares
Portland has never before placed herself
squarely, face to face, with the question OF a
soldiers monument.
1t is hard sometimes TO wake Portland up,
hard to rouse her from the absorbing duties Of
a commercial metropolis. But when once
Portland does wake up she is wide awake, she
never does things by halves, and never stops
short OF the goal Of her purposes,
When we OF middle age were children Pori-
land resolved to have rail communication with
Canada. Rival cities doubted and caviled, but
the railroad was built and the st. Lawrence
welded TO Casco Bay BY bonds of iron.
Next we determined We would have steam
communication with England, and lo for
quarter of century the black monsters of
commerce have piled across the Atlantic TO our
harbor.
Later we resolved to pierce the White Noun
tains by railroad. Skeptcs laughed and
wiseacres shook their heads, but now every
day, summer and winter, the neigh OF the
Portland iron horse echoes through the gorges
OF the everlasting hills.
Along back in the year OF grace 1853,
brave old Englishman landed ON our shores
and founded our CITY, For $50 years we have
never paused to appreciate the significance Of
this event. or the character OF this sturdy pi-
oneer but now Portland has at last walked up,
and this year Portland with fitting ceremonies
will raise a memorial stone in honor OF our
lion-hearted first settler, that natures noble
man, George Cleeyes.
And now, fellow citizens, Portland has
made one more resolve. read in your faces
here tonight, hear It in the elcquence
you have inspired IL those who
have addressed you Portland has
resolved, IN all seriousness and earnestness,
that her dead braves shall be no longer for
gotten; that, not at some future time, which is
no time, but nom, in The Icing present, she will
erect q monument in commemoratiOn OF the
yalor, the heroism and the self sacrifice Of her
sons, who marched forth 10 fight for liberty and
union, who laid down their lives on the altar of
their country, who died that the Republic
might live.
Ayemore Portland is resolved that this
monument, In proportions, in design and in
beauty shall be worthy the first city Of Maine,
worthy the dead it honors, worthy the cause in
which they fell; monument whose presence
among us shall be an abiding benediction, an
honorable memorial 10 our heroic dead, con-
slant inspiration to love Of country and love of
liberty ia the living
SPEECH OF HON. G. +. LIBBY.
The Hon. c. r. Libby, as he advanced 10 re-
spond to the call Of the chair, was greeted
with hearty and long-continued applause, and
said:
l could not decline the invitation to be pres
ent tonight and say word in behalf Of the
Soldiers and Sailors Monument A ISOLATION.
Not that think that the cause represented by
this association has any need Of special advo-
cacy in this community, for its title alone is
sufficient statement Of its object to secure the
support Of every patriotic and public spirited
citizen, but it gives US all good opportunity
to confess our shortcomings in the past. So
far as the work OF the association Is concerned
/ cannot bot consider that it is a reproach to
the fame of our fair city that it has allowed so
many years to pass By without erecting some
fitting memorial to the gallant men who fought
and died, on land and sea, during the war Of
the rebellion.
As municipality we may well say in the
language Of the prayer book, I'VE have left IN
done those things that we ought to have done,
and have done these things that we ought not
to have done." We have built railroads, and
wharves and elevators, but we have not found
time to iiEtingly honor the dead, whose sacri-
fees have preserved for US our country and our
homes.
In the matter. Portland has not maintained
her position as the leading city of the STATE.
She has allowedshersef TO be outstripped by
others. cannot think that this inaction has
been due to Indifference but rather TO the lack
OF energetic leaders to take the matter in hand.
These are no ,ODgeIEwanting and the gentle,
men who now have the matter in charge will,
l am sure, carry il TO q successful conclusion.
All that is needed ia q popular response in
the way OF subscriptions. Surely no Worthler
object can be presented 10 our regard than this
monument which shall tell the story OF a ma
tion's sacrifices to the coming generations. 1t
will be an evil day for the Republic when the
memory of these brave men, who died that we
might live, shall no lenger be held in grateful
remembrance Let the response to the appeal
oil the association be both generous and cordial
SPEECH OF GEN. J. J. LYNCH.
Gen. j. J. Lynch was called upon and in
substance said:
Wa rnr,st do what wa ran IN oarrv mt thu
object Of this association, for its object is q
noble one. Still green in our II emory are the
deeds Of the war, and the Yalor of our men
whether exhibited on battle fields in marches
or the prisons. Other cities have monuments,
they have remembered their dead; from graft
tude, for the sake of example to the future, By
all means let us built one.
SPEECH OF JUDGE KNIGHT.
Judge Knight followed Gen. Lynch and
said:
1t is peculiarly appropriate in the spring time
Of the year for us TO bring our offering at the
shrine Of the soldiers graves, for one OF earth's
greatest conflicts vas fought and won by our
soldiers, and they stand to-day as representa-
tiveS OF loyalty, human valor and allegiance to
law. They went out from among Us in time
of danger, they come again in peace, better
citizens than when they went forth.
1t has taken years of study and developing
thought for US to catch the meaning of that
incidents show; and this monument shall
tipify no bitterness or strife, but simple tri-
butte to most worthy deeds.
sPREcH OF HON. W. F. LUNT.
Hon. Wilbur f. Lunt spoke and said;
| For what and for whom shall we build
| monument? We shall build It as a teacher
and story-teller, as an exponent of one grand
| principle of law underlying a government,
that every man is bound to give his life if
need be for the common defense. We will
| build this monument that it may speak to the
| patriarchs and revive the memories of tn g
| past, that it may speak to the mothers, and re-
| call to them how they prayed for their dear
ones, that it may speak TO the soldiers and tell
them OF bivouac aud prison, and weary
marches and death, that it may speak to the
| rising generation, and be influential in
developing them into a strong and healthy
| type Of manhood.
SPEECH OF II. +. FuBBIsH.
Mr.. II. f. Furbish was the lass speaker Of the
evening He spoke of the work at home, Of
the toll and worry OF the mothers, OF the agony
| OF waiting, Of the cheerful, constant support by
word and deed given to the boys in the field,
! and OF the need we had of honoring them and
| ourselves by the erection of this monument.
| No fear that the memory Of these things shall
perish with us; while the country lives,
| "Generatlons yet unborn
Shall tell it to their sons
| The entire audience then arose and under
the leadership of Lieut.. Thurston joined in
singing the familiar song of Marching
through Georgia."
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