The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-31

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showing what the intention of the South really
was thirty years before the war. In the year
1886 there was secretly and anonymously pub.
lished in our national capital, book entitled
1.-THE Partisan Leader in which the Southern
side OF the case Is stated in significant Terms;
and under the fascinating form of novel, the
war, as 1t actually took place, was SUBSTANTIAL
ly and sprophet cally described. That book
was suppressed, the time being found too early
to indicate SO clearly the revolution thus skill
fully prjected in the book, particularly when
so honest and patriotic man as Andrew Jack
son, Southerner though he was, occupied the
Presidential chair. 1t was singularly dated
1856, twenty years ahead of its actual publica-
tion, Just the very wear when the hrst dennite
political issue was made between the North
and the South on the slavery question by the
contest Tor the Presidency between Ool; Ere
mont, the gallant PATHFINDER OF the Rocky
Mountains" and James Buchanan.
SO IL would seem, and in fact there 10 little
doubt, that the South had long projected and
too we'll prepared for secession and disunion;
because no such gigantic rebellion, with such
slnews OF war and long-continued persisteney
for four mortal years, could have organized
such armies, and kept in the field, merely up
on the instant of the first reverse In political
sentiment or loss Of power on the part OF the
South.
Continuing with political history and an
tering into the history OF the assault on Fort
Sumter and the first insult TO the nag, fol-
lowed by the tale of the assault on the Massa-
chnsetts Sixth at Baltimore, which the speaker
compared TO the Lexington blood shed IN de-
fence of the priceless heritage transmitted by
our Revolutionary sires the speaker made the
following allusion 10 Names war Governor;
Your own State under the leadership OF Its
able war Governor, Israel Washburn, Jr., SO
recently laid away in death, did its full part in
answering the call of the President In his
inaugural address to the Legislature OF Maine,
after ably reviewing the whole slavery ques-
tion Gov. Washbnrn said that There is no
snch right Ia the constitution as secession.
Congress cannot grant 10, the States cannot
eoneede it, and only by the people OF the
States, acting through change In the con-
stitation, can IL be conferred, The laws then
must DO executed or this the best because
the pnrest and most benefoent government
that the world has ever seen is destroyed
And your Legislature subsequently enacted its
formal resolution to the same effect declaring
that the entire resources OF the State in men
and money were pledged In defence Of the adj
ministration and sablect 70 the constitution
and the Union.
From the issuing of the Emancipation proc
lamation new light dawned upon our cause;
and the grand armies OF the nation went on
from victory to victory, until on the 9th of
April, 1860, the long, bitter and most gigantic
war was brought to close by the final surren-
der OF the rebel army at Appomattox to Gen.
Grant, And the high honor OF conducting the
forms OF that surrender was accorded to your
own brilliant soldier, scholar and statesman
Gen. Chamberlain Soon may he recover from
the effects OF the wounds he received in battle,
and long may he live to labor for the State and
the College, both of which he so much honofs.
And what are tho inestimable results OF our
civil war? They are nation preserved from
dismemberment and its attendant evils, the sa-
cred obligations OF constitutional government
reiterated and firmly established against dis
union and f0rcble secession, and 1900, 900 of
human beings lifted from depressing serytude
70 the rank OF equal freedom, equality aod cit
izenship. And this great work was accom-
plished by your sacrifices, and by those of the
heroes whose memory we this day cherish aud
whose graves We fondiy decorate,
And the greater was your and their heroism
because Of the fortitude, pefsistency and yalor
displayed BY many of our brethren on the Con-
federate side. They were foemen right worthy
OF your steel; for were they not your brothers?
Those OF you who were at Gettysburg must
well remember that brilliant assault, made by
Gen. Plcketts division on Gen. Hancock's po-
sition at Cemetery Hill, and again their deter
mined valor SO notably shown at Murfreesbore,
Cold Harbor, the siege OF Vieksburg, and that
final retreat from Richmond, where their en-
durance and valor We're truly Sublime.
Sleep on, then, brave soldiers OF liberty and
union, all the more valiant Ia the judgment of
the world, that you met your peers Ia heroism,
and conquered them. And, felloW-cltzens at
large, wonld certainly say
Cherish the heroes who fought the great battles;
treat them as kings If they honor yonr way
Succor aud comfort the sick and the Wounded;
And OH for tho dead, let Us all kneel and pray
Attbe close OF the grafton, which was warm
~ received, the audience sang America to
the accompaniment of Chandler's band, and
the great crowd moved out of the building.
NOTES
1t was noticeable that the flowers cannibut-
ed were more than usually beautiful this
year.
The crowd at Evergreen Cemetery was il
anything larger this year than for several years
previous.
The military all marched and looked we'll
yesterday. The Sons Of Veterans marched
with precision and showed good drill
The Brown Artillery make great addition
to a procession, bat the gun carriages need
little state paint