The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-08-16

and people OF whom we have reason to be
proud-ofsour institutions, of our shipping and
commerce, OF our agriculture and manufac-
cures, OF our merchants and business men. We
have reason to be proud Of our educational in
situations, for we have system of education
that is not surpassed by any nation in the
world few years ago, when still teaching.
an Englishman visited the school one day. i
took him through the different rooms and
classes, After examining everything, he said
to me, "And is all this free? Do the children
of the poor man, as well as the rich man. have
all these privileges?" told him eyes" The
answer strongly Impressed him. and it is such
ideas that are being infused into the minds of
every foreigner in the State, which are carried
home, and causes education to be dffused
throughout the world. With such people as
we possess 1t is utterly impossible that we
should have poor government.
We have good soil; not like that of the
South or West; but it is titled by men and
women who have habits OF industry, which
enable them to compete with success with 9TH
ers in the struggle for life. Go through the
States of any section of the Union and you
will find citizens OF Maine in high and respon-
sible positions. Governors Andrew and Long
belong to US, which shows that our proud sis
ter must occasionally look to us. Should you
go into foreign lands, you will find the State of
Maine is there represented with credit. We
have reason to feel proud of our State and our
people, and hope to live to proclaim for her in
the future still greater and a more glorious
name than sne now possesses.
The President then called upon his former
"pupil," the Hon. L. d. NJ Sweat, reminding
that gentleman that for this day the old rela-
tions of youth were resumed, and exhortng
him to acquit himself as well as he did in the
school house among the Parsonsfield hills.
where "NIaster Bradbury" taught SO many
years ago. And Mr.. Sweat did acquit himself
wonderfully well. The speech he made, SO fe-
licitously conceived and SO happily phrased,
was one no loyal son of York would care to
miss hearing. He said:
L. D. M. SWEAT.
Ladies and Gentlemen 1t is true had the
honor and pleasure OF receiving instructions
from our distinguished president. He has
been pleased to speak of me as one of his pu-
pills, as though / was still very young and he
corresponding old. You will judge for your
selves as to that. laughter l well recollect
the time when he first made his appearance in
the school house-a tall, slim young man-and
as thought then, and still think now, the
handsomest and most elegant young man /
ever knew. learned something Of him have
no doubt. learned all my steady and sturdy
habits. Laughter.l The only fault | have to
find with him is this: have never known him
yet to 90 back on his word until to-day. l I'M
derstood him that he would leave me alone to
enjoy my friends about me and the air about
me. He saw fit to call upon me and respond
to my name, but trust have too much COM
nonsense to inflict upon this assembly at this
time OF the day any extended remarks. When
think of old York county, however, and the
events connected with her history my mind is
filled with pleasing recollections of York, and
while do not propose to speak of any particular
town, do look upon York county with pride.
She has had name and place in the annals of
this country for go yeors. ST. Augustine,
jamestown, Plymouth, York-and have not
now mentioned them in their right order, be-
cause it is a matter of demonstration that the
territory of Maine was taken posses sion of by
European powers, the first of all in the whole
OF New England. could, If there were time
speak with pleasure Of many of the events
connected with the early history of York, but
cannot, because have loJ right to take up
the time which would be required to enter in
to it. could relate to you incidents going far
back INTO the administration Of Gorges, Ripley
and Danforth, and of the wars between the
French and Indians; hut they are matters of
history, of which you are all very conversant.
In the war of the Revolution York county
took verv prominent position.
/ was quite interested few years ago, in
looking over the old documents of the town of
Wells-the old town. I found there the spirit
OF our revolutionary fathers. | wish had
copied some of their resolves and had them
here to read to you.
As early as 1771 the town of Wells made and
passed its protest against the aggression of
Great Britain. York did the same; Biddeford
the same. SO nearly like the declarations
drawn up by Jefferson were they, that YOU
would almost declare the Declaration of indie
pendence was taken from the resolves of those
sturdy men of old York and Wells and Bidde-
ford. In the war of 1912 old York took prom
inent part All these towns did their part;
Limerick sent fine company, as did the town
of Saco and others, and the county sent mag
nihcent company of 200 men commanded by
Captain Rufus Mcintyre, whose immediate
descendants are here today, and whose name is
honored all over Maine.
When the dark cloud of the Rebellion roll
ed over the country, the county of York was
| again ready, and furnished mon for more than
| sixteen regiments in the State of Maine. do
not mean that sixteen regiments were made up
of men from this county, but York men were
in more than sixteen regiments So that the
| same political spirit has come down to the pre-
| sent day. l need not allude to the men who
have done honor to our navy. But think of
| the young man who at q years of age boarded
full manned English ship with fourteen men
| and brought it away. That same young man
| few years after was by our government put
in command OF our squadron at Tripoli. In
| command of the Constitution there he sunk
| four ships. That you man, who died young
| only 43 years of age-was Edward Preble. AL
| though born on Falmouth Neck he descended
from ancestors who were of York county.
| Coming down to 1900, many distinguished
! your lawyers, for instance, are those of Will
| liam Pitt Preble, your Kings, Wallingfords,
| Cliffords, Towards, Eastmans, and others;
men who have been distinguished in the politi
cal history not only of the State, but of the
| United States. II you would follow down
those names, look at your Moores, your Nc
| Donolds, your Davises, your Mellens, and your
Fairfelds. Mr.. Fairfield and Mr.. Melen rep
United States. Mellen, before we were
a State, and Fairfield and Shepley
| after the separation from Massachusetts.
Many great men commenced their career in
York county. We have had an elegant and
| finished speech from the accomplished son of
one of the most distinguished men of the ma
| ton, who first planted his feet in the little
town of Newfeld There his talents were de-
| veloped, and there he commenced to gain his
| reputation. He has died and left a legacy of
4 which not only his immediate family but the
whole State may be proud. He terminated his
| life as Justice Of the United States When
he left that bench he had not his
peer upon the bench of the Supreme Court of
| The physicians of York county from the
| earliest ages have taken high positions of emil
| nence, and although secluded, some of them
have not only had State reputation bat al
| most a national one and long will their memo
ries be cherished by us.
But, Mr.. President. / did not propose to 90
into any detailed statement of York county, or
to allude to any names as L spoke. This soc-
ETY. was glad to hear was to be formed. So
cieties from other counties have had their ex-
istence for years in Portland. l congratulate
myself and the sons and daughters Of York
county on the suspicious circumstances attend
ing on this our first meeting on this beautiful
island washed by the laughing and ever rim
ping waters of the Atlantic.
OF course left York county many, many
years ago, but my associations and memories
are very firmly wrapped up in that good old
county, and wherever have lived and wher-
ever have roamed, and wherever may wan
der, II life should be spared to me many years,
the recollectons of York county, and especial
~ OF my own birth town, will always be cher
ished. And how could it be otherwise? For in
the ohurchyard there theresare many mounds
modestly marked with the names of my kin
and family, dear to me, and ever must be, and
my mind reverts to them constantly. You
may believe me that / am exceedingly happv
to meet you. only wish there was a larger
representation here. But they have probably
shown their good sense in staying at home for
the fields and mountains of that county can
not be exceled in beauty, for York county il
one of the most picturesque counties l have
ever been in. We have the Wells beach, the
York beach and Old Orchard beach, Our
beach here at Old Orchard is the finest have
ever seen, though not the longest.
am right glad to see not only the men, but
the women of the county represented here to-
day, for the time has come in the history of
cur country when women are to take their
place and we are to have the benefit of the
skill and the genius of the women of our land.