Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-10
LEGISLATURE.
Senate.
MONDAY, Feb. 9.

| MONDAY, Feb. 9.
Prayer by Rev. Mr.. Allen of Augusta.
Papers from the House disposed of in con-
currence.
Bill an act to confirm and make valid the
organization of the Monsoon Railroad Compa-
nv. and to authorize the extension of the
same. came up on its first reading, and was
| laid on the table and ordered to be printed,
on motion of Mr.. Young.
Bill an act to fix the salary of the Judge
and Register of Probate for Knox county,
came up on its first reading, and was laid on
the table on motion of Mr.. Allen.
Resolutions in relation to restoring Ulysses
! S Grant to his rank of General in the Army
on the retired list, came from the House and
| were read.
! Mr. Lebroke said: Mr.. President
! rise for the purpose of moving that the
rule be suspended and that these resolutions
| take their second reading at this time. l
have had no time in which to give thought to
this subject, as it comes up suddenly; but in
support of the resolusions l will say that |
| regard their passage duty to that distin-
guished and successful chieftain under whom
our great victories were achieved, the result of
which was a remodelling of our Constitution
80 that it should embrace within itself the i'm
mortal principles of the Declaration of indie
pendence as a part of the organic law of the
land, making all men free and equal according
a new order of things in America, and set
ting an example to the world. 1t is not only
duty towards Gen. Grant that these resolu-
tions should have passage and be acted up
on by the National Congress, but duty
which we owe to ourselves No nation can
afford to be fOrgetful of the services of its
military chieftains and of its soldiers.
Were entirely selfish. had no sympathy
for the great fighting captain who took part
in that great contest, had no heart sympa-
thy for the common soldier, vet would, as
a matter of policy, have this nation. consid-
ering what may arise in the future, consider
ing the calls that may be made in the future
for the salvation of this country, do ample
Justice to every officer and every soldier who
honestly and faithfully participated in that
great struggle. l would so vote, because l
would say to all the future and to the sons of
the future, when this nation falls into dis
tress, Flv to arms and the nation will re-
member you, and will remember yours in all
time to come, so that they may be assured
that if they sacrifice their health, and per-
chance lose their lives. those depending upon
them shall be protected and preserved, and
that they themselves, if they live, shall be sus-
tanned and supported. Beyond this,I have a
lasting and profound sympathy for those who
were at the front, those who bore the
storms of winter and the burning suns of
summer, suffering from parching thirst upon
the battlefield and felt the shock of terrible
strife in the hell of battle to save this nation
for me and mine, while l was quietly at my
home. feel strong sympathy and deep
gratitude which would carry me far beyond
the line of selfish consideration in this matter
General Grant was the successful chief
tain under whom the liberties of this people
and the integrity of this nation were assured
Considering the magnitude of the armies, the
length Of the struggle, and the circu
connected with it, no soldier cheftain has
greater claim than General Grant. He was
known and recognized throughout the world
as a military man of very marked character
| and ability among the great men of modern
times. 1t was not accorded to the great Napo-
leon. after ell the victories that he had achev-
ed. to circumnavigate the earth and meet
the representatives of all nations upon the
face of the earth, aud to receive the adulation
and homage of all people as he made the cir
cult of this globe Such were the ubiquitous
honors of Gen Grant. And when all this has
happened, and when we are reaping the re-
suits of these things under the reformed
constitution and under the new order of
lnlUSs, IL WOulu Ill Dcut tllc pGOpIe VI lulS
great and prosperous nation to forget or
| seem to be in any way indifferent to our
duty towards him "a nation which within
the last twenty years has made more
progress in wealth, in population, in i'm
provements than any other nation that has
ever existed upon the face of the earth since
the dawn of creation; a nation with four
millions of square miles a nation of nearly
| sixty millions Of people; a nation which has
| trehled Its real value of property within the
| last TWENTY-FIVE years; nation to-day in
which there are railroads sufficient to sur
round the earth at the equator five times
nation in which there are hundreds
of thousands of miles of telegraph wire; a
nation whose population is augmented both
| by natural increase at home, and at the same
time by unprecedented immigration from
| foreign lands; nation which has improved
| in all the arts of life; a nation whose growth
can only be measured by figures which we
cannot comprehend as we read them NAV
well honorabIy and substantially remember
| the great chieftain and great leader under
whom the victories were achieved, out of
which has grown this marvellous prosperity
| Instead of divided nation, instead of a
dissolution of this republic and government,
instead of an artificial boundary being drawn
upon Mason's and Dixon's line to the noun
| tans, where on the one hand and the other
would be hostile forces in frowning fortresses
with their extended bastions ready to belch
forth the fire of war at any time, instead of a
separate republic set up on the Pacific coast,
instead of this nations being divided into
hostile and Earring republics which might
be the prey of foreign powers, we have
united and firmly consolidated ma
| ton. such as that of which l have
spoken, whose name is respected upon every
ocean where the white sails of commerce are
unfurled to the wind. Such a nation as this
must never forget its heroes. In the name
of all that is great and good they shall not
| forget its heroes, whether they be the great
| fighting generals who led on to victories or
the humble soldier who fought in the ranks
And the dead must be remembered as well as
the living. And the descendants of the he
roic dead shall be our wards in all time to
come. | vote most heartily, Mr.. President,
for these resolutions, and make the motion
that the rules be suspended and that they now
have passage.
The rules were suspended, and by unani-
nous vote the resolutions were passed to be
engrosscd
On motion of Mr.. Heath,
Ordered That the Secretary of the Senate
prepare and cause to be printed under his SUI
pervision and direction, the usual number of