The National tribune., 1885-07-02

/ ,''-S
stantly ascending from the homes of all the people
that his health may be restored and his unimpalred
! power of body and mind may be spared for the
good of the country, which his mighty leadership
| has preserved. Finally, veteran soldiers, what a
grand procession to-day moved along the streets oi
| the Forest City OF Maine. The trees lifted theiE
| branches to do you honor. The birds sang more
| sweetly than ever. Nature everywhere rejoIced
and the tramp of your footsteps to the music of the
Union was pleasant sound to our ears. Here, then
fellow soldiers, in view of the shore of the great
| ocean which washes the New England coast where
| our Pilgrim Fathers first commenced an extended
line of settlement on territory where New England
civilization began, and where the of American
| liberty rose and immortalized Lexington, Concord
| and Bunker Hill places now dear TO every Ameri-
can citizen; in this beautiful New England city by
the with its wonderful history and traditions OF
over 80 years in this loyal State of Maine, which
| in clden times sent one-third of its male popua-
ton into the Continental army, and more recently
nearly 1000 young men, or one-fourth OF its male
popuialon into the Union army; here let us build
| our campfires and hold social communion together,
and when the hour of farewell comes, may you de-
part leaving behind strong and abiding friendships
| with the best impression, and with hearty cheer
| for the Pine Tree State.
MAYOR DEERING
then made the following appropriate and
hearty address of welcome to the veterans:
| Soldiers and sailors of the Grand Army of the
Republic IN behalf OF the citizens and in the name
! OF the Forest City, bid you welcome to Portland.
| Soldiers that escaped the bullet and the shot and
shell OF battle the crueltes and privations of rebel
| PRISONS. Men that more than score of years ago
| bore the pain and torture of fearful wounds Sol
diers that followed the flag through all the fortunes
of war until triumphant victory crowned your arms
| with the surrender of the rebel army.
Sailors that carried the old flag in glory past the
| batteries of ficksburg and the Lower Mississippi
that endured the murderous fire of Sumter. of Nor
gan and a score of other battles. Men that sent
the Alabama, with her Stars and Bars, to her eter-
nal home nj the bottom of the British Channel.
Sailors that never lowered the flag to a rebel and
who knew that with but plank between them
and death, there is no place for towards inside OF
wooden walls.
4 Soldiers anb sailors 7 I,i,J won xre,oop,a
! Your Generals and distinguished officers that
led you 10 victory, we welcomed As the honored
| of the land, we fully recognize their brilliant
deeds and place upon their brows the laurels of
| victory. We most willingly render to them the
homage that is their due, for they earned ii upon
| the battlefield
But must not forget that the courage, the en-
| durance, and the loyalty of the soldiers and the
sailors of the Grand Army made the name and the
| fame of your great Generals and great Adniras,
for the rank and file were foremost In the fight and
in the work, that battle for the right that causes
the old flag to wave in glory to-day a united
| land. reaching from the great lakes to the Gulf,
and from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The SHOWS of Winter and the flowers of Summer
have come and gone for more than 20 years since
your sentinels hushed their challenge, and the
bugle call and the long roll of your drums called
you to arms. Great and bloody battles have been
fought IN foreign lands marvellous changes have
taken place in the body polite; but the recoliec-
tons of your battles, and of your victories and the
! memories of the dead heroes who stood shoulder
| to shoulder with You upon many field, is the
common heritage of our country and of the Ma
ton that should never forget to remember the dead
ana 10 honor the living that fought the battles OF
the civil war which decided forever that this Union
of States is a Nation of free men. q.
We regret the absence of your old commander
and that we have not the language adequate to ex-
press our sympathy for the great soldier that the
Nation loves who is now struggling with disease
among the mountains of the AdirondackS. We
most feryently pray that Gen. Grant may be
stored to health.
We gratefully remember, for we cannot recall,
that great army whose rol-cali of honor grows
larger upon each successive Memorial Day. They
have crossed the river They await your coming,
and sooner than realize their ranks will be
filled and the men who fought battles that this
Nation and the Union of these States might live
fores er will exist only in history and in the men,
ory OF a grateful country.
Portland thanks you for the honor of your pres
ence this day, and citizens desire the veterans
to fully understand they are welcomed by every
heart and to every freside in the city.
Again, permit me, survivors of the grandest
army the world ever knew, to welcome, thrice well
come you to Portland.
Commander-in- Chief Kountz made reply in
his usual eloquent and felicitous style:
Mr.. Commander thank you more than have
words TO express for your kind words of welcome
beautiful and so complimentary. Mr.. Governor, Mr..
Mayor. in behalf of the 10Th annual Encampment
ofthe Grand Army of the Republic the largest in
our history, in behalf of the large number of
radesfrom almost every State in the Union who have
gathered in your beautiful city, thank for your
kind words and acts of welcome Ladies and gen.
tlemen, il would be difficult to convey TO You our
deep feeling of grateful appreciation for the hearty
and cordial manner in which you have proved that
welcome by your appearance here this evening in
such large numbers, and for this splendid reception
One year ago we accepted your invitation TO hold
this Encampment in the a--t
PINE TREE STATE,
and want TO say TO you Mr.. Mayor and to the good
people OF Portland that we glad TO be here APP
plause.I You have not only welcomed Us to your
city, but have taken us to your homes. and cap
ttred our hearts by your generosity end kindness.
We vividly rememb Der your loyalty and devotion to
the Republic in the struggle for liberty and Union
conG sr ipaHtb no arapt
taton of Maine in that great contest, and that is
additional reason why We rejoice to be with you.
We are here to review the work of the past year
meet and greet old comrades and to rekindle the
fraternal feeling in our hearts which bound
gether i'll the days when we were battling beneath
the Stars and the Stripes for the of the
Union. The Grand Army efthe Republic rests upon
the record of unselfsh patriotism and is made up of
men who risked all for country, and is based upon
these three sublime virtues, fraternity, Charity and
Loyalty. Nearly
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND
of the surviving soldiers of the Union army bear
testimony to its broad fraternity. The hundreds of
thousands OF dollars annually expended in its mag
nhcent relief work proves its charity. The organ-
cation rs seryitor to loyalty and teaches the rising
generations lessons of patriotism. Such, in brief,
the aims and business of the Grand Army of
the Republic. The feeling of friendship that exists
between old soldiers and the association
ist IN any other. The ties which bind were
menied in the camp and on the battlefield. and
the Grand Army of the Republic viii work and en-
dure until the lost survivor yields to the last tattoo
can express, for this loyal welcome and assure you
that this magnificent reception will forever remain
with US pleasant recollection. lApplause.l
GEN. ALGER, OF MICHIGAN,
was then introduced by the Chairman. He
prefaced his remarks by asking the COM
rades how they liked Maine and Portland, and
said their appearance showed that no answer
was necessary. He went on
II has been a gale of hospitality with us all over
town, and we don't care whether it stops blowing
not. We have too much; more than can
hold. daughter and applause. He said that the
Chairman suggested that because we tried to
get 10 gallons into an S-gaon jug, but he would
like TO know what the State of Maine knows about
Maine and Michigan stood side by side so they
are glad to stand here tonight side by side; but
for the first time in their history Michigan
ders TO Maine. tApplause.l Michigan, when the
war broke out, had III 600 men enrolled who
eligible for the army; of that III 900 she sent 81
ord in the world, but want to see it beaten
before we give 1T up. Applause.
Gov FAIRCHILD OF WISCONSIN,
urged upon the comrades the importance of
teaching the younger generations the principles
of the Grand Army Of the Republic and the
lessons of the war.
GEN. H. W. sLoCUM,
of New York, was then introduced and was
received with a storm of applause. He said
Ladies and Gentlemen: Ishould be doing injustice
to my feelings if failed to respond TO the kind
invitation extended to me, and thank you for the
kind reception you have given This is the first
beautiful city, but do not feel that a stranger
among YOU. i had In my command two regiments