Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-07
TContinued from second page. I

evening, propose 70 Call upon sOme keuie-
men who are present for some short speeches,
self, but to set good example, - the even
propose to be very brief in what l shall
have to say.
| We represe mt in this reunion the State OF
Maine, perhaps prominently, but we do moi
forget that we are part of . great nation
but tonight we can well afford to give our at.
tention TO our State, and As one whom you
called to be the representative of the State,
now have the great pleasure of present. ng
to you His Excellency Governor Robe
Governor Robbie
Governor ROBBIE was received with applause
and spoke as follows:
Nv friends, fellow citizens, and ladies and
gentlemen:-I thank you very much for this
kind greeting. presume from the position
that / occupy that it is expected that l snail
say something about the State OF Name
Certainly. il would not be very proper FOR
me TO attempt to show that our state Is greas
State, by repeating a long list of statistics:
do not think you are prepared Tor mem,
will refer that matter TO him who VIII follow
me. and who will deliver the next annual
message. / am very happy indeed TO De
here tonight, and am very hsppy TO welcome
occasion. and | will say a few things ABOUT
the State Of Maine without using any statistics
We have a grand old State, and what Is pest.
We know il ourselves. We are not ashamed
Of il. and there is no need Of using statistics
when | look before me and see so large anu
respectable an audience, representing every
section OF our State.
have thought perhaps it would be well Tor
me to say few words about the constr
tutjonal convention of our State. 1t was IN
the session Of 1920, on the very day OF which
this is the anniversary, that that resolve
passed the meeting of delegates, giving 10 the
State the information that the people or the
State had ratified the constitution when they
had asked, by vote OF lo,ooo III Tue
affirmative and 800 in the negative.
This is. therefore, the anniversary
dav Of our constitution, or practically So
We have. as saw great State. We sep
srated ourselves from Massachusetts, after
the abortion of the federal constitution IN
1887. There was desire on the part OF
Maine TO become a separate State, and there
were several conventions before the year
1900 in which some of our ablest and best
men participate d, endeavoring as TAR as pos
| sible to get up an interest IN favor or sep
arate State, but We were attached to Massa-
chusetts. Our history had been The same as
her own. We had walked together shoulder
TO shoulder through the days of the revolu-
ton, and we were practically one of the
thirteen original States. We had the
| honor of being one Of the thirteen stripes,
and when Massachusetts came into the
federal union in 1880, Maine had the same
honor with Massachusetts. Bat in 1919 our
people were again called together in CONVEX
| ton, and they meant separation That con-
4 Il
the best and most talented men in the state
OF Maine. They have all passed away, but the
acts and deeds of such men as Ether Shep-
lev, William Pitt Preble, Judge Whitman, VIM
King. and many others whom | might men
ton, will never die. The constitution under
which we live and prosper was their great
work, and to-day, my friends, is the anniver-
sary day of the proclamation which was made
by that meeting of delegates to the State,
| that this constitution was the constitu-
ton of the State of Maine. The
keel was laid by skiful and honest work.
men; the ribs were put together closely and
WELL the spars were braced by cords that
have stood the test of storm and sunshine.
Our ship of state has moved along upon tur-
bulent waters, but it has resisted every oppo-
sition, and to day it rests upon placid waters.
the admiration of grateful people.
We have a great State, and have We not an
intelligent State? Let our 1900 schools
answer. Have we not prosperous State
Let the increase of valuation of our State
from year to year, and the sixty-tive millions
OF dollars deposited in our savings banks,
answer. Are we not brave and loyal
State? Let the one-third of the male popula-
ton of the State in the revolutionary army
and the seventy-fve thousand boys in blue
| a
State? Let the thousand churches which
nestle in our valleys and tower upon our
hills answer. Yes, we are a great State, ans
our best protection is our brave men anc
our noble women, Applause, and ! now OF
fer the sentiment which was offered by Gov
William King, who was President of that
convention of which have spoken just ak
ty-six wears ago to-day. These were his
words of wisdom, which connect 1920 will
1886. The constitution of Maine with
which God has been pleased, through 1t:
trainers, to bless us; long may it preserve
the liberties and promote the happiness of al
our fellow citizens" The trainers of thai
instrument received the respect of the vir
tuous of their own time. and may they re
ceive the respect of posterity. Applause
Mr.. Drummond then introduced Hon. Han
| nibal Hamlin, who was received with grea
applause;
| Hon. Hannibal Hamlin.
Mr.. Hamlin, after some facetious remarks
as to the manner in which he had been calico
out said | will say few words, and com
mence precisely where my friend the governor
left off 1t has been my pleasure to know
personally every man who has occupied the
executive chair of Maine, from VIM. King
down to Gov. ROBBIE. Ii has been my gooC
fortune to know every speaker of the House
of Representatives, with one exception, anC
every presiding officer of the Senate, believe
| have had some experience in other legis
lative bodies bat have met nowhere a elias,
of men clearer in the perception of theil
duties, and who have discharged those dute,
more intellgently than the public officials o.
Maine. Our legislature has been a trauin!
hool in which we have educated POLITICAL,
the m n of whom we justly have a right t,
feel proud; and tonight we are living uude
the good old times of the administration o
James Monroe, the era of good feeling. Their,
have been severe struggles in the politica
world between the old party of the Federal
lists and the Democrats. or the Republicans
as they were then called. 1t wa
continued down through the ad
minstration of Madison But with Monro,
came an era Of good feeling We are her,
tonight in an era of good feeling. We ar,
all democrats: we are all republicans And w
are here to do honor to our good State of Maine
and to speak some words of its legislativ,
bodies and the character of its legislation.