The Portland daily press., 1888-02-08
VETERAN REPUBLICAN CLUB.
Enthusiastic Meeting at Reception
Hall Last Night.
Hon. Hannibal Han,Iin Speaks OF the
Days of the.War
And the characteristics of the Ma
tIon's Great Leader.

Republican Club and the Portland Club, and
their ladies, were present. Mr.. Hamlin was
received with great enthusiasm upon enter
ing the hall, and in the course of his remarks
he was frequently interrupted with applause
President Perry called the meeting to order
and then spoke as follows:
GEN. PERRY's REMARKS.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
congratulate you upon being present in
so large numbers, Notwithstanding the in
clement evening. am glad to see so many
here, and without taking up any time in
talking myself, will simply remark that we
have in this city an organization known as the
Veteran Republican Club. This club, which
was organized few weeks ago, is composed
of gentlemen who voted for Mr.. Abraham
Lincoln, either at his first or second election.
We take the name Of veterans. We glory in
the fact that we were among those who,
many years ago, undertook the great task Of
organizing new party, which was organized
for the express purpose of preventing a
further extension of slavery in this country.
That party, as you all know has glorious
record. 1t is not my purpose, or my place
here this evening to speak Of it, but simply
to refer to it, and to recall the fact that those
who compose this Veteran Republican Club
are those who first started out in this great
enterprise of restoring this land to be what
we are in name, and in fact land OF liberty,
land of freedom, and freedom from
slavery.
recollect very well Of being in Washing
ton one day in 1860, when the great chicago
convention was in session. Passlng along
mn Da cwrlxr "a nv i
of Michigan, gentleman who belonged 10
the House, and who aceosted me with tne
inquiry whether had heard the latest news
from the convention. replied that l nad
not, and he told me that dispatch had Just
been received that Abraham Lincoln was
nominated for President Applause.J lie
expressed great deal Of qualification at
this, and said that he thought that this nomi-
nation would not only suit the people OF the
West where Mr.. Lincoln resided, but that
II he was elected as he would be, he would
suit the people Of the whole country before
his administration had closed. Applause.
Mr.. Leach then made the further remark.
"The convention has done well. They have
nominated the most available man and the
best man, and now," he said, there is one
thing more want this convention to do be-
fore ii adjourns, and that is to nominate
Hannibal Hanlin of Maine for Vice. Presi-
dent. [Great applause.l The prediction and
desire Of Col Leach at that time came true,
Hamlin was nominated. Applause.]
This Veteran Republican Club thought
they could not do thing more appropriate
or more gratifying not only to the members
of the club, but to all who are In. favor OF
good gov ernmert, than to invite the gentle
man who is now present to address us, and
we accommodated our friends by a meeting
called for that purpose this evening. Now
take 1t that everyone understands full well
that the Hon. Hannibal Hamlin needs no in
fw. fhA tot ~
Maine, or in this country. [Applausel 1t is
my great pleasure to introduce to you as the
speaker of this evening, Hon. Hannibal Ham
lin, ex-Vice President of the United States.
[Great applause.
Mr.. Hamlin spoke as follows:
MIR. HAMLIN's SPEECH.
Mr. President, and Ladies and Gentlemen:
/ thank you for this cordial reception.
When received the note Of invitation from
your President to be with you, confess II
was very difficult for me to tell which Of the
emotions prevailed most, pleasure or regret
/ knew that it would be a pleasure for me to
meet so many gentlemen, many of whom
had been long acquainted, and with all Of
whom had participated in the political con-
ficts of the day. / knew that it would be a
pleasure to do So; to come and to meet those
good men who participated in the election OF
the noble and patriotic man, that eminent
statesman, Abraham Lincoln, Applause,
whose is one Of the immortal names born
not to die, and whose memory shall be cher
ished while liberty has a votary or freedom
has friend throughout the earth. ZAP
plause.]
Your club was organized, supposed, to
commemorate that event. 1t was well. 1t
has been custom in every age of the world
to commemorate great and important events
by public testimonials. To decree honors to
the virtuous living and the heroic dead. has
signalized every nation that ever existed,
whether civilized or barbarous. The pencil
of the artist and the chisel Of the sculptor
have been invoked in every age of preserve
the form and the features of the great and
the good. You rear monuments to the
patriotic and heroic dead, and If there be a
mortal who ever lived on this earth whose
memory and whose acts should be CONNIE
morated, that man was Abraham Lincoln.
[Applause.] And to participate with you in
such an event would be to me an unmixed
pleasure. but there are regrets. regret
more than can tell you, indeed, have an
utter repugnance in attempting to speak-I
will not say address-to speak to public
audience. Indeed, think am entitled,
rightly, to go upon the retired list. that /
ought to go there, but in looking at this note
of invitation made discovery. The meet
ing was icalled to be held at place called
City Hall. Some Of you. | suppose, know
where 1t is, place in which to speak re-
quires the lungs of stent0r and the nerves
of giant. l did not come here with care
fully prepared address written in style
smooth enough for the North American Re-
view. had not the time or inclination to do
any such thing. And then, in my tender
years and from my lnexperience thought 1t
would be cruelty to animals. Laughter and
appause.l And L began to think that you
had not turned over the leaves of your
statutes to see the penalties provided against
cruelty to animals So | respectfully de-
clined the invitation of your most worthy
president, and told him tnat l could not at
tempt to perform any such service, but l did
say to him that it would be pleasure to me
to come and have a chat believe that is
the precise word, Mr.. President that l used
to have chat with these good veterns Of
old, with whom had been through innu-
merable conflicts politically, and always to
victory, Tapplausel, and suppose L said |
would come here with great pleasure and
have chat with these old veterans in their
own room. So / suppose this Is your room,
and / suppose these ladies are members Of
your club. [Laughterl. am willing to fol-
A. .kn.