The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-07-03

ouINlNOAo VI tllC DluC anu lu6 gray, TO afflrm
with one voice our unanimous resolve to
maintain our union, preserve our institutions
and defend our flag.
When Gov. Gordon appeared before the
great crowd, the cheers were almost deafen.
inn. sd tl.-s.s,l.s,~ta Lis Sl.vo0i. uao fnCUl-
rupted by cries of Good" "Hurrah" and
other expressions. He.spoke as follows
General Cordon's Speech.
l greet you tonight with far less trepida-
ion, and infinitely more pleasure, than in
he early days of July, 1868, when last met
you at Gettysburg. came then, as now, to
meet the soldiers of the Union army. 1t
would be useless to attempt the utterarce of
the thoughts which now thrill my spirit.
The temptation is to draw a contrast be-
tween the scenes then witnessed and now;
to speak of men with whom / then marched
and those whom we met; those who survived
to meet again % years later and those who
fought and fell of the contrast made by this
mass of manly cordially and good fellowship
with the long lines of dusty uniforms which
then stood in battle array beneath bristling
bayonets, and spread ensigns, moving, in
awful, silence and with. sullen tread, to
grapple each other in deadly conflict. |
would speak of all these and Of other mo-
tives which impelled each of the swaying
tides Of the three days battles, of the final
Federal victory. and its preponderating i'm
huence in turning the scales of war. But
the nature OF the pleasing duty assigned me
forbids this. There is, however, one sug-
gestion which dominates my thought at this
d9iEetussee dt9SHist to erfessnt f s .u which as brief in
one which is, perhaps, the more Character
istic Of the truly brave is the virtue OF mag
nanimity.
My fairest earldom would give
To bid Clan Alpine's chieftain live,
was noble sentiment attributed to Scot
land s magnanimeus monarch as he stood
gazing into the face of his slain antagonist.
That sentiment. immortalized by Scott in his
musical martial verse will associate for all
time the name of Scotland's king with those
OF the. great spirits of the past. How grand
are the exhibitions of the same generous
Impulses that characterize the victOrs upon
this memorable field. My fellow country
speak for those whom represent, let me
assure you, that in the profoundest depths of
their nature, they reciprocate that generos-
ty with all the manliness and sincerity of
which brave men are capable. In token of
that sincerity, they join in consecrating for
an annual patriotic pilgrimage these historic
heights, which drank such cOpiOus draughts
OF American blood, poured so freely in the
Qlscnarge, as each conceived it, the Mecca
for the North which so grandly defended,
the Mecca for the South which so bravely
and persistently stormed it. We join you in
setting apart this land as an enduring monu-
ment to peace, brotherhood and perpetual
union. l am honored tonight in being Sc
lected to introduce distinguished represen-
tative of that spirit of magnamity
of which | have spoken. l present
to you soldier without fear
reproach or malace, soldier whose blood
was split and whose body was manned
thoughithen but boy, while he bravely and
gladly obeyed his countrys commands. |
Introduce to you statesman whose services
are distinguished, whose record is stainless.
Introduce to you patriot whose extended
hand and generous heart are ever open to
all his countrymen. the soldier, statesman,
general and governor, James A. Beaver, Of
Pennsylvania.
Other speeches were made by Governor
Beaver, General Hooker, of Mississippi,
General Longstreet and Pennsylvania
war governor, Governor Curtin. The exer-
cises closed with the benediction by Rev.
Dr. Valentine. A telegram was read from
the widow of Gen. Pickett, regretting, in
fitting terms, her inability to be present.