Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-08-27

Asg "a, No..
MI CoARADEs II am here afyouf r.ii call
to say few words 70 you No osher occasion
cosid possibfy have Jared ne from my heDe
to-day feeling ~ do pooriy-the e6ecis Of
army services. want 6sst Of iii TO expfess
my heartfelt thanks for your cordial vel
come and pleasure in injecting you in this
beautiful leafy temple | an glad to So the
boys enjoy theneivss- These oces sisns
have my h@asty sppsosai. for the soiiiers
made this country shat il 10 to-day. l. sas
through their sacrifice, their suffering thai
the country vas preserved
Comrades, We s.e fast growing oil and
feeble. The veterans Of 1872 nov muster
but . handful Of white haired old men in
their ninetiss. The heroes Of Mexic', are
fast dwndiing to scores instead Of bupdre'l-,
and the soldiers Of 1861 and 1865 are falling
fssser and faster ~ the years 70 by Ny
plan is-snd recommend il to you Ito
get the most possible enjoyment out Of ths
years that may be left me- in
the country 1 helped to save, and when die
l want my comrades TO bury me-
Oh, this 10 = grand country that was sought
to be destroyed bat which 10 nov more pros
porous than ever. The population la. in
creased forty per cent and the wealth one
humid e AMI seventh per cent The constr.
~ saved At f@srfuI .seri6ce of bloo.i ant
treasure. One in forty two were killed, on
in tbir'y-eighr were wounded In our ra-
fional cemeteries to-day. lie the p mains II
three hundred thou-an soldiers. who f.ughi
bravsly for their blessed couitry
The Issues that sent men TO battle are No
long~r living issues. The days of war and
bloodshed are over
1 have spoken Of the vast i crease in III.
| populs tiop and wealth Of this country sine,
the war. There is one subject propose to
me niion, about which much is now b. ing
said in the press, and that is pensions. 1t lie
time for every soldier to speak out. rhs
old soldiers left in every war in this couitry
| have been pensioned At one PERIOD or another
The old soldiers of tie Revolutionary va
were pensoned as soon as they were
through. The soldiers of the war of 1912
| we're pensioned. The soldiers Of the M.xi
can war have been pensioned, and Why are
we not as worthy as any Mexican volunteers?
| Oh, they say we are not so old. know we
are not, but every day finds Us older, ard is
there any reason why this country should al
| low the soldiers to sink into their graves un-
honored except by their comrades unsuppOrt-
ed. except by the organization of their c1m-
rades, or the charity of the community in
which they live. think not; and therefore
| insist that we should demand pension
don't mean we as soldiers alone, but that the
country should demand it ~ one means of
getting rid of the surplus, Is it seems so
troublesome. mean demand it for all those
Who are poor and too feeble to earn liveli-
hood.
This country has paid to the bond holders
since the war three billions, and to the gun
holders one third as much. do claim that
the gun holders should fare a. we'll As the
bond holders. The gun holder was surely
in quite as much danger, Jared quite as hard.
When men we're wanted the government,
saTd to US, "you CO." but when money
was wanted the government said. please lend
at enormous rates of interest" Now don't
misunderstand me. insist that these loans
be paid-every cent according to the cOii-
tract. | also insist on pensions being given
according to the contract. Why, because
it is deserved, but few but what suffer from
their army services-though sometimes hard
to prove after lapse of twenty-five years.
No man is quite the same physically as he
would have been but for that service. A major
or brigadier generals wife is quickly PEN
Stored. Comrades, are their wivesany better
than yours? Certainly not. Organize then com
raties, let your voice be heard. Your Con
gresham. Hon. Nelson Dingley. is all right,
every pulsation of his heart is for us. Let
him knew he is sustained
Those of you who were twelve years OF
age when the war broke GU. will wildly
recall it | recall the young man of eigh-
teen or twenty OF that time, when the drum
beat, when the first martyrs blood sprink led
stones of Baltimore, he took his place in the
ranks and went forward. How novel seem
ed TO him the utine Of service, the life
in camp and on the march. How
eager to meet the enemy and strike a first
blow for a good cause. What pride at the
promotion which came How graphical
he described his sensations in his first battle
the psllor that he cit creeping up his face
the thrilling of every nerve and the fearless
ness when once the charge began and his
bio ID was up. Later on he wrote of his da,
in the hospital also of the opening of the
precious box from the dearly loved ones u
home and of the delicscies it contained
Soon he was taken prisoner. taken to Jail
languishirg there until he grew gaunt and
haggard with the horror of his intense suff r.
ipgs, and with pity for the greater horror Of
the suffering Of his dear comrades VIII,
fought bravely, and died at his side. lie
saw his old schoolmste painting with thirst. YET
shot like q dog for reaching across the line to
drink the stagnant water dog would have
scorned to even touch. He tunneled some
distance through the earth and thus made hi,
csc. No from prison, hungry and weak, anC
in terror of recapture. He fOllowedby nigh
the railroad, slept in thickets, sani
into the swamps In long and
painful circuits he stole around hamleti
whe re he dare not ask for shelter. He saw
the glitter of horsemen who pursued him
he knew the bloodhound was on his track
A faithful Degro.a good Samaritan took CON
passion on him and bound up his wounds
gave him food and drink, then sent him or
his way. After long pull he reached the
line at last, safe.
When he returned home you remember
how war-won he looked, but he soon returned
to the ranks and the hearty welcome of his
comrades. Soon he saw The bullet of the
sharpshooters pick of the soldier BY his
side who fell dying in his arms with one last
but brief message whispered and faithful y
sent home to dear one he was never to meet
again on this earth. 1t was forlorn hope
the charge of the brave regiment to which he
belonged, reduced now by three years long
fighting to one hundred veterans, conscious
that somebody had Numbered, yet grimly
obedient to every duty. Some one who saw
him there that day, fancied that he seemed
like one who foresaw the end but
there was no flinching as he charged. He
had but just turned to give cheer wht n the
fatal bullet struck him. There was m
vulson of the upward hand his eyes pleading
and loyal turned their last glance to the dear
old flag. His lips parted, he fell dead and at
nghtfall lay with face turned toward the
stars. They brought him home fairer than
Adonis over whom the Goddess of beauty
wept. They buried him in the village
churchyard under the green turf and year by
year his old comrades deck his grave. His
picture hangs on the old homestead " Ais Chill
dren look up to it and ask to hear his story
q sad story. yet one to be proud of for the
bravery he exhibited.
1t was more than twenty years ago and the
face 10 so young ard so fair that one can
hardly believe he was the hero of twenty
battles.
/ Do you ask who he was? He was in every
battle; in every regiment. He was from
every northern village. He sleeps in every
northern churchyard or burying ground.
Can you think of him and not count the cost
Of such precious life, not thrill with graft
tude at such sacrifice? not ask Why such
promise, such hope, such worth should be
cut down?
know not why it is in the providence of
God that through blood-not the sacrifice of
rams and eoats, but the blood of human
hearts-the great gains of human freedom
have hoor won The Qapuhl;r ill ,avo,