The Portland daily press., 1889-08-08
A letter from Col. Drew was read by DIR.
Dunn. 1t is given below:

LEWISTON, August 6, 1889.
Rev. George d. Lindsay, Fryeburg, Me-;
present tomorrow at your assembly and partici-
pate in the exercises of Grand Army day. But
while feel it will be loss to me not to hear
them. congratulate you and the assembly that
the Grand Army will be so w0rthily and ably rep
resented in the person of Gen. Swift. and that the
patriotic cause. in the service of which were well
ded the ties which now unite the comrades of the
Grand Army will have so eminent representa-
tive as - Mrs. Livermore, who's,
M that Noble w band C women who on Se ea
of battle bound up the wounds of the wounded
and comforted the dying and carried into the mil
itary hospitals. the tender touch and sympathetic
love of a mother and wife and whose very pres
ence sent healing through every ward; who
cbeered the sick and sicK hearted and soothed the
to the pearly gates and then with hearts overflow
ing with sympathy and love, penned to the mother
or wife the farewell words of the dead hero. In
your assembly the thanks of the comrades for set
ting apart National and Grand Army Day and
devoting it to patriotic memories and lessons
am very respectfully your obedient servant
f. nj. DREW,
Department Commander.
At the auditorium besides the decorations
of bunting of yesterday the portraits of Gar
field, Lincoln and Grant hung In an arch, in
front Of the platform; above that of Lincoln
of Sheridan, placed at the left of the plat
form, rested ON mound of ferns and golden
rod, and was framed about with lilies and
ferns. Opposite to this, ON the other side
of the platform, was tent before which arms
were sacked. These decorations were under
the direction of Mrs. S. w. Fife of Fryeburg
The music for this occasion was furnished
by the WATERFORD Brass Band, +. E. Clark,
leader, and the Philharmonic Orchestra.
After the entrance of the G. A. r., under
burg, the commander of the Grover Post, and
a selection by the orchestra. Rev. George
Lindsay welcomed the G. A. r. to Martha
Grove. Then the band played medly of
national air.
After which Mr.. W. f. Bachelor sang
pie going in with such will in the chorus
that the last verse was repeated and hearty
cheering followed In honor of the old flag.
Rev. George Lindsay then introduced as the
speaker of the afternoon General John Lind
say Swift of Boston. General Swift ex-
pressed himself as glad to be present on this
occasion, Many years ago, he said, visited
Oxford county and Fryeburg in company
with Judge Virgin of Portland, and Senator
William Z. Frye of Lewiston. We were
about here re-echo with our voices. My fire.
quent intercourse with the people of Maine
has been most pleasant | came here today
to speak of no particular feature or man con-
nected with the war, but to have a frank,
earnest talk: We are the the survivors CT a
homes and all that makes life dear to us.
We fought until, from the Golden Gate
in the West to Plymouth Rock in
the East, and from the
the frozen regions of the North to the sunny
realms of the South the authority of our gov
ernment might be maintained and one flag
wave over it all. This land will never be
large enough for more than one flag, no mat
ter how large it may become. 1t is often
asked, "why not disband the Grand Army
| and forget the memories of the war of 1861
1t happened a long time ago. 1t has beer
said that not one of the poems of Homer will
ever be forgotten, neither can this nation
| forget the memories of the war until the
stars are blotted from our flags blue field
| They are inwrought into the hearts and lives
| of every Union soldier. 1t is hard to hold an
| audience of soldiers and talk to them of thu
| war unless the words are loaded with tht
cartridges of experience. The soldier wheI
| sick or in suffering should be given pensions
until the last dime of our surplus is ex
hausted. For the noble and patriotic sol
| dier will never claim one dollar more thar
what is his just due.
| The women too had their work in the las
war. What it was you will learn tonigh
from the noble woman, Mrs. Mary a.: Llv
more, who is to address you. L Will mo-
trespass on her theme. Yet the prayers
our No Others, wives and sisters sustained ou
courage and helped our arms to gain success