Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-02-05

Every year your ranks are thinning The
terrible strain Of four years. hardships
decimates your lines. Who will take up
the tattered days? Who will guard them
tepdefiy and with baied breath tell to pos
terity the story of their honored deedss
Who but the sons of the veterans of oil:
1t is nearly three decades since the lurid
shells bursting over Sumter's fsted walls
set ablsze the fires Of Northern patriotism
The children o. 81 will 5000 guide the
destiniss of America They were born and
bred 10 times that tried mems souls. They
say their fathers clad in the blue torn from
the liberty loving sky of heaven. They
knelt At night TO pray in isping numbers
that the God of Battles would succor the
right and protect the loved one on the tented
field. Even As you, they were educated in
the stern school of war, shorn of its tinsel
glory. They approach the duties of man
hood, loyal to you and your immortal
cause. Sentiment it NAV be, but
sentiment rules the world. They
believe tat the Nation should be.
not generous, but Just. They believe that
in distributing federal patronage The gov
ernment has no right to say. In 81 we
accepted the offer Of your life, in 80 you
cannot enter the public service They
believe that the blue-coated veteran should
be preferred to the brosdcloth politician.
They believe the holder of bond is no
better than the holder of a musket. They
have seen the Nation keep, ay, more than
keep, its promises with its creditors They
have lived to see, and blushed TO see, a
pension system so snsrled with red tape
that poverty sits an unbiiden guest at the
table of too many men that faced death
upon a hundred fields. Their cheeks have
burned To see Commissioner of Pensions,
both legs left at Charlottesville, driven
from office, his only crime his belief tina,
law was justice long delayed. They believe
it to be q disgrace that this Nation, the
richest upon the face of the earth, with q
treasury full to Overlooking, should toni CHI
permit one old soldier, his white hairs a
crown of everlasting glory, to sleep beneath
the cherries roof of a poor house.
Gentlemen, they propose to help you
right these wrongs. If not righted, they
stand ready with you to drive the money
changers from tie temple
When the last old veteran shall have
wrapped his cloik about b IN to sleep the
eternal sleep. his loyalty, his glory, his
sublime patriotism will be the inheritance
divine of the sons of veterans and to theii
children and their chldren's children, they
will tell the 'wondrous deeds their father
did of old"
Toastmsster Michaelis introduced De
partment Commander Anderson, who spok,
as follows:
The Department of Maine.
Department Commander Anderson.
Hail to the Chief who in triumph advances"
Scott.
Mr.. POSTMASTER, Ladies and Gentlemen
believe that the Department of Main,
requires nothing more at this time than in,
opportunity TO make its acknowledgment
for this royal hospitality and entertainment
that has been extended to it by and in be
half of the post of our comrades at August
and by this municipality. In behalf of tn
Department of Maine. Mr.. Mayor,
tender to you the profound acknowledg
ments of the department for this hospitalit
which has been rendered by you an,
through you by the municipality over whicl
you preside.
Your words of welcome are cheering t.
our hearts, and doubly cheering, my com
rades, because but few years ago on &C
count of the words and the zeal in GU
highest position which il was in our powe
to confer upon him. And for your word
of welcome, too, our native and ado ote,
sons of the State of Maine are trul
grateful. Your words of psnegyric
while they are accepted modest,
by us, yet, Mr.. Governor, we fee
that they were not entire undeserved
for We remember that of all the thousand,
of organizations that went down in thu
days of 81 to 90 to preserve the life of thi
nation, one organic alton from our owl
State, both numerically and in the pc
centage of its number gave more in killet
and wounded upon the field of battle thai
any other organization that entered of TIM.
most two million and seven huadre,
thousand men, our own First Main
heavy artillery. And you remember, Mr.
Governor. that of all the cavalry orgsniza
tons that sent down in that conflict in s
and Go, 1t was ours % send a cavalry or
gauization that gave more of its MI IN Der
to death ia numbers and percentag
than any other cavalry organiza
tiou in the whole Union army. An,
we remember when in that suprem
nom ut the fate of this nation hum
trembling in the balance, when the kew T.
, Gettysburg, Little Rouad Top, was seize,
, and held by handful of men agaius
overwhelming odds until the position coul
be reinforced and securely held ahd turne
against the enemy and checking their ca
reer, We remember that the glory of thu
struggle belonged to the Twentieth Maine
We have felt mat your enc2miums wer
not entirely undeserved. Mr.. Governor an,
to you, our beloved and respected Com
mander-iD Chief, AM words that | ma
utter at this time will not cannot add L
the warmth the fefvor and cordialitv o
the welcome we want you to feel that yo,
have received at our bands aud which ",
hope You will carry wherever you 20.
Let me assure you Commander in Chic
that you presence here has given us tn
utmost delight, and we hope a- yougu frou
US to die e.cam .maat. of Que cam. adei
throughout Toe ',aSiti ami breadth of THU
land. you will bear with youtDs assuranc,
which we i-lt IN 81 Ant 81 10 practiced by
the members OF the t.F.ud Army Of the
State OF Maine, and that the same charit,
which We exercised towards each othe
then is exercised TODAY.
Toassmaster Michaelis introduced Judp,
W. p. Whitehouse, who spoke as follows
flags on our School Houses
Judge W. T. whitehou..
"fhe land of scholars and the nurse OF arms p
Goldsmith.
Hr. Postmaster, Ladies and Gentieni.s.
II was the boast of Themstocles, one,
the savior of Greece. that he knew how t,
make small State great one. But it wa.
a vain and idle boast. Not even the s.mer
of might and grand in soul" of that earl,
day had reached the true sources of powe,
or lea ned what constitutes a State.
There was indeed a germ Of civil Iibert,
which once sprang into life in the land OF
Ihemistocles. Ii received strength in the
free air of Switzerland, and was nourishet
in the forests of Germany and on the plain.
of Runnymede But the cousummate flower
only appeared when directly from the land
OF William the Silent, the father of lis
Netheriand country. our Pilgrims brough,
to the shores of Massachusetts that priml
tive system of free schools which has been
vastly developed in the virgin soil of
America and has ever been the chief safe
guard and peculiar glory of our own repub-
lie The founders of States were then
learning that the power of a nation was to
be found in tue culture of its people. Not
alone that culture which made the brilliant
civilization of the Greeks from whom ali
succeeding generations have received their
Inspiration for the study of philos =
ply, literature and art. Not alone
that culture of imperial Rome,
whose magnifcen, conceptions of Law gave
her power to rule vast dominion. by her
reason after she ceased to reign by her
authority. But that culture which quickens
every intellect that can think aud instruct
and guides the humblest hand that can toll
The law of self preservation demands of