The Somerset reporter., 1890-08-28
Camp Benson.

Governor Burleigh. with GOl- Phil
BRICK, Blunt and Stevens OF lis staff ard
several State officials visited Camp Ben
son Newport Thursday last, and were
enthusiastically received by the g. A. K
posts and veterans encamped there. IL
response 70 an address of welcome Gov
ernor Burleigh spoke as follows
thank you sincerely for your cordls
welcome. am glad to he with you To-
Jay by the shores Of this beautiful lake.
doubly so from the very pleasant memo
ries cherish Of my visit here upon a
similar occasion one year ago. Occa.
sions like these can never be too fire.
quent. They serve az affairs for the re-.
newal ofipatrtotic devotion and for the
keeping alive Of memories among the
proudest and most ten1erly cherished
TINS commonwealth has ever known or
ever will know.
We are carried back in the coutempla.
/ ton 10 the time when the loyal sentiment
OF the state true 70 the spirit Of our con-
stltuted liberties, joining In cordial union
with the similar spirit In other States,
went forth to establish by fonr years Of
connect upon Southern battle fields the
integrity and the perpetuity Of the repuD-
4 lie.
That Maine should have borne con.
/ splcuous and honorable part In that great
struggle, perhaps the most momentous
In human history, was assured by the
very character OF her citizenship. The
| inhabitants of this State are, and ALWAYS
nave been, working people. They are
accustomed to earning their own lveli-
hood by their own efforts. The excep-
lions to this rule are exceedingly few
and DO not call for special consideration
ne industries Of the State are fairy
well diversified, but nearly all her sons
contribute IN some way TO the ecDnum
ehtlfety. Each makes up, either wholly
OF partially, In the product Of hlz ls~~
INDUSTRY, Tor what he consumes u tAs
product Of his neighbors.
Here are no barriers OF caste which
ABILITY, energy and honest ambition msy
not scale. Maine was never closed the
door Of possibility to any Of her citizens
indeed, 1t Is her pride and boast that,
oft.nes from amid the most adverse en-
vlronments, she has developed men sur
passingly strong in all the elements that
crown citizenship with usefulness snd,
when they have outgrown her own con-
nnes, has cheerfully and Loyalty given
them to the broader service of their
country where they have never failed 10
do her honor.
Into the mighty contest for the life Of
the nation none threw themselves with
greater energy and devotion than did the
citizen soldiers who went forth from
this State. None acquitted themselves
with greater credit. Maine is proud Of
their record and will ever cherish the
memory OF 1t as among her richest pos
sessions. As long as American institu-
| tons shall endure, as united and grateful
people VIII love to recall with patriotic
pride their glorious achievements.
The citizen soldiers of the Union were
noyices in the arts of war. They were
almost wholly unacquainted with military
| discipline and yet such was their intense
love Of country and wonderful power Of
adoption that in the space of a few short
months they had lain aside the yocatous
of civil life and were winning laurels upon
battleiields, among the most hotly con-
tested in history, that compelled the ad-
miration of the world.
1t was this great Il ial of. arms involv-
ing the life of the Rennhlic. thai .gsva
the citizenship of the country its great
est test, and 1t was not found wanting
IN any OF the elements that constitute
great people. competent to solve every
possible problem of self government with
intelligence and patriotism. The con-
temptation Of the work done by our
countrys defenders during the days OF
fratricidal strife must ever be source
of inspiration for American citizenship.
Pessimists may paint a gloomy picture
OF our social frbrc; political slarmists
may warn US of innmersble impending
disasters; cynics may doubt the exist
ence OF virtue or disinteres tedness any
where, but far above their sombre range
of vision will forever shine the glorious
tlact that in the middle of the nineteenth
century men were resdy to do and dare
and die for the American Union of
States.