Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-08-27

Of all the world, when you left your home
and all that Vas dear TO you. and with th
blessings and prayers Of loving, patriot
mothers, wives and fathers, to whom on
country 10 deeply indebted, you risked you
life and hopes and Joys Of this world, in hi
long and arduous struggle TO save the Uniol
and sll that IL represents,
When the war began it concerned all thu
kings aud dsspots Of the earth that VI
should fail. But il concerned halfthe peo
pie OF the world that we should succeed. Il
wss emins ntly . var Of the people for thu
people. IL vss common people against Z
privileged class. The worlds 500. 900. o0(
Of human beings were interested spsctatoft
of tue mighty fight. Defeat Of our Union
and system Of government would bind thelI
fetsers closer. They we're interested in the
great question, Can q republic sustain
itself against internal var?"
Our fathers, in other wars. had settled
only that We can sustain it against foreisr
enemies, But the question remained, "Car
the unicn stand when half the people try
to overthrow itg" Your valor has deeid. d
this question. You have established thai
free men can maintain . free ard hhers
Union; that men can govern ourselves in .
republic. and can mAiptain order, justics
and freedom. By the pesceful ballot ~,
will see that good laws are made and exc
cu.ed, ard that honest. manly lAbo,
shall always have its fair reward
that this shall be ard remsin tn.
peoples own government: that We VII
have no siistocraey or monarchy such A.
cur defeat might have admitted
IL is every ones duty to march in tn,
advance susrd Of the civilization Of HI,
times. BrAvely and well you have don.
that.
Comrades: II is = pleasing spectacle
this meeting OF men Who have won . great
and holy cause 10 gigantic war. On thi,
occs,ion the heart of every comrsds beat
high with noble and warm emotion. w.
pAss in mental review, the scenes where We
have met in the smoke Of battle; in tn.
storms of th9t; in the terrible attack; II
the lively rally ard in the triumph OF In I,
victory. OF the $4,000 Maine troops, II
the varying fortunes Of four years var,
neve, heard Il At any Maine regiment eve'
lost its standard in battle. Our killed wsr'
many; our hesris were one. Name men
die IN battle: bat aoe lose no flags, Lik,
the grand pines Of Maine forest, Main.
men may fall, but the cyclone Of war can
not drive them before il. VIII n those flag,
now preserved in honor under the lofs,
dome Of yonder State House. were placed
ia your hands. you carried them thr0ugt
the Wild crash of many battles and yuu
brought them all back, In victory, blood
stained, thot-torn, blAckened with powder
but still in honor all bright.
Ia behalf OF those old flags that you car.
ried in battle, l bid you, Welcome. l.
behalf Of a saved nation, bid You hearty
welcome. In behalf OF all persons. In ~
the world, who love free and veil regulated
government bid you q worlds great vel
come. We are here to consecrate sacred
friendship, which. under those old flags, ha'
been sealed With the blood Of many loved
comrades. Here we heartily clasp hanoi
that have been ever true TO our country and
to Am srican liberty and union.
Modern times have witnessed the grea'
est inventions of mans genius. The grea,
est and best of modern born ideas is tht
invention OF the American system Of frr'
and equal government, under sure guaraD.
tees, SO thst no man can override the law
yet every man has protection of all h.
actual rights. Ancient republics lack,
these guarantees, and so they fell Gu
system with an elective president, an inde
perdent judiciary, and the peoples owl
chosen law makers, each Of these thre,
brsnches, balancing the other two, and thu
guarding liberty and las, is the mo1err
American idea Ours is not like Or, cia,
or Roman republics, but ours 10 q dittinc
tiv. ly American and q Christian republic
Every foreign people that has sought lib
erty in the last hundred yeavs, though the,
we'll knew Grecixn and Roman history
had still 10 be educ Gated into the America
plan of triune division OF posers, before
they could MAINTAIN a repUblic. But oul
system has wheeled ideas against tn,
thrones of despotism, until today the mos
complete government Of Il people by them
selves is in the very heart Of old Europe
in Switzerland. where the people vote oi
rectiy on evsry proposediaw
When n beilion tried 10 destroy our gov
ernment, you, grand soldiers Of the gres
republic which may, in time, light all thu
nations TO freedom. rose in your migh.N
energy, and, seemingly expressly commits
stoned by Heaven 10 do for Heaven and ful
mankind, great deed, you left Al
to defend the Union, Ii is you who save
it To you, and to those patriots VIII,
aided you, belongs the honor Of hsvin,
saved ibe gr.atsst modern blessing, . gov
eminent under which every man can be
free man in all our own broad America GU
north our south; our east and our west
Our grand fathers shook the earth vii h thei
idea OF free men in q free land. The s0un'
Of their cannon, in our Revolution, role,
across the Atlantic and reused Europe to
long, but defea,ed struggle for manhoo,
rule. But the ihupders Of your cannon from
500 battles of the r .beilon vSr, have echoet
and re-echoed all around the earh; hsv'
destroyed French empire in Mex;c,; hsvl
inspired gallant old France to make and u
maintain the real French republic; hav,
reused the common men Of old England Il
come to the front snd become voters, an,
to make England almost republic.
Your tremeI dou. Union cheers Of victor,
in 1865. rang across our country, and rolle'
away off with the setting sun till thousand
Of miles westward, clear across the bros'
Pacific ocean, they struck the shores 0
Siam in Asia, and there met the great re
sponse that the king Of Siam liberated NOR
slaves than oil the millions Of the South
and that too, IS he said, in imitation D
Abrshsm Lincoln. Even japan, which f.
ages refused intercourse with other coun
tries, has been inspired by our success, I,
march with the latest and most approve
iIeas Of civilization, Thus the lustre o
our great American ideas shines sll owe
the earth
In Nspoleon's army vas bell touchinI
ceremony. On grand review, the name y
= gallant, fallen comrsde was called. HI
successor stepped to the front, saluted, az
responded, "Dead on ,he field Of honor
We 90 better. When are mentioned tn
nsmes OF our Maine hero dead, like jane
son Of the 2nd Berry Of the ~; Burnhsn
Of the 9Th; Baker Of the 9Gh; and ,hs
grand Christian ,Spc ford Of the l,h, whom
when he was dying, | heard talking VII
God, like = nan who had lived with God
we remember that man does not chang
hands when he dies, bat still remsins II
the hands Of the same kind God who love
h, right, and spproves right actions, vh,s
son has said the greatest love 10 his wh
gives his life for his friend, and ~ thes
men gave their bves IS friends Of mao, .
must the gresi God love them. In u
grand revi.w Of all the worlds great army
on the grand parade Of eter ity, the soul
Of our comrades Who flew to high Heavsl
in the smoke Of just bsttle, will an,w-r
not like Nspoleons soldier, dead on tn
field" but a. martyrs for good and gres
cause, they will respond. triumpbAntly
alive and happy on the field Of eternal re
~srd
hold in my hand leaf, only 3 littl
leaf. Itiok it from the losly grave Of
soldier; from the little spot Of earth NOS
held by ope OF the most removed soldier
the world ever saw. This lesf grew upoi
the bosom that once held the beating hear
Of Marshal Nsy, that man whom Napoleon
named .tns brsvest Of the brave" Thu