The Portland daily press., 1892-05-31

longs to successful professional men-as
we honor the lawyer who rises to lead
ing place at the bar or the physician
who becomes distinguished in his pro-
fession. But our soldiers were not pro-
| fessional soldiers. They learned the
arts of war to protect home and country.
They came from farm and
factory, from office and
store, from private and public
life. Scan the list of leaders and notice
where they were when the call came
Mcclellan was vice president of the Iii
nois Central railroad, with headquarters
and home in Cincinnati; Sherman was
teaching school in louisiana Grant was
running tannery in Galena; Sheridan
was attending to the duties of a quarter
master in the army; Rosecrans was in
business; Logan was a lawyer and re-
signed seat in Congress to go to battle;
Joe Hooker was farming in California !;
Burnside was manufacturer in Rhode
Island; Banks was Massachusetts, law
yer and statesman. What is SO largely
true of our leaders is also true of the
from the walks of civilian life. Probably
not one of my veteran hearers today was
soldier by profession.
Our heroes fought not for wealth at
$13 per month They fought not for
power as did those who followed Caesar
under the Roman Eagles. They fought
not for glory as did the legions who fol-
lowed the great Napoleon. But they
learned war to protect home and coun-
try, and dying they have made us the
heirs of the peace, prosperity and liberty
they purchased with their blood.
Let us today pay a tribute to the
women of '61. In the eulogies of those
who were actors in the more stirring
scenes of those days. we have passed by
too often the noble part borne by the
womanhood of our land in that struggle.
True, we have mentioned them in an in
cidental and gallant manner upon such
occasions, but in this presence let us
voice the praise they so richly deserve.
For they were an indispensable factor in
the issues of that war from the time
when Harriet Beecher Stowe appeared
on the scene with her ''Uncle Toms
Cabin to the time when the patriotic
soul of Julia Ward Howe in the Battle
Hymn of the Republic sang E'Mine eyes
have seen the glory of the coming of the
Lord The wives who parted with
their husbands, the mothers who gave
their sons, and the sweethearts whose
lovers wore away their colors, should all
have an honored place in such exercises
as these today. They laid the Jewels of
their hearts and homes upon the coun-
try's altar; with loving and willing
hands they sent their ministries to the
boys in the distant camps; with cool
touch and cheerful words they served in
the hospital wards; and now that peace
reigns they continue their ministries not
only in the home, but in such
an organization as the Women's Relief
Corps. Yes, give honor to the angels of
war today. Many have gone from our
midst. The flashing eyes are growing
dim, the hair becoming scant and gray,
and time is ploughing burrows on brow
and cheek, their forms are broken and
bent, but we lay before them TODAY the
unfading flowers of loving honor.''
The speaker also paid tribute to the
living veterans, declaring that he did
not want to wait the corning of death be-
fore he made known the gratitude that he
felt for what they had suffered and ac-
complished. He closed by tracing the per-
petuity of the patriotic spirit from the
Revolution, through the Rebellion into
the present generation.
At the close of Mr.. Hughes's address.
the audience accompanied by Chandler's
band sang America" and the great au-
dience dispersed.
Geo. G.. Shaw & Co.'s window was
prettily draped yesteday in honor of the
day.4