Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-06-01

men are 10 be congratulated on the public
spirit they showed Ia coming ont
II vas matter of surprise that Higgin's
Military Band should have developed such
proficiency in the short time it has been
organized The playing of the band both
in the afteroon and in the hall AT evening
was ine, AMI their selections especially In
the hail were very appropriate.
Al Meonian Nall.
The veterans were in attendance at the
ball In large numbers. Before the time for
beginning the exercises hal arrived the seat
ing capacity OF the hall was filed and dur
ing the evening quite number were obliged
u stand.
SEATED on the platform was the orator of
the evening. Hon. H. NJ. Heath, Rev.
Walker Gwynne and Rev. I. J. Mead. Post
Commander Neville Smith and DR.. Me.
David. the adiutan, Of Seth Williams Post.
A. W. Brooks, Esq, presided.
Following the Invocation by Rev. Mr..
Gwynne Adjutant McDayid read the gem
erai orders.
hairman Brooks introduced the speaker
Of the evening in few well chosen prefa-
tory remarks.
Mr. Heath spoke without notes and II il
impossible TO give full report of his elo-
quent and interesting address. He said
N the outset permit me to ask YOU for
patience and some generosity on your part
The night is too warm for me to keep your
interest, and to keep you comfortable is
beyond my capacity. I'm further Obliged
10 alphabetically say that the burden of i'll
health is upon me. But yoa of the Grand
Army know that at whatever personal sac
riiicc, am willing and glad 10 meet with
you on snch occasions as these.
The child unborn when the shells burst.
over Sumpter Is today legal voter. and In
the hands of the children born since that
first she'll went shrieking through the air
are TO-DAY the destinics of this country. |
was today forcihly reminded of thar fact as
my children sat with me tonight Mt the
table At my right was my little boy
of six years. | remember when ut his age
sat on the steps of yonder Court House.
listening to the eloquence of Stephen
A Douglass, that brilliant leader, behind
whom stood great political party divided
on questions of conscience.
Nv ms rgh, hand today sat my daughter
of II years. a. old as | was when sitting on
the steps OF The home cottage. | saw u man
on horseback ride past, and heard him say
that the grandcst man of history had been
assassinated. | remember well the keen sor-
row felt "a heard the shocking news and
how IN even the strongest men II seemed that
the government was lost. These memories
remind us how time has gone On since those
dark days The excitement and the bitter
ness of that conflict are yet too fresh for its
history to he written with the cold pen of
impartial truth. Too many of US were in it
~ suffered with il To vet permit the cold
hand Of truth To write history free from gall
or bitterness. out of il has come this day
Of days in the history of the states, day
fuundela quarter century ago by that glorious
commander brave Jack Logan. applause
The speaker then hwelt on the different
holidays that have come INTO our busy.
materiali,tic life. the causes giving rise to
them, and the lessons they teach. But into
these DAYS, he said. born in the brain of that
grand general. has come this day of days To
the American people It was years before
specialization of public opinion.
There must have been something besides
history in the war that this day
means So much To us An old writer once
said that most wars were fought to make
crooked boundary lines between countries
still more crooked, or to take from u coin
an ugly face and to pu, on it Il face more
ngly still We know that most wars have
been fought to crafty the ambitions of this
king or that queen. this petty prince or
that petit, prince this dynasty or that dy-
nasty. We know that thousands of lives
have been sacrificed and countless
less treasure wasted To crafty the ambl'
tons of the few who ruled the many. We
know that our war was fought to uphold no
man 10 build mp the fortunes of no politi'
cal party. II was az Seward truthtnlly
described ii, the irresistible conflict
cut of it. if we study il Alright, we ear
learn many lessons of charity. | can think
of nothing more unparriotic. than ut this hate
day p wears since Appomattos for any speak
orto break apart the stitches from The Wonnd'
that time has hraictl. Ii ia matter OF con
graduation in this country that from pollti
cal discussion has forever disappeared tht
last trace of sectionalism. our states ar'
working together for common purpose
grand in the grandeur of a common mas
auA ready to fight in a common cause
When We 70 back and think what war
was, when We think what sacrifices wer'
made We surely have canse for great thank
fniness to tod that we are at last united no
by brute force but by the happy bonds o
peace.
We may realize something of what it wa'
for YOU and those who died on the southern
battlefield to sever the ties of home ute ah'
ga out there. Suppose YOU. tonight. before
high twelve. were to look for the last TINS
upon wife and children and home ami To
morrow were called TO arms, vou then car
gain some conception of what the sacrihc'
meant Many of you who SIT before hi'
have the picture of that leave taking photo
graphed on your brains. You came BACK
Your neighbur fell asleep on that south
ern field with that picture OF nome pho'o
graphed on his tired brain. You know tha
it was something more than mere see'iofa
feeling, something more than mere enthus
iasm. more than the calls VI party OF TN
command Of superiors that caused Ne" |"
sever those loving home ties. caused yen u
leave behind all that was most dear ana Z,
ont there. WHY, nav friends, when tam
of that and then take up those papers who's
ctitufS sec NbtiHb- huN iit'N
when read there the cold bloodea worn
respecting pension legislation in this coah
try, my blood hoils. | ask where would nav
been the country. where would have pee
the legislation. where would have been u.
conditions thar have enabled these same ca
itors Just let loose from college TO -, Il
their sanetums aud write these words ma
Won not responded to the calls of datv.
What matters il to this country II I'd
pensions have rolled mp TO loo iniutohs
dollars. When You came back from IN
peninsula. torn and bleeding, would TN
country have hesitated to pledge qaaf,e
of its wealth could it have put an end TO IN
terrible strife, Those who then were
ready to make these promises now 81 ,
chairs of ease and see the old soldier cum.
ing the steps of the poor honse bearing
his hand the hrokea promises OF Ahrana'
Lincoln. (Applause.l We are the s'eas $
nation in the world. Before tue war ~ =
little dreamed of the latent weaitn IN ~
country. |, needed the cementme py eiool
the freeing of labor and the infusion OF ne
blood into the South 10 make possible III
enormous production of wealth
This proposition IS backed up os hSu'e