The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-05-31


ate her work, or register the fruits of
the enthusiastic zeal and patriotic spirit
then pervading the ranks of womanhood.
Suffice it to say, the demand was more
than met, and the supply was fully kept
up throughout the entire period Of the
conflict. Announcements were made
from all our pulpits almost
every week, that on piyen
day installments would be forwarded.
and requests made in behalf of the wo-
man in charge, that nothing be found
wanting to meet the necessities of our
sick and wounded. Never will some of
us forget the pathetic appeal of one of
our city pastors in aid of the work, the
lamented death of whose eldest son was
the occasion of perpetuating his honor
able grave by the adoption by one Of
these organizations of the name of ''Bos-
worth POST
Time will not permit reference to
special facts illustrative of the patriotic
service rendered by our Portland women
throughout the war. But there was one
event which Stands out with special
prominence, we'll worthy to be recalled,
especially to the ear of the present gen
GRAFTON, l refer to what will be per-
petuated in our local history as the
''great fair to raise money for the relief
of the widows of soldiers and seamen
and their fatherless children then resi-
dent in the city. Though generously
patronized by our people at large, the
credit of the enterprise was largely due
to our women. With them 1t originated,
and by them mainly twas conducted in
a most skillful and attractive manner,
under the auspices Of "ladies execu-
tive committee" composed of twenty in
number A stirring appeal was made
by this committee through the press to
heed the exigencies of the occasion,
which met a liberal and general response.
The fair opened April %, 1866, when
Gen. Chamberlain addressed crowded
audience in q thrilling and eloquent
Speech and it continued open for about
two weeks. Ii addition to liberal sub
scriptions of money,a great variety of
entertainments was provided, and the
enterprise was crowned with success
unparalleled The net amount of cash,
including some Interest,", turned over to
the trustees for distribution, consisting
of A. w. FL. Clapp, John B. Brown, st.
John Smith, A. K. Shurtleff and the
present speaker, was 14,562.0S. Under
their direction, distribution was made in
installments from time to lime and
among the widows of soldiers and
navymen and their children, based or
the principles of the pension system then
in vogue. The total number of widows
relieved was one hundred and nine. OF
these twenty-eight were mothers depend
emit for support on their deceased sons.
The number of children. who received
aid was one hundred and eighty-two.
The grand total of beneficiarles was lit
tie short of three hundred, in popula-
ton which by the census of 1860 en-
braced only 26,342 What too
largely enhanced the value of this mag
nificent benefaction was the fact, that
thirty-five of these widows were rendered
homeless by the disastrous fire of July,
1866, and had to seek shelter, many of
them, in barracks improvised for that
sad occasion.
In thus providing for present wants.
and for fearful calamlties unforeseen
when this grand scheme was SO happily
inaugurated and SO successfully consum-
mated, it would seem. as if the genius of
heaven born charity must have presided
over the counsels of its projectors, and
ming to end. N
Nor, now that peace pervades this en-
tire land and loyalty has become a uni
versal sentiment can we fail, in this
presence, and on this occasion, to re-
member that the Ladies' Relief AMI
kindred associations have cheerfully as
sumed the task of caring for the wants
and woes of those among us who helped
conquer that peace, and were instrument
tai in helping to restore that loyalty to
breasts in which it temporarily was a
stranger.
All honor to our angels of mercy
wherever engaged, and wherever found,
in dispensing their sweet charities among
those on whom''th war has entailed an
enfeebled constitution, or suffering from
any cause as result of their valiant SER
vice, i}fH
For, if tits an imperishable fact that i t
was aMaine regiment which outranked
every other in the service in the number
of engagements, and if this city contri-
buted more than oneysixth of it's entire
population to uphold our flag, it is
equally true that our women, with Port
land in the lead, have not been one whit
behind in their loyalty to the same flag,
and in their devotion to same cause and
country.
A few weeks ago it was my pleasure to
revisit our National Capitol after amin
term of forty years since first trod the
soil of an embryo Getty of magnificent
distances" but now filled up and round
ed out into magnificent metropolis,
the peer, if not the superior of any
throughout the wide world In contem-
plating the momentous changes which
have occurred at Washington dur
ing the present generation, my feet were
naturally attracted to the national GEM
etery at Arlington, constituting the rest
ing places of more than sixteen thousand
martyrs who cousecrated their lives to
the country in its direst extremity. In
the pensive stiffness of the remarkable
scene spread out before me I could but
recall. with greater pathos than ever, the
closing words from O'Hara's 'sBivouac
of the Dead:'' al
Crest on, embalmed and sainted dead.
Dear is the blood you gave;
No impiOus footsteps here shall tread
The heritage OF your grave.
Nor shall your valOr be forgot
While fame her record keeps,
Or honor points the hallowed spot
Where yalor proudly sleeps.
What was so appropriately sung of the
patriotic dead at Arlington, applies with
equal force to their companions in arms
whose resting places are SO tenderly
i Ill