The Press., 1894-12-06

"A union gathering of the voters of all political parties of the town of Holland was held at the town hall, Monday even- ing, Nov. 26th, by invitation of the Hon. Edward B. Fuller, senator-elect, and Rep resentatives-elect William Sumner and Radcliffe Hicks. Every voter in the town was asked to participate in the festivities of the occasion, and about two hundred sat down to the tables which were gener- ously supplied. The meeting was called to order by Frank T. Newcomb, one of town committee, and E. s. Agard was chosen chairman; After supper the chair man introduced the Hon. Edward E. Full Ter, senator-elect, who responded in 8 very excellent speech. Representative elect Sumner was next introduced who made some pleasing and we'll appreciated remarks, and his colleague, MT. Hicks, when called upon spoke as follows"
 Fellow Citizens: It is with feelings of pleasure, tinged with some little sorrow, that am here tonight to attend this fes- i tive gathering of the voters of the town of Holland.
 l It is pleasure to me to come back tc the place where was born; where spent the happiest twenty years of my life where my ancestors have lived for ont hundred and fifty years and more, ant where are buried my nearest and deares of kith and kin, and where, in the gooe order of Providence, expect to be finally laid away at rest.
 If there is any spot in this wide, wide world that feel can, and that I have { right to, call my home, it is this little town of Holland, nestled up here among the rock-ribbed hills of Holland county
 But, as l have already said, it Is witt some feelings of sorrow that l always come back to Holland, for miss the ia miliar faces and the kindly greetings O many noble men and women, whose lives are part of the history of this grand ole town, and who have passed on to thei final rewards. In thinking of them an reminded of those beautiful lines of on' of New England's sweetest poets:
 Dear souls, who left us lonely here,
 Bound on their last, long voyage, to whom
 We, day by day, are drawing near
 Where every bark has sailing room"
 It may be true, possibly, my friends that am open to the criticism that an not always with you in the body, but it l. true that I am always with you in tn, spirit. However far I may have wander ed from my ancestral home in my travels around this broad earth, whether in th crowded cities of the old world, London Paris, or Rome, or among the snow-cap ped mountains of the Alps, wherever may have happened to be, there has hard ly been a day:of my life that my thought have not gone back to this beautiful Tol land Street, and to the scenes througl which have passed here, and to the dea friends bod left behind.
 If by any act or word of mine, either il public or in private life, have ever con tributed in the least towards the prosperi ty, the stability;th the reputation, and tn fair fame of the town of Holland, my high est ambition is satisfied. As for what am willing to do in the future, in all tn things that may tend to promote the vel fare of this town, and of it's inhabitants I must let the past speak for the future. For all the kindnesses and favors tha you have extended to me in the days an years that are gone, I return to you, on [ and all, my most sincere thanks. And now. in bidding you all yer , good night, pray that Heaven will show CT upon you, and upon all the homes Il - goodly Holland, it's sweetest, and its choit . est blessings-health, happiness and pros Derity.