Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-01-21
SPEAKER POWERS
Delivers Eloquent Address at
Calais Bridge Opening.
Calais and St. Stephen Now Con-
nected ByNew Steel Structure.
Provincial Secretary Mitchell Also Speaks, In
Behalf Of New Brunswick.

Hon. Geo. Murchie, mayor of the city
CT Calais, accepted the bridge in very
appropriate speech, as follows:
On behalf of the city of Calais, hereby
accept and dedicate this bridge to the free
use of the public, and trust that the pleas
ant social and business relations that have
heretofore existed between the people on
both sides of the St. Croix, may be main
tanned and increased.
The freedom and erection of the bridges
was not obtained without encountering
certain obstacles on both sides of the St.
Croix, but today, am sure that not one
person on either side would wish to go
back to our old bridges and toll houses.
wish ON behalf Of the city government.
to thank the citizens for the very unani-
nous support we have received from them
in all matters relating to the bridges across
the St. Croix. And also wish to tender
the thanks of our citizens to our colleagues
in the work, the government of New
Brunswick, who, without any precedent
for so doing, have joined with us, in max
ing toll bridges on the st. Croix a thing
Of the past.
After appropriate remarks by the chief
commissioners of public works of New
Brunswick, Hon. Henry r. Emerson, &C
cepting the bridge from contractors on the
part of New Brunswick, Mr.. Murchie intro
duced Llewellyn Powers of Houlton, as fol-
lows.
We have with us, today, many distin-
guished gentlemen, representatives OF
New Brunswick and Maine, and l now
have the honor to present to you gentle
man who, in the absence of the Governor,
can speak for the State of Maine. The
Hon. Llewellyn Powers of Houlton,
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Mr.. Powers spoke in his usual style
and was attentively listened to and
often cheered. His allusion to the fact of
it's being the first time he had ever spoken
under the British flag-it happening that
the speakers stood on the Canadian SIDE
and several English flags We're over their
heads-and his statement that the English
flag, like our own, was the emblem of n
free people and n great, progressive, popu-
lar government, whose folds did not
shadow single slave wherever it might
float, was received with great applause.
His illusions to the two great liberty
loving nations of the globe were received
have a common origin, a common Ian
guage, and in some respects the same his
tory, literature and laws. That it may
be true in some respects that happy Is
the nation that has no history" but there
are many pages in the history of these
nations, of whichlwe are truly proud and
which time will never efface, and that
your history previous to the war of the
Revolution, is, indeed, our history also.
Your great poets and writers of the golden
age of Elizabeth, we claim to share with
you The English common law. which
has so benefited and blessed the Anglo
Saxon race, and which stands conspicuous
as lasting monument OF wisdom, learn
ing and justice, is also the birthright of
every citizen of the great republic, unless
1t be that he is in the state of Louisiana.
Mr. Powers said that the blessings of
political freedom, popular government,
individual security and personal liberty
are as fully understood and appreciated
in New Brunswick as in Maine that the
energy, enterprise, respect for law, and
love of Justice and all of those qualities so
necessary to form good citizens were to
be found in New Brunswick as in Maine;
and that in these essentials the peope OF
Maine are second to no state in the Union,
and to no nation on the face of the globe.
We can give you no greater praise than
to make you our peers in these respects.
You have determined and decreed that
benceforth intercourse and travel shall be
free and untrammelled at the mouth OF
the ST. Croix, and that tribute and tolls
shall no longer be levied at the mouth of
the St Croix, upon the travel between
these two beautiful and enterprising cities.
For the first time in its history you have
spanncd the st. Croix with steel rails,
uniting two countries. l had almost said
two states. for New Brunswick would
make most excellent state, joined in
manner never to be severed, two cities
peopled by the same race of men,
What of union, political or commercial,
the future may have in store for the
English speaking people who dominate
and occupy most of this continent l Will
not attempt to prophesy or foretell. but l
do know that feelings of bitterness be
tween us are forever entombed in the
oblivion and forgetfulness of the past, and
that all strife, contention of war or desire
of conquest have teea relegated to the
harharism of that past, never to becalled
or revived. ;.
have often sincerely thought that it
would be indeed very pleasing to me to
see the line obliterated that separates New
brunswick from Maine, and that perhaps
the best interests Of the people of both
countries might be subserved by SO doing
But recognize fully that this can only be
done by the mutual desire and assent OF
both countries. Any attempt to effect 1t
Inv any other means would be crime-aye,
worse than crimc-an unpardonaoie
blunder.
see that Professor Goodwin Smith says
that Canada is country rich by nature,
hut poor by policy. That it is vastly rich by
nature, and has great undevcloped future
possibilities, no one familiar with it can
doubt. but when we consider how within
the mast 25 years it has been covered by
network Of railways, extending from ocean
RI ocean. how it cheerfully contributes to
the construction of such internal improve
ments as this, instead OF denouncing the