The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-13

of the strength of such principles OF
political honesty than shown by the ca
reers of Hannibal Hamlin and William
Pitt Fessendens (Applause.)
After speaking briefly Of Hamlin and
Fessenden, Mr.. Soldiers said that the an-
pearance of such men as Abraham Lin
coin, although they might appear only
once in fifty years, were saving elements
in American politics. We're | to speak
of living example of that political
honesty today, I should point to MEM
Der of your own club, the man whom
the popular pulse designates as the next
President, Thomas B. Reed. Cloud APP
plause.)
SPEAKER LLEWELLYN POWERS
of Houlton, was introduced as an old
friend who had visited the club before
He was cordially received again, and
said ne was proud to be an honorary
memb Der of a ub which has in it's mem
bership the next President of the Unit
ed States; cloud cheers) and one of the
most able, devoted and conscientious
governors of Maine Cloud cheers ana
applause The speaker spoke next of
the recent tidal wave, which had lett
only five Democratic stragglers in the
House. 1t reminded him Of the young
fellow in Aroostook who, returning
from seeing his best girl, was set upon
by a 70 bber, who demanded his money.
When, after long tussle, the robber got
| 11,<L no
cents. "You fool" said the robber, "why
did you resist? might have killed you
for paltry fifteen cents" The youth
replied, 81 didn't care rush abont the
fifteen cents, but didn't want my fin
nancial condition exposed" daughter.
This story would explain the fight
which the Democracy made last fall.
The speaker then went on to speak of
the curious and unfortunate condition
of the country under Democratic rule.
The golden circle of the Plum Trust was
about all that was left of the Democra-
cy in Maine And even the Plum Trust
had been left out recently in Portland
Qaughter) and in Bangor.
HERBERT NJ LORD, esq,
editor of the Rockland Courier G azette
was next introduced as brilliant flour
nalist. He said he came as the repre-
sentative of the only Democratic county
in the state, aud Knox was not so DEM
ocratic as it was once. applause.
Mr.. Lord then hamorously referred to
| the order in which he had been called
upon, and then, commenting on present
politics, said that Grover Cleveland is
| the victim of circumstances, and infer
nally mean circumstances at that. Mr..
Lord then discussd at pleasing length
the present political conditions in the
national field 1t would soon be the duty
of the Republican party to put in nom
ination a standard bearer. 1t would
seem, when certain great statesman
was named on this occasion, that he be-
longed to Portland alone. (Applause.)
But Maine claimed him as well, and
Portland and Mainey must yield him to
the whole country.as Loud applause.)
HON. W. ". ssTHOMAS, JR.,
was next introduced as one appointed to
the consular service abroad by A braham
Llncoln.s Loud applause greeted him as
he arose and began to speak:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Lincoln Club:
l shall ever esteem il my good fortune
that once had the privilege of seeing
and taking by the hand, Abraham Lin
coin.
1t was in the early days of the war
when the vast burdens and responsible
ties OF his great office rested perhaps
most heavily upon him. 1 we'll remem-
Der his tall, gaunt form, his deeply fur
rowed face, ana his large dark, iustrous
eyes, that seemed filled with sadness, as
| if foreseeing his tragic fate. But most
assuming reserved power of the President
and filed with consciousness of
| his absolute honesty and sincerity of
purpose. These qualities inspired in
me, and think in all who came in con-
tact with him, the confidence that how
ever great the emergencies of the Repub-
| lie might be, President Lincoln would
rise equal AYE. superior to them.
Shortly afterward / received my first
commission as a United States officer
"a commission of which I shall always
be proud, for it bears the signature
"a Lincoln, land | sailed fol- my distant
post of duty in a foreign land, little
/ dreaming III WOulQ Dc my Sdu ODlce
while there to lower the stars and stripes
to half mast in mournful memory of
Lincoln, the martyr.
AS years roll on, it becomes more and
more clear that the century, in whose
closing years we live, counts no name
SO noble as that of him whose birth we
are met today to celebrate.
Nature is so chary of her choicest gifts
that she vouchsafes humanity scarcely
more than one great leader in hundred
years.
Gastavus Adolphus, Sweden's golden
king, the lion of the North, whose sword
was mighty as the pen of Luther, and
whose prowess saved freedom of thought
and religion to the world and for all
time, is the hero of the seventeenth CEN
fury.
Washington. general and statesman,
whose frmness, self devotion, dignity
and character placed him first among the
illustrious names, who freed we'll nigh a
continent, gained our independence and
founded the great Republic of modern
times Washington, the father of his
country" is the hero of the eighteenth
century.
And the one bright particular star in
the armament of our own cycle is he,
whose craftsmanship, patriotism and
| JuI Lnl L.