Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-02-21
THE PINE TREE STATE.
,xn1ET OF THE SONS OF
pa MAINE AT CHICAGO.
,,,>sE OF EDWARD C. SWEET TO
THE TOAST 1.-THE STATE
OF MAINE"


Maine. as follows:
:. ,,as a maxim Of a Roman emperor.
.so+ .4there is equal skill required to
hr,ro an army into the field and to give
a.cce.sfuI dinner" Were he the ruler
=, ,hia feast, he would certainly make
vary chicago son OF Maine centurion
- ,east while your banquet committee
I'D undoubtedly be raised to the rank
1T generals; for each one OF you Is host
in himself.
rhe art OF entertaining Is said to con-
sist chiefly in the ability to make the
cne.t feel at home, and from the bottom
- my heart | assure you that were i at
,bis moment in my native citysof Port
land, | should not feel any more at home,
40 dear dead and gone Oliver wendell
Holmes has put it.:
For here among our native shades. beside our
common mother,
where every stranger seems friend, and every
friend a brother.
And at this distance il will not be treason
totbe State to add the nextltwo lines
a., Cool the old convivial glow (unaidedl DER me
stealing;
The warm, champagny, old particular, brandy
punchy feeling.
Two things said to be entirely incom-
patible and utterly irreconcilabie, are an
undetiyered speech on mans MIND ana
O good dinner on his stomach, and you
behold in me victim OF circumstances.
I entered this hall impressed with the
inheritance OF my speech, but rs looked
sIonp he tables and scanned the bill OF
fare. | became more impressed with the
Importance of your dinner, and rapidly
reached the conclusion that 1t would be
less of sacrifice for you to lose such
speeeh than for me to lose such dinner
and the speech must now take care OF
itself.
haze not, however, forgotten the SEN
timent to which am invited to respond,
for II l., one which, always in our hearts,
Tonight holds the place OF honor incur
thoughts and rises spontaneously to our
lips. The State of Maine"
There i a land of every land the pride.
Beloved hv heaven Ger all the world beside
There l. a spot of earth supremacy ble-t,
\ dearrr, sweeter pot than all the rest.
Where shall that land, that spot of earth be
found?
Art thou "A man? a patriot? look around;
q thou shalt fnd howe'er thy footsteps roam
That land thy country, and that spot thy home.
suppose YOU have all heard it said and
perhaps some of you have said it your
selves, that maine is Il good state to go
from" Well that is quite true;
Maine is good state to go from, and as |
look about me here and see: you .all so
sleek, well-fed, contented and happy, l
have no doubt that you have found your
progress to this desirable condition, made
smoot her and easier by knowledge OF the
fact that you were from the State OF
Maine; for where energy, industry,
ability and integrity find market, there
is the best possible field OF labor for son
OF Maine.
Our rugged hills yield neither gold,
silver, coal, iron nor mineral weait h to any
considerable degree; our fields are not a
factor in the great grain markets OF the
world but Maine yields one great crop
which never fails, the fruit of which |
have never seen more generously dis
PLAYED than here tonight, and that is her
crop of men; and women, too. For on the
rolls of literature, art, law, soldiership
and craftsmanship, her sons and daughters
have inscribed their names with hers,
high up " here all the world may read.
The genius of Longfellow WAS Graded
and matured in that beautiful forest city
upon the shore of Casco bay; the i'm
mortal Verse OF y. p. Willis found in
spiration in her woods and streams; we
have right of equity in Hawthorne, and
clear title deed to genial "Artemus
Ward"
Upon the WaVe-w washed peninsula of
Harpswel, among its lovely bays and
rocky reaches, the genius OF Harriet
Beecner Stowe gave birth to sweet Mara
Lincoln, The Pearl of Orr's Island" and
hard by, in the peaceful town of Bruins
wick, under he shadow of BoWdoln col
lege, she wrote the greatest story that the
world has known since the parallels of
the Nazareth carpenters soma story
which, translated into eighteen different
languages, has had greater clvillzlng
influence upon this country than any
other book except the family bible
"Uucle Toms Cabin"
Is there a wel-reared American child of
the past or present generation, that does
not know of the "Dotty Dimple" stories,
and Flake Frizzle," and the Little Pru-
dienbooks of Sophie May, and tell me, if
you can, Of loftier mission in literature,
than ministering to the healthy, mental
happiness of those of whom it was said
"Ot such is the kingdom of heaven?''
In art, the statues OF Simmons have traced
his name in enduring bronze in almost
every state in the Union.
In law, Maine has furnished to the
bench of the United States courts, Cliff
ford, a Putnam, a Webb. Amonga host
of eminent rroct inpprS hail Sargent