The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-27
f. r. FRI saaTqsRs asaHTSqSssRPs PRICE THREE CENTS


struck UP "Haii to the Chief" and Gov
Cleaves and Mayor Baxter appeared upon
the stage, followed by the officers of the
Maine, the Governors staff, the officers
of the State militia, and others.
Mayor Baxter began the exercises by
reading the following telegrams:
Washington, Nov. 25.
To the Hon. Henry B. Cleaves.
regret exceedingly my inability to
accept your kind invitation to pe present
on the occasion of the presentation to the
cruiser Maine of a silver service from the
people of the State Of Maine.
H. A. HERBERT,
Secretary of the Navy"
The second telegram was as follows:
"May the good ship Maine ever bear
the national flag rs bravely and glorious
ly as the sons of Maine have ever borne
it upon the battlefield.
THE MAYORS ADDRESS.
Mayor Baxter than delivered his ad-
dress of welcome as follows:
Commander Crowninshield and Officers
of the Battleship Maine:
Sin behalf of the citizens of Portland
I extend to you hearty welcome to our
city. We are proud of our navy and of
its past achievements, in which, perhaps,
We have more lively interest than peo-
pie living remote from the sea. We can
but realize more fully than they the i'm
portance to this country Of an efficient
navy. One of the earliest experiences Of
our people was the destruction Of their
homes by foreign ships, when they had
no navy for their defence. Later it was
from this port that the Enterprise sailed,
under the command of the gallant Bur-
rowes, to meet the British brig Boxer in
battle, waited to success by the prayer
Of our citizens. And 1t was here that
the captured brig was brought, with the
dead commanders of both vessels, after
of that day are as vivid to us as they
were to our ancestors who witnessed
them.
"And was not Preble, too, one Of our
own citizens? Preble, whose splendid
achievements gave lustre to our navy
never to be dimmedl
Nor should I forget that on the coast Of
Maine was fought the arst naval ba title
of the Revolution, which renders the
name Of Maine SO appropriate in its ap-
plioation to this last addition to our1navy.
"There is reason, then, that we Of Port
land and Maine should take peculiar in
terest in naval affairs, and that 1t should
be pleasant duty to me to have the
honor Of welcoming torour city you, the
worthy Representatives of our navy"
Mayor Baxter then introduced Gov.
Cleaves as one who needed no introduce
tion, and who would make the presenta-
tion Of the service of plate.
Gov. Cleaves was greeted with prolonged
applause. He spoke az follows:
COW nJThUEC,C nnDECC
Mr.. Commander speaking for loyal
people, who have always manifested
great interest in the American Navy,
ings of the State. We highly appreciate
the great courtesy extended by the Honor
able Secretary of the Navy, in sending to
our State the grand ship you have the
honor to command, to receive the gift of
the citizens OF Maine.
You have come to commonw wealth,
within whose territorial limits tho first
naval Battle of the Revolution was won; /;
on our eastern coast, in that conflict, oc-
CURED the first surrender of a naval flag
by thu British Crown. Your grand ship
of the Union, floats today on the peaceful
waters of magnificent harbor, where
nearly a century and a quarter ago. laysa
hostile feet in line of battle, with shotted
guns, and with commander whose only
But the patriotic people of the territory
where now sits a beautiful and prosper
ous city-the abode of intelligence and of
refinement, of education and culture
fearlessly and bravely exposed themselves
to the cruel and mer3ileSS tire OF the
enemy, and sacrificed their homes and
their property to the torch, rather than
abandon the great principles for which
they were contending.
The spirit Of devotion to noble cause,
the loyalty and patriotism of the brave
women and men of those perilous days.
in the struggle to establish on this con-
tinent, free, permanent and indie
pendent government, will live forever and
be cherished as porto of the most in
teresting and instructive history of our
people.
The early settlers OF our shores were
dsterm ined and brave people, united
by the bonds of common sympathy.
Their descendants have always remained
true to the loyal spirit of their revolution
ary ancestors: they have never permitted
the fires Of patriotism to smolder. but
have kept them brightly burning; and
in every hour Of danger, they have shown
their devotion to our great American Re-
public.
Maine in the past has given thousands
of her best and bravest sons. to uphold
the cause of the Union and the honor Of
the Hag on the battlefield ana tno ocean.
Her soldiers and her sailors. during the
life of the Republic. have borne a con-
spicuous and honorable position in the
American Army, and the Americana Navy
We yield to no State in our love for the
Union; we yield to no commonwealth or
community, in our loyalty to our country
and the flag.
While we are not belligerent people,
while we believe in and cultivate the
principles of peace and amity, we are
nevertheless impressed with the impor-
tance of maintaining the strength and
power of the American Navy. 1t is the
great natural guardian of the Nations
safety, and should be maintained power
Fful enough and swift enough, to uphold
the honor and dignity. OF the American
Republic among all the nations OF the
world. So strong and swift, that it
will effectually guard all of our COM