Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-02-21
A Distinguished Company Of
Northwest Citizens Present.
TO HONOR ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Governor Mcconnell of Idaho Re-
spouded TO Idaho. the Gem OF
the Mountains"

| OF Abraham Lincoln was honored by an
elaborate banquet at the Hotel Port
land. under the auspices of the Multor-
for Republican Club. 1t was the first
OF a series of celebrations which 1t is
proposed to give each year in memory
of the patriot president.
Among the representative citizens of
Portland and the northwest who re-
sponded to toasts were Governor Lord,
of Oregon; Governor Mcconnell, of Ida
no; Hon. c. II. Carey, X. G. Morrow.
Hon. George II. Williams. Hon. ID. p.
Thompson. Hon. j. +. Caples. Hon. II.
II. Tongue, General c. r.. Beebe, Colo
mel o. Summers. Henry st. Raynor, Col
onel James Jackson, Hon. C. w. Full
ton and ex-senator j. N. Dolph.
Governor Mcconnell, in response to
the toast, 1.-THE State of Idaho, the Gem
of the Mountains" said:
Mr. POSTMASTER: l feel that the invi-
tation extended TO me to be present at
this banquet and respond to the toast,
THE State of Idaho was rendered, not
as compliment to an individual, but
as an evidence of the esteem in which
you hold the people of the common
wealth have the honor to represent. l
not forgotten that Idaho, with her
grand old mountains, in whose treas
ure-caves are stored untold millions of
the precious metals; with her beautiful
valleys and vine-clad hills: sheltered by
the towering Rockies on the east from
the billiards. and cyclones which sweep
with relentless fury the shivering ham
let's of Nebraska and the Dakotas; pro-
tected by the mountains of Brisish CO.
lumbia on the north from the arctic
winds which chill the blood and freeze
the marrow of the subjects of her ma
jesty the queen. You have invited me
here as an evidence, l say, that you
remember and are. no doubt proud Of
the fact that with all the advantages
Nature has so lavishly showered on the
Gem of the Mountains" she is, after
ALL the child of her noble mother, the
state of Oregon. Born in the throes of
civil war, heaven decreed that the
sturdy infant should have as it's god
father the greatest man this nation
aye, the world-has ever known; one
whose image is engraved upon the
hearts of the American people; no other
than him the memory of whose birth
you have assembled to honor, the mar
tyred president, Abraham Lincoln
With such mother, such a godfather
the future of the infant was assured
In the brief time allotted / can not
give expression to all the kindly
thoughts we entertain for Oregon and |
her people; l can not tell you of Idaho's |
resources; can not tell you of our gold |
mines, our silver mines, our lead. our
copper, our opal. our mica, our iron or
our coal mines; can not tell you of our
onyx and marble quarries, our almost
boundless ranges covered with sheep, |
cattle and horses; can not tell of our |
magnificent rivers which are the nat
ural breeding grounds of the wealth.
bringing salmon which have contrib
uted so largely to the Golfers of Oregon;
can not tell you Of the latent power of |
those streams which, when developed. |
Will set In motion hundreds of mills and |
factories and drive the hurrying trains
with increased velocity across the con- |
tinent; l can not tell you of our mag
nificent forests of pine, cedar and tam
arack; can not tell you of our produc-
tive farms orchards and meadows: can
not tell you of the beauty and culture
of our ladies. many of whom we won
from the state of Oregon; l can not tell
you of all those treasures, for each and
Is at my disposal; l can not tell you
what we have accomplished; l have not
even time to tell you of the wonderful
effect of our mountain air in transform
ing into loyal American citizens some
of our early settlers who were refugees
from the army of General Price. You
must come and see to be convinced that
the age of miracles has not vet gone nv
Come and visit us; come in the heat of
summer, when you are mentally and
physically exhausted; drink of our crys-
tai waters, breathe our health-giving
air, and you will return to bring your
wives and children. Come in the win
ter when the rain and fogs have chilled
the life current in your veins: when
your step is heavy and your eyes are
dull. take plunge in our natural hot
water. breathe the balmy air of our val
leys, revel in our continuous sunshine.
listen to the laughter of our children
the music of our church and school
bells, and your hearts will be filed with
gladness.
From the earliest settlement of Ida
no, Oregon has furnished her full quota
TO our population; has furnished more
Than her share of aspirants to the pub
lie offices. Yamhill, that grand old
county of your state, has covered her
self with glory in that direction, hav-
ng furnished one United States sena-
or two governors and two district
Judges to grateful people; Linn coun-
y. one governor and bishop; Multno-
nah. one governor and numerous III
mes; Clackemas, our present secretary
II state. also clerk of the United States
'ourt; other counties, the names of
which l will not mention. have sent us
installments of cattle and |
lorse thieves; these individuals, how
YER usually found prices unremunera-
I've and went out of business, some
lines out of existence.
gentlemen the time allotted to me Is
p Again l ask you to come and see
s. come soon, that you may be able
0 return and settle your affairs with c
ne intention of coming back to us. like
ne robins in the spring, to build a nest {
D Shaltar