The Portland daily press., 1896-06-01
AT[CITY HALL.
A Great Throng in Attendance at the Eve
ming Meeting.

ATtClTY HALL.
A Great Throng in Attendance at the Eve
ming Meeting.
City hall was packed to suffocation
long before the hour OF the opening of the
exercises last evening. Chandler's band
was stationed in front of the stage and
disooursed patriotic airs during the
time the audience was gathering.
Promptly at O'Clock to the strains Of
stirring march, the two posts entered
the hall and took the front seats which
had been specially reserved for them.
Immediately after Presiding Officer Cat
ley led the way on to the platform followed
by the speakers of the evening and the
special guests. Among them were May.
or Baxter, Rev. +. G. Rogers, Rev. W. NJ.
Kimmell, Rev. j. G. Perkins, Rev. j.
G. Shepard, Rev. DR.. Samson, Alderman
Leighton and Illsley, Councilmen John
son, and Lamson, and others.
Rev. F.. q. Rogers was introduced and
offered prayer.
Thon the Ladies' Ceoilian Quartette was
| introduced and sang the "Battle Cry Of
Freedom with accompaniment by the
band SO we'll that they were given an
enthusiastic encore. They responded
with "Star Spangled Bannor.'' The
quartette sang DELIGHTFULLY."- all through
the evening, each selection receiving a
hearty encore.
Comrade Galley then said:
Fellow citizens and comrades:
Today for tho 28th time you have dooo-
rated the graves Of our comrades who
have gone before. Twenty years
| ago today on a Sabbath morning q little
squad OF Ellsworth post marched out to
the cemeteries and placed tributes on
a little over 100 graves.
| Today in Portland, Cape Elizabeth
and Deering l175 graves were laden with
flowers and decorated with the flag. Since
| that time we have mustered out in the
post to which belong, 1913 men. 1t shows
the love that Ia in your breasts when we
look at the large numbers in which You
turned out today. 1t is gratifying to
us to see the interest that is being TAX
en- ip this day of sweet memories BY the
| rising generations and Oy men who are
not old soldiers.
The speaker expressed his administration
the men who had the manliness to stand
up in favor Of high principle and resign
an oifice rather than participate in
amusements which would desecrate tho
sacred nature Of Memorial day. He was
glad TO see that amusoments We're getting
less frequent on this day. He declared
in closing THAI a member Of the Grand
Army who would participate in any
such amusements while his comrades
marched in solemn tread to deck the
graves of fallen comrades was unfit to
| wear the badge of the order.
The quartette here sang another selec-
ion and Comra,le Galley introduced
| the first speaker of the evening, Rev. W.
NJ. Kimmell, who made an eloquent ad-
dress.
Chandler's band next rendered "The
Cavalry Charge" in brilliant man
ner.
Rev. John Carroll Perkins next ad-
dressed the audience, speaking in elo-
quent language which commanded close
! attention.
! The quartette then finely rendered
"When the Roll Is Called in Heaven"
and the audience sang America"
with much spirit
The benediction closed the interesting
exercises Of the evening, which reflected
great credit in all concerned.
In their addresses Rev. Messrs. Kim
NELL and Perkins spoke in part as fol-
lows:
REV. MR.. PERKINS, ADDRESS.
| Ladies and Gentlemen What were our
life unless we had the power to meet like
this and in such common presence dedi-
cate an hour to sacred memories?
doubt not that the sweetest moments of
a heavenly Immortality will find their
sweetness in the power Of keeping fast
the intimate knowledge of those things
that have gained the crown of earthly ex-
cellence. NJ emory is the first foundation
stone of Immortality. And as we meet
together here in the memory of them to
whom we owe our national peace. still
mindful OF the principles that were
through them preserved, we are indeed
walking in the paths of immortality.
When the affairs before which as nation
we worship on our Memorial Day, shall
once have fallen in ruins, then is our
civilization turned into defeat, and our
glory become-the abode of shame.
| You have asked me to speak to you on
tEls' our nations, sabbath day.
| A cloud OF witnesses around
| Hold thee in full survey"
These are the spirits of them, who DOS
sessed OF holy courage and confidence,
hesitated not to answer duty's call; b ut
poured out their life's blood on the field
OF battle, on the dock Of war ship, in the
dreadful prison, or in mercy londing hos
pital. You have heard the cries Of pain
and anguish; you have seen with your
eyes many death struggle you have
heard the whistle of bullets. the roar of
cannon, the heavy tramp of soldiery,
the shrieks of the dying. 9
But for me my friends and for the
generation that represent, all this is
but history. You have labored we have
but entered into your labors We do not,
because we cannot, understand with
clearness the processes and the details of
the struggle by which you have given us
the place we occupy today. We can not
| follow the processes of war and enter in
to the passions what kept alive that war.
We see our soldiers marching through
our streets, In dress parade, with heads
erect in spotless uniform, but we cannot
picture to ourselves what you know so
we'll, the broken files, the coats Of blue
begrimed with dust and blood.
| And take it, this is what YOU Yourselves