Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-28

come here to the annual ~encampmen
to show the results Of this discipline
and to d to your efficiency By
further hard work. For no one now
thinks of the annual tou of duty as 3
picnic, Il chance to arouse, a mera
good time. A good time we have. but
that is incidental: the main thing Il
work, drill, discipline, the practice that
makes perfect in the manual of arms,
in guard duty, and in military evolu-
tons and ceremonies.
Here let 1t be said, that the physical
qualifications n military exercises OF
a soldier are indissolubIy Joined to
moral qualities and virtues. The Ro-
nan soldier as carefully avoided all
habits and excesses which might be
detrimental to vigor and valor. as he
cultivated such virtues as courage.
self-mastery, patience, and patriotism.
AS for the National Guard of this
state. We congratulate ourselves that
we have a body of earnest u men,
| eager to learn, ready to obey orders.
iesolute and patriotic. This Is as it
should be. The State has a right to
expect every man to be at his best; to
| sbun all that will lessen his value as 4
Sblulti, u Hidtlltt MfldltNtI Will III
| crease his efficiency; all of which is
more easily done as we stimulate our
selves to earnestness in duty by such
lefty motives as those of patriotism
and true religion.
AS to patriotism, a well known his
torian says: THAT public virtue.
which among the ancients was de
nominated patriotism, is derived from
a strong sense Of our own interest in
tic preservation and prosperity Of the
free government Of which we are mem
bers." Such a sentiment made thu
legiOns of Rome almost utincible. and
in our great Civil War saved for us cur
Union. Patriotism is for all men alike.
but for none more than for the soldier
The Roman soldier was impressed with
this on enlistment. much the same as
with us; on his first entrance to the
service an oath was administered To
HIM with every circumstance If
solemnity. He promised never to de-
sort his standard, to submit his own
win to the commands Of his leaders.
ard to sacrifice his life for the safety
Of the emperor ana of the empire"
The attachment Of the Roman troops
TO their standards was inspired by the
united influence Of religion and Of
honor. The golden eagle. which gilt
tered in the front OF the legion. was
the object of their fondeSt devotion,
ror was it esteemed less impious than
it was isnominious. to abandon that
sacred ensign i'll the hour Of danger"
Patriotism is "A virtue rarely found
wanting among the soldiers Of
America. The instances are c%onspicu-
ously few in which her interests have
been betrayed by a soldier. On the
ether hand. from the days of the
Revolutionary fathers to the men OF
81, if not. indeed. To the present hour.
u history has ~abounded in illustra-
tions OF that patriotism whose at
tendants are self-sacrifce and a hero
ism unsurpassed. we trust that hero
ism is not all Of the past. In the
future. whatever foes may arise, the
country can depend upon the patriot
ism of her soldiers. Should the forces
Of anarchy, unrest. and discomfort
gather for open rebellion against tn
laws at the first tap Of the drum our
modern soldier will be ready for duty.
should a foreign foe invade. and the
war trumpet startle the land. side by
side the soldiers Of the regular army
and the men of the National Guard
would move to the point Of danger
with a patriotism as lofty an as mag
niicent a courage as the world has
ever seen.
Nor is there anywhere a country
more deserving Of such exalted dcvo-
ton. In physical resources. both gifts
of nature and products of industry. !
we AVE a great country. We make
our just boast Of our mountains, plains.
lakes. rivers. ana majestic waterfalls.
We own one-sixth Of the wealth of the
world. have onc-tfth Of the agriculture,
one-fourth Of the manufacturing. ne
third of the mining. one-half of the
railroad mileage. Growing these
natural ~ourc and developments
are our free institutions. our schools,
our churches. our laws.
But our country is more han all
this. As the President of the United
States said at the Constitutional Cen
tennjal in SO: when We think Of our
country. it is a spiritual thought that
is in our minds. it is the flag and what
it stands for; it is its glorious history:
i is the fireside and the home; it is
the high thoughts that are in the heart,
born of the inspiration which comes of
the story of the fathers. the martyrs
to liberty. Here in these things is that
we love and call our codntry-rather
than in anything that can be touched
and handled" We are a strong and
s~elf-respecting nation. American citi-
zenship is everywhere honored. our
flag is on every land and sea the sym
boil of human liberty.
In such a land patriotic devotion can
rise to no loftier height than is due.
our own State of Maine merits a full
share of love and devotion. Lift up
your eyes and behold north. south.
west and east, from Fort Kent to
Kittery Point; from oxford Hills to
Quoddy Head; see her lovely valleys
and chGrch-crowned hills. her placid
lakes and mill-lined rivers. her lodges
of granite aud forests of timber. here
are the comforts of life. the homes of a
happy and prosperous people.
And the patriotism of the sons of
Maine can never be questioned by one
who has scanned her history. They
did their full share in the earlier wars