The Republican journal., 1896-11-19
BELT Asst CELEBRATES THE Ma
TIONAL VICTORY.

Congressman MiIIiken. Bon=Fires
Fire Works, Music and a General
Illumination.
The citizens of Belfast celebrated the cleo.
ton OF Mckinley and Hobart last Thursday
evening, by one of the grandest demonstra-
tions ever made here. The places of busi
ness and residences of the Republicans and
sound money Democrats We're brilliantly
illuminated, and many We're elaborately
decorated. The march of the procession
was ID continual glare of light from the
liIumlnations of the houses and lawns. fire
works and bontres, while the ringing OF
bells, the reports of bombs and firearms, the
footing of the steam whistles and horns
made music not in the least dscordant to
patriotic ears.
The first move of the celebration was on
the arrival Of the 20 train, which brought
about 100 passengers from Brooks and other
points up the line. The Brooks delegation
headed by an impromptu drum corps of Bel
last boys, formed on the platform, with
flags, baskets of flowers. transparences and
torches and marched up the street directly
to the residence of Hon. Seth l.. Millken,
where their spokesman, John H. Gordon,
addressed our Congressman as follows:
Mr.. MILLIKEN: Your constituents from
the little village of Brooks have made this
visit to you TO return you their thanks, and
to express to you their appreciation of the
| earnest and patriotic course you have taken
in the campaign which has just closed
| in victory, victory only second to the VIC
tory which was won and sealed at Appo-
mattox. The boys who fought in '61 have a
warm spot in their breasts for you, who have
| fought for them in '96. They recognize that
your vote and your voice has always been
with them and for them. Their sons and
daughters appreciate your services and la
bors for them, and these two young ladies,
| Old soldiers daughters, have brought these
| flowers and present them to you offer
| ing of their kind wishes and regards. If you
| shall receive them with the same pleasure
| that we present them we shall feel that we
| are well repaid.
| Mrs. Marie NJ. Hobbs and Miss Vesta Rose
then advanced and presented two baskets of
| beautiful flowers. Mr.. Millken responded
| as follows:
MIR. GORDON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: l
| wish L could summon language adequate to
| express my deep and earnest gratitude for
| this graceful expression of your good will.
| Shakespeare says that 'the man who hath no
| music in himself is tit for treasons, strate-
gems and spoils.'' And l say that he who
hath not the love of flowers in his heart is
| devoid of those delicate feelings and that re-
| inement of nature which make most All
| tractive both men and women.
| These floral offerings, so beautiful in them
| selves, more beautiful in their conception
| and most beautiful in what they signify,
| could not but touch my feelings very deep
f! ly from whatever source they might come :
/ huT | cannot fell how mIIpl1
! foundly they affect me, presented as they are
| 10y the daughters of old Union veterans of a
| town whose patriotic sons SO many of them,
| went with aacrity to the battle front gem
| GRAFTON ago to meet and yanquish their
| Countrv's enemies.
| And yet | am not entirely surprised by
| this beautiful tribute. The brave are always
the most generous They who magnanimous-
| ly make great sacrifices for others are ever
the most grateful for even the smallest kind
| ness done to til emselves and it is not strange,
though perhaps onmy part undeserved, that
! the daughters OF the heroic men of 1861 and
| 1868 should recognize in the tasteful way
they have tonight the small services which
| l have rendered, as 1t has been and always
| will be my duty to do 10 those who by their
valor have deserved for themselves, and
those dependent upon them, SO we'll and 50
much of their country.
He who honors not those by whose achieve
ments and sacrifices the life of the nation
WdS SdNtt is uOU worthy W De respected
himself. He is not the most ardent lover of
his country. He is not the strongest believer
| IN It, He is not the most anxious for its well
| fare, its honor, or its success. He is not one
| who sees It's progress with most pride or
| glories most in its greatness and power. He
is not the best kind of an American. He is
| not to be relied upon in the nations emer-
gency. He is not a desirable citizen even in
| time of peace.
For he who loves his country, who
| cherishes its institutions, who hopes the
| greatest things for it and believes that it has
| a high and noble destiny, cannot but hold in
| greatest honor, and as the objects of his deep
est affection, its defenders and preservers.
No one in this broad land has more right or
| reason to rejoice over the great victory
which you come with bounding aud grateful
! hearts to celebrate tonight than the old
| Union soldiers and they who represent them.
| The people have voted as they fought. Yes,
| the people have declared by an overwhem-
| ing majority at the polls that what our
| armies achieved thirty years ago shall be
conserved now that the anarchist and social
| ist shall not accomplish what the southern
| rebel failed to do.
An insidous attack upon our institutions
has been repulsed. Again the enemies of
| the republic have been most disastrously
beaten. They have this time met their APP
pomattox at the ballot box. They have
| been routed in almost every great State of
the country, Wherever thrift has followed
| enterprise they have gone down like the
unrighteous hosts in the battle of Senna-
cherib before the avengng breath of the
Lord. More than eight-tenths of the great
| industries and the progressive forces of the
nation have been against them.
The people feel as they did when Gen. Lee
surrendered his battered armies to the in
vincible forces of the Union, that an i'm
minent danger has been passed. that wide
spread ruin has been escaped. To-day hope
fills the hearts of the people, where doubt
and grave apprehension existed month
ago. Confidence has been restored. Idle
hands are beginning to be employed. Pros
perity is dawning. The foundations of the
republic are yet unmoved and the govern
ment still stands unshaken. What the old
soldiers fought for and conquered is still
triumphant, and may all we'll rejoice
with exceeding joy tonight, and from the
depths of our hearts he glad. Ladies and
gentlemen of Brooks, this your generous
greeting, | shall ever cherish in my memory
as one of the happiest occasions ot my life.
This stirring address received by the
Brooks delegation with applause and cheers
They then formed in line and marched down
Franklin street to take their places in the
procession. A bigbontire was blazing on the
Crosby Inn lot as they passed, By this
time the houses were illuminated and the
streets were thronged with people, many