The Portland daily press., 1898-06-29

~ was loudly applauded, especially
"Aon ne referred to the war and the
Maine troops. He said:
III. PRESIDENT and Gentlemen of the Con.
vention:
or This renewed and unanimous ex-
paoesion OF your confidence and esteem
p pr.fnl1 me to tender to you personally my
tns slgnned thanks. l accept with graft
IL Iaao tnls nomination at your hands, full
:; r9an1lng the duties and responsible
fers. 90 "0ii a. 'no nonof u oon-
81, tnls unique period, and perhaps ori-
sis, IN our national career, when we are
.naSlng history rapidly and learning val
liable lessons which viii profit US in the
,uiGItire, when any hour may be pregnant
| with grand and startling events, when
une daring and courage Of our army and
lazy are immortalizing heroes almost
ually, we have assembled here in conven-
ulon as Republicans and loyal citizens, in
| response to a call, the terms of which are
proaQ enough to emil brace every voter in
our State who may desire to sustain, up
noio and strengthen the hands of the
| TfeslGent, our grand leader, in the con-
Jest that this country is now waging
| against the cruel barbarisms of Spain,
| conoending not for empire, not for con-
quest not even for glory, but for the ad-
vancement of the cause of humanity, of
| liberty and the God-given rights of man.
1t is but right and natural, it is but
human, that the hearts of the people of
thls free republic should go out in SYM
pathy to those who are struggling for free
1om and a@better government in other
lands, and especially when the contest is
50 adjacent to our own shores. After pa
| tlent waiting and ample notice, the gov
eminent of the United States found it
self imperatively forced to interfere in
the intolerable condition of affairs in
Cuba, and to put an end to war which
mad been dragged along by Spain through
methods SO unprecedented, and cruelties
! so unparalleled as to have caused death
from starvation of more than 10000 in
nocent, inoffensive non combatants. And
Whatever views any of Us may have en-
tertained as to the policy that should
nave been pursued, or as to the necessity
or the propriety of involving this coun-
Try Ill war in the sunset hours. and the
last part Of this nineteenth century-and
! submit that patriotic men might right.
~ and conscientiously differ-today the
time for dissent or discussion is past, and
the hour for action, united. energetic,
eIectiye action, has struck, and it is my
deliberate Judgment that the American
people have determined, and irrevocably
oecreed, with marked unanimity, that
they will consider no terms of peace or
compromise, but that the struggle must
go on till the last vestige Of Spanish
tyranny and mis- 4ule shall be forever BAN
lshed from the Western hemisphere. do
lear, however, that many of the people of
our country have not, and do not, fully
| reallze and comprehend how unprepared
we were when the Congress of the United
States resolved that war existed between
this country and Spain. Hence, their i'm
patience at what undoubtedly are neces-
sary delays. For more than 80 years the
olangors of battle have been silent in our
land. During this period of peace we
nave cultivated the arts of peace and de-
Veloped Gne vast resources of the CONT
nent. We have made strides unprece-
dented in the history of nations. We
have not consumed the substance Of the
people In maintaining armies, creating
navies, or building Notifications along
our coasts. Though it might have been
better and wiser policy to have done
more of this.
Yet, when the fat went forth an d the
call to arms was heard, the country re-
sponded with a1acrity, for our energy,
enterprise and resources always rise to
the occasion, and are equal to any emer-
gency.
And we are certainly and rapidly cre-
ating an army and navy which no dam
ger can daunt, no privationS or hardshipS
deter, no obstacles check. There are no
better or Drawer soldiers and seamen than
this country has, can and will produce
whenever the occasion shall call for them.
Our own State of Maine has never fall
tered when the country has called for aid
and 1t never will. 1t has never been true
in it's devotion and duty to the Union and
the flag.
Maine will continue to do her full duty,
promptly and chesrfully. We have many
fleets, and we have recently sent to
Chickamauga and Fort Popham as brave
and as fine soldiers as ever followed or
defended our country's flag. And there
are many thousands more, equally val
liant, anxious to serve the country it they
can but be permitted to do so. The LIST
Regiment of Maine Infantry Volunteers
received on all hands encomiums of praise
for it's discipline, its personnel, its sol
dierly bearing. 1t Ia an honor to our
State, and credit to the efforts Of Adju.
tant General Richards who worked SO
zealously and effectively, equipping and
sendin g it forth.
The first call was largely filled from the
National Guard of our State, as requested
by the President. AS the 1st Regiment
had its complement of officers 1t was
more difficult to recruit the companies to
the required standard than it would have
been to create new organizations. The
men had besn called into camp somewhat
suddenly; many of them had left their
families poorly provided Tor, and all
needed more or less money to purchase
many necessary articles before going to
the 'front.'
Therefore, to facilitate enlistnents and
provide the men with something for
themselves and families till they should
receive some pay from the government,
decided to pay to them as gratuity the
same sum as the State, for like reasons,
gave to the first regiments of volunteers
in the war Of 1851. AS there was no au-
thority of law for this I did not attempt
to take this money from the treasury,
but procured it myself, thus referring to
the next legislature the wisdom and me-
cessity of my act in doing this.
Up to the present time we have not
overdrawn the military appropriation.
We owe some bills, but we have over
$50, 600, already approved By the United
States accounting officer, which should
be repaid to us soon.
1 have also written to several mayors of
cities and municipal officers of towns to
provide what may be necessary for any of
the needy families of volunteers, and that
have no doubt the State will authorize
the repayment Of the same, that should
certainly recommend it if was governor.
No ,ro fortI1pota ipdood mot onl-