The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-10-22

dropped and the bronze figure of the
war governor was bathed in sunlight.
The Presentation.
Gen. w. X. Wilmington, who present
ed the statue to the state in behalf of
the commission. said:
''It has been labor OF love. Such ability
~ the commission possessed for this task
has been gladly put TO the service of the
safe in the selection and preparation OF
this statue. which a great commonwealth
has now erected to its most conspicuous
figure OF the civil war We trust the result
may he approved.
Rewards to Austin Blair for his self
sacrificing and matchess services as war
governor never came in his lifetime.
Riches and honors should have been his.
wen. on TO old age and to his grave,
toillng ceaselessly for living. His dearest
ambition was denied him. The patriotism.
tn eloquence. the craftsmanship. which
would have shone with pure luster In the
United States senate, were never allowed TO
Hume and eXalt that declining body, But
here there shall stand, witnessing to this
generatios by enduring testimony In gram
lite and bronze, that the state of Michigan
did recognize the lofty spirit who inspired
an electrified and served its citizens ard
Its soldiers throughout the four years OF
the great war"
GOV. Pingree Accepts.
Gov. Pingree in accepting the stat
ute said:
1.-The unwilling of this statue TO the mem
ory of Austin Blair brings TO our minds
the dark days Of the nations peril. There
passes before us great army OF men In
spred by one purpose and supported by
one hope In the great crisis of those days
men became famous as soldiers and as
governors: ard among the governors who
gave to President Lincoln such loyal sup
port, and to the country such devoted serv-
ic Gov Blair stood in the foremost rank.
1T seems but short time since the war
closed Few nations, from the foundation
OF the world. have had more than 80 years
of continuous peace. 1t is remarkable,
however, that since our republic was called
into being no generation has seen more
than one war, II We consider % years the
LII, of generation. The hand of tried
colder Is generally raised to stay the hor-
rors of battle.
"Tne war In which Gov Blair was such
prominent actor swept away many of the
barriers which cruelty and tyranny had
placed between man and man. 1t was
war for defense and a war for freedom.
And this monument stands here to-day.
representing those two ideas: for. after all,
the individual Is but the passing breath
The principle for which 1t stands must be
eternal principle. and must find re-
Spouse in ever. genuine heart, or the
And so we stand to-day In the presence
of the dead, and also in the presence of
living principle-the principle Of justice.
which never dies. We stand also In the
presence of national honor. The war which
Gov. Blair supported was fought that we
might keep what we had, and broaden the
lines of liberty and equality. And we re-
celved from those who gave up their lives,
tn opportunity for the upbuilding of a
civilization unvexed by the barbarsms OF
war.
in the presence of these memories, let
us remember that the opportunity yet re-
mains. We can, II we will, each for him.
sell and each with his brother, resolve that
We shall do what we can to make this ma
tion potent In the cause of universal peace"
The statue.
1.-THE bronze statue Is eight and a half
fee5 high above the pedestal II weighs
nearly a ton and a half. and when mounted
on tits pedestal Is Is feet In height. The
statue represents Mlchigan's illustrious
war governor In characteristic attitude
the body slightly bent forward and the
right hand resting on a pedestal draped
with the American flag. The pedestal Is in
four sections, OF Vermont granite, the
largest stone weighing ten tons. On the
front side of the section on which the
statue rests Is this inscriptions: Austin
Blair War Governor of Michigan, 1861.
1862 1863. 1864. lie gave the best years OF
his life TO Michigan. and his fame is Ia
separately linked with the glorious achieve
mepts OF her citizen-soldiers."