The Portland daily press., 1898-02-14

rill, George W. Norton, Danlel ~. Chen=
ery. Z. e, Hartnett W. I'll. Dugan, Henry
A. Wing, J.W. Comedian, WI. Stephen
son, Henry H. Davis, Geo. W. Gray, W.
f. Phinney, H. NJ. Cashier, VIM. H. Will
lard. B. F. Dunn, G. 81. Robinson, A. J.
York, B. f. Woodbury., f. I. Walden, A.
M. Sawyer, j. W. King, Frederick Small,
e. L. Robinson, E. 7. Holbrook, }. Lewis
G. Sterling, j. NJ. Ridlon, David A. Cal
houn, E. E. Gerrish, j. l.. Corey, M. H.
Campbell, @. K. Hart, James @. Kent,
Charles G. Sanborn, III. G. Carney, S. j.
Goud, W. o. Verrill, NJ. W. Trefethen.
While the well-arranged menu was be-
ing disposed of the politicians got in their
work and on all sides could be heard po-
litical discussion which seemed to be the
print ipal topic of conversation. The
hands of the dining room clock pointed
to ten minutes of nine before the tables
were cleared away, the cigars lighted and
the assemblage called to order by Presi-
dent Libby. In beginning, Mr.. Libby
said:
Fellow citizens: 1t has become the fixed
custom of the Lincoln club together with
" observe by appropriate ceremonies the
anniversary of the birth of him, who was
the greatest of statesmen, the most loyal
of patriots, q master mind living in the
pursuit of truth and in the realm of
great ideas; pure heart overlooking
with kindness and charity towards his
fallowmen, a firm believer in the over
ruling power that Napoleon failed to see,
q martyr to the sacred cause of freedom,
our first Republican President, Abraham
Lincoln
BY his noble deeds, his upright and just
life, his spotless character, his unselfish
devotion to the nation and its righteous
cause. he became enshrined in the hearts
and memory of the loyal and liberty
loving men and women of this great and
glorious Republic. His honored name
and well earned fame have been heralded
far and wide the world over, by able and
eloquent orators and diylnes until 1T
seems either in reference to his genius,
his character or his deeds as though
nothing new can be said of this great and
true man, who by his sublime works, be-
came justly and truly glorified.
Continuing, in eloquent language. Mr..
Libby sketched the history of the Reoub-
lioan party and paid a lifting tribute to
the immortal Lincoln.
At the conclusion of his address Presi-
dent Libby was warmly applauded. He
then read few letters of regret, tele-
grams of congratulation and greeting.
Among these was a very cordial letter
from Hon. Robert T. Lincoln, son of
Abraham Lincoln, and others from Presi
dent Mckinley, Senators Eugene Hale
and William P. Frye, letter from Gov
Roger Wolcott of Massachusetts,, all of
whom made some eulogistic references
to the martyred President with words
of praise for the Lincoln club and the
work it is doing. But Of all the letters
of regret and kilograms of congratula-
ton or, greeting which were read, none
were received with such unbounded en-
!, ,thusiasm as was the following charac-
: teris! io message:
Washington, d. c., February 18th.
George Libby, President of the Lincoln
II club:
, A health to the Lincoln club, strong in
the faith and equally strong in action,
good men and true and always ready.
(Signed)
} For fully five minutes the storm of ap-
|, plause and the wild enthusiastic cheer
ing went on. 1t was spontaneous, con-
tageous and as it progressed it grew in
strength and power until it seemed al
most as if the sender of the message far
away at the nations capital must hear
the noisy acclamations of his ardent sup
porters and constituents way down here
in the remote corner Of the country. New
er has MIR. Reeds presence been more
warmly welcomed than was this simple
message from Washington.
President Libby in introducing Gov.
Powers, spoke CT the honor his excellency
had conferred on the Lincoln club by
his presence and when the governor
arose to speak he was given such vel
come as only the Lincoln club can give
GOV. POWERS'S SPEECH.
Gov. Powers said: 81 thank you very
much for this warm greeting. 1t more
than compensates me for the 300 miles
; have travelled from my home to be with
, you. 1 know you are Republicans
| Should l see you at any other place
would know you to be Republicans By
) looking into your faces. In the words OF
Democratic friend of mine who was
making an address to some of his party
from the steps of the Bangor house. Il
| was very iIdTh dIta as LILY AllOho ooooe
on the steps of the hotel and gazed out
into the street, he said: Fellow Demo
, Gratis, for know you are Democrats, fol-
if l can't see you I can at least smell
YOU daughter and applause.)
Gov. Powers went on to say that nc
graver crisis has ever been faced by the
Republican party. Under the great lead
er who comprehends and knows what its
just and rightthe country is safe. He
: is not taken off his feet by jingogisn
j. and at the same time he maintains Wig
orous foreign policy. AS Republicans
we have much to be proud of. We car
claim to belong to the grandest party Of
: the grandest country of this 9th century
Have you ever thought how much the
country has to thank the Republican
party for? 1t gave to this country A bra
= ham Lincoln. No age and no country
has ever produced a greater man. He be
longed to the people. He could compre
; bend what to do and he did it at the
, right time We owe more to him as
. nation than any man whom this country
has ever seen.
We are confronted today by many O.
the questions which we had to meet two
b, years ago. The old question of Is to ] il
70 no fought over again. The ReDubli