The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-08
ITS THIRTIETH.
Bosworth Relief Corps Has an
Anniversary.
Oldest Organization of the King-How
1t Was Observed With Song
and story.

On Saturday Bosworth Relief Corps
celebrated its thirtieth birthday and the
occasion was fttingly observed at Bos-
worth Post hall on Free street. At $50
O'Clock there was q reception and at eight
o. clock the large hall was filed to over
flowing with prominent members OF the
q. A. R., State Relief Corps and Sons
of Veterans.
The opening remarks were made by
Mrs. Whitman Sawyer in which she gave
a comprehensive history of the relief
corps. Bosworth Relief Corps was Or
ganized May 1859. 1t was the first re-
lief corps organized in the state Of Maine
and indeed in the entire country. Bos.
worth Post was organized September II,
1867, and has been one of the most pros
porous organizations In the country. OF
the 4S posts to which charters were first
granted in Maine only eight have been
continuously in existence and OF this
number Bosworth Post has stood among
the first This magnificent record is
largely due to the labors Of the women
belonging to Bosworth Relief Corps.
They have devoted all of their energies to
aiding the post and have done much
towards making this post what 1t is to-
day, highly successful organization. In
the state of Maine there are today over
3. 900 members belonging to the State Re-
lief Coprs. This organization has never
affiliated with the national organization
but has spent its money solely in Its en-
deavor to help the struggling posts In
Maine keep their place in the well organ.
lied department.
Following Mrs. Sawyer's remarks Mrs.
C. II. Mitchell extended a cordial vel
come to all who had assembled to aid the
Relief Corps in celebrating its anniver-
sary.
Department Commander Frederick
Robbie was the next speaker. He had
many pleasant things to say regarding
the Relief Corps and spoke Of the magnif-
icent support which 1t has always given
Bosworth Post Of which Governor ROBBIE
was formerly member. In speaking of
the suggestion which had been made by
some that the soldiers of the late war
with Spain should be admitted to the u.
A. X. Governor Robbie said that this
idea should not be entertained for an in
slant, as to do this would be to forfeit the
distinctive character of the 6. A. X.
He had only words CT praise for the men
who went TO the front at their country's
call in tine last war but lie believed that
the soldiers who went to the front in
1861 IS should continue to stand shoulder
to shoulder until the last comrade was
out rather than to admit as
members of this fraternity those who
had fought a different foe for differ
ent cause.
The state president Of the Relief
Corps, Mrs. John ID. Stauwood, was the
next speaker. She said that she esteemed
it an honor as we'll as q pleasure to be
present at this anniversary Of Bosworth
Relief Corps an organization that not
only established the Women's State Re-
lief Corps of Maine, but also laid a
on which has been built sim
liar organizations in many other states.
Surely no other city or town can boast
as noble distinction as can the beauti-
full city of Portland, the distinction of
having organized the first Relief Corps
in our loved country. You opened your
doors to every loyal mother, wife. sister
and daughter of the veterans of GIGS,
even as the q. A. r. opened its doors to
every good and true soldier. Your or
gnnization was not conceived through
spite or jealousy, you did not band your
selves together for self aggrandizemelt
or that you might destroy any other or
gani2ation, but with the one holy desire
TO assist the u. A. X. in their labor of
a. co. fms 70 "a m ri lac
and the loyalty Of those brave men who
left their homes to do battle for their
country's honor.
Many of you have given the best years
of your lie to the work of the Women's
State Relief Corps and you have well
earned the plaudit, well done good and
faithful servant. You richly deserve
comrades TO whom are bound by the
most sacred ties the ties of mothers,
wives, sisters and daughters. Your
work of bepevolenoe admits of no COM
parison, your liberal response to every
call for any worthy object. your re ady
assist ,nce to many of your sister corps,
added to your home work is sufficient
your loyalty to the G. A. K. and the
~. S. K. 6. The W. S. r. c has been
called proud and selfish. If it is selfish
to guard ones honor. then perhaps we are
astly called selfish, and tits true, we
are proud of our organization, proud of
our inheritance, proud that We do belong
to the g. A. X. by ties of kinship. And
why not? One OF our distinguished Sen
ators has said;
"There is no honor in rank or title or
official station, no pride Of family or of
wealth. like the honor and pride which
belong to the SURVIVORS OF that great
struggle which preserved constitutional
liberty on the face of the earth"
And We who claim the veterans OF the
war as our relatives certainly share in
some degree the honor that belongs to
our own. Did We not feel O thrill of