The Portland daily press., 1900-02-15


its 1t Is now 25 years sinos you honorsd
ire by eleSting ne as the c,mmander Of
this department. Then We were engaged
In building 81 mp. The soldiers were then
sffa'd of 10 and 20 were the politicians,
but when they found that It's watch
WORDS were Fraternity, Charity and
Loyalty. they began to appreciate IL.
You can well refer TO IL in the words Of
Senator Hoar, uttered few years ago
when sreskins ct Plymouth about the
spread Of the principles Of free govern
msnt. He said that like tbs banyan
tree. lis branches are ever spreading, Its
shade ever extending over more territory; !;
Its roots undermining the sea snd en-
veloping the isles Of the sea. That was
In Senator Hoar's best days. Iaughter.)
IL has grown to become q unique and
honored institution of our country. 1t Is
the joy aud delights snd comfort Of
every old solder. We who bavs seen the
regulars and volu nteers Of other days
marching to the front saw him marching
again recently, led by Mckinley, Otis.
Miles, Shafter, comrades all. And We
have seen our fleets 20 into battle led by
Dewey. Dyer, scaley, Sampson and the
others who lesrned to fight under Farra-
gut, Porter and Winslow. Then, too. In
that war, was our own oomrade Mattocks.
Applause II he had been called up
on to fight we know how he would have
acquitted himself. It is probably well
that he was not called for II he had been
he might have been captured and forced
to make his escape and walk 1t0 miles
or more to get back into his own lires
as he has done tefore.
The records show chat We are thinning
fast. Aud when We think Of the scores
of comrades whom In the part We have
been glad tn welcome who are not here
now, We realize that the end is not far
for some of us. But as long as tteie is
corporal's guard left we will stand by
tho old order and will tie for everything
that tends for the gloryeof the old flag
and the country. We will be fo' every
thing, for expansion and the coercion of
all rebels but never for seces-
sion. (0reat applause.)
Gen. Mattooks then introduced Adju-
tant General Richards. whom he asked
to explain how he had equipped a regi-
ment for war In q months time.
Gen. Richards WAS warmly received.
He said that 1t fell to but few men to
serve In two wars, but Gen. Mattocks
had been thus tonored.
Gen. Richards then referred to the fit
ting out of the First Infantry regiment
OF Maine and Of the artillery battalion.
he said that these men who didn't get
a chance 10 fight we're willing to 60 any
where and DO what ever they were asked
to 10. He said that these men We're
worn by months OF inactivity In camp.
hut did their duty. He said that they
had mes the hardships accomplishing
ly. They had no previous experience;
they had not met the stern realities OF
war, but In their readiness 10 do duty
they bonored the state and reflected
credit upon 1t. These men are our juniors
aud 1t Is our duty to encourage them and
train them In the way they should 60,
for they are really to go again and will
follow the flag wherever It goes and
maintain 1t wherever it is planted. GAP
plause.)
Department Commander Frederick
Robbie was the next speaker and was
warmly greeted. He said he stood before
men who have suffered and almost died
and who have bled and fought. He had
not done any of these great things, but
as their d.pai tment commander. You
IN ust be proud Of your record and II you
feel thuF. what pride must feel to be
the commander OF this DEPARTMENT. j
consider IL a great honor and l frankly
cay l worked almost as hard to get this
position as did TO be elected governor.
(Laughtar.) And l considered this last
was. (Applause.) heard our President
President say that the 2s0. 900 men who
were mustered into the army of the
United States recently were inspired by
the example which yo1 set. The Presi
dent Is a member of eur order and at
Philadelphia he said he believed in tax
Ing care OF the old soldiers. believe
we should susfaia the President wh, is
TO sustain the flag which
now floats not only over our own broad
land, but over the isla ads of the sea.
lApplause). May God grant that the
veteran OF the Civil war who lives the
longest may be one Of you who are vet
Grams of the State OF Maine
The next toast was to "Ths Army,
which was responded to by Capt. q. J.
Bailey, 7th u. S. Artillery. Gen. Mat
tocks. iH introducing him, said that the
regulars never kicked and though they
in many lands and in msay
wars they have never complained.
Capt Bailey got nattering reception
He said there was a tradition IN the SER
vice that there was snoe man in the
army who could make q speech, but he
had never met him. Army officers re-
gard the G. A. K. with respect, with the
feeling the junior has for the senior. We
look for you 10 help US when advsrss
legislation threatens US. The war de-
] understand had to take a