The Portland daily press., 1900-02-16

paper, which was listened to with the
olos,st attention. DIR. Mitchell address
Ing the commander. moved that "the
thanks Of the Commandery Of Maine
be extended to Major Ihaxter for his
most Interesting, instructive and impor-
tart paper, the best paper which has ever
been read before this oommandery." Tbis
motion was seconded by half o dozen
people and was passed unanimously with
applause.
Gen. Hamlin was called upon to speak
for the Eastern part of the stats. He
told very good story Of Lincoln. When
Mr. Lincoln returned to Washington, sf-
ter this peace conference where ne had
seen Mr.. Stevens. he made a remerk
which 1 have always remembered. Stew
ems YVES very small man, weighing not
moie than 10 pounds When he came
aboard the vessel at Fortress Monroe he
wers four overcoats and proceeded t.
divest himself of them. Nr Lincoln
said that 1t was the biggest shocking
for 80 small an ear Of corn that he han
ever seen. hnjor Burrage said that
from November /, 1894 20 the third day
Of that month, he was at Gen. +. Z.
Hills headquarters, a prisoner In the
Confederate lines. he spo ke of the feel
ing which the officsrs of the Confederscy
then had regarding the way and the
anxiety with which they awaited the
news Of the election In the north. When
they heard that Lincoln WIS re-sleo.ed
they we're prievously disappointed and
took no pains to conceal the fact Major
BuTrage also spoke Of Gen. Mattocks.
DIR. Hunt and him self leaving the prison
at Danvills to go back Into the Union
lines and Of the Joy with which they
all viewed the old dag when they were
pAst the Confederate llnes
Gen. Chamberlain was the next speak
or and said that tho paper by Aejpr
T5axter had impressed him profoundly.
Ii had disclosed the sovereign power Of
the President ON this oooasion which
was msImsd By him os right though
the COR s.itutlon doeJ not provide for It's
exercise. He spike Of the great power
Lincoln had displayed as war execu.
tive. power which no one had ever de-
fined. He mad seen some discussion In
man Of the century. To his mind there
but one answer to this question. Lin
coin was the greatest man by all odds,
'and to him we owe for all time debt
of gratitude.
Gen. Conner told good story Of Lin
ooln and said that Il had always been q
regret to him that he had never met the
President, personally. he had seen him
riding down the lines In review with bis
long tailed GOAT and tall hat, and had
mnTched past him many times, but had
never taken him by the hand. Never to
his lot had ths good fortune come as 1t
did to that OF young Swiss OH Ger
who Was at Grants headquarters. lie
dropped into Gen. Grant 5 camp with his
cap on ths side Of his mead and O piye
In his mouth and found civilian there
playing with some puppies The Swiss
officer helped the civilian entertain the
puppies aud found the civilian very
agreeable. When a little later Gen. Grant
came into the tent and addressed the
civilians as Mr.. President, tie Swiss
otliosr was almost dumbfoundei and
never ceased to oeRsurs himself for the
familiarity he had shown to the Presl-
dent of the United States
1t Is Interesting to study Lirooln's life
and see how nature hammered out its
best man from the raw material 10
think OF him in those troublesome times,
he seemed to have been Gibraltar in the
IN idst of a stormy sea. When we think
of how even the best men were divided
ms to the policy which should be pursued,
and realize the difficulties which beset
the Presidents path. we appreciate
more fully the greatness of this man
whose mind Was steadily fixed upon one
course of action and who followed it 10
tie end.
Major Eelcher of Pennington was the
last speaker. Re related in highly en-
ter5sinin. manner some Of his expers-
encea. He told CT how when his regis-
ment, the 10th Maine, was captured at
he had made his eEcape the
night after leaving Gettysburg, because
he had on thin boots and didn't want
to walk to Richmond. Dis story Of how
he made his way TO Washington in a
linen buster for disguise. aud of his in
terview with Secretary Stanton and the
staff duty which followed, was extremely
e. afN1sF