Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-03

May 10, at 10 A. NJ.
A new decoration is to be added to
the adjutant-generars Office, which
will be one to set the blood tingling in
the veins of all old soldiers, and to
make others have a feeling of rever-
| cnce, as they gaze upon it. 1t will be
all that remains of the beautiful silk
| banner which was presented to the IA
nous second Maine by the Maine wo-
men of San Francisco. The presenta-
ton took place in Virginia in 1861 and
was an event which will be remem-
hered by the members of the regiment
SO long as they shall live. The old flag
is much tattered and torn, for the
weather of the campaigns through
which it passed did not deal too gently
with it, and the years which have since
passed have all left their mark. The
starry field is in many respects, the
most torn, but there still remain a
number of stars left The eagle, which
was painted upon the blue field, retains
its entirety the best of any part,
it being practically whole. The silk
broke away from the bird and allowed
it to fall from it's place as cleanly as
though cut out by a pair of shears.
A large frame has been made and the
flag is placed across the top, the eagle
being in its proper place in the
blue field. The lower half of
the frame contains the original
parchment upon which was writ
ten the address of presentation, to-
gether with the names of the donors Of
the flag. This parchment has been
mounted upon heavy board, so that it
will retain it's shape and legibility. At
either side of this are placed smaller
boards each one containing a section of
the poem. Name TO California; writ
ten by Miss f. Amanda SimOnton, and
read at the time of the presentation.
The presentation address was as fol-
lows:
San Francisco, June 20. 1861.
] Soldiers of the Second Regiment from
Maine.
. We ask you to accept from us women
of San Francisco. who We're born in
Maine, a banner for your regiment.
Il Our home is on a Pacific coast. The
social connections and the severe trials
which other parts of the land have eX-
= perienced from the Rebellion. have
hardly reached US. But our hearts are
not less fervently pledged to the cause
of the country than the hearts OF
American wives, daughters. mothers
and sisters who are feeling more heav-
\ lily the disasters and sorrows of war.
AS pledge of cur loyalty to the
Constitution and of our sympathy with
the patriots of our dear native State,
we send to you the national banner.
to which by your ready enlistment you
have devoted your services and lives.
III 1t represents the whole country, nOt
only by the full number of the stars in
its field of blue. but also by the arms
and cmblems of Maine and California,
the extremes of the Republic. which are
wrought upon it in red, white and
azure. This flag will suggest to you
that fifty degrees of longitude are
spdnned by the Constitution of your
country, which has called you to arms
against the treason that would strike il
down. 1t is not for one state that you
put on the soldier dress. 1t is for d
nation that hears the pines of the
Sierra answering the pines of ArOOs-
took, and the waves that roll into the
Golden Gates in chime with those that
swell The tide in PASSPORT bay.
May the flag which we beg you t.
accept inspire you by the eloquence that
always stream, into patriotic hearts
from the Stars and Stripes. and by the
sympathy with which we offer it! Stand
: by it in the hour of trial. assured Of Oul
prayers for your protection! AND
through your triumph under 1t in this
struggle, may the national banner
wave as. heretofore, over you and over
us. over the American valleys of the
Penobscot and the Sacramento; and
over millions that shall come after us
blessed by its protection, in all parts OF
the Republic for countless years!
The paragraph in the Journal OF
Monday morning in regard to the Close
time on smelts was a bit misleading
50 far as it went the statement was
correct. but it stopped bit too soon
1t should have said that the law ap-
piled only to tidal waters, as there Is
no close time on the smeltS of lnla
waters, except in cases where specia
laws for certain waters have been en-
acted. This correction is made for tbs
benefit Of fishermen who prefer the
Smelt as a bait for salmon and trout.
At the bank examiners Office the
semi-annual returns from the trustees
of. savings banks and trust companies
and the secretaries of the loan and
building associations throughout tn
State are being received: also those
from, inSfitutiorS for p,IrpoSeS of taxn.