Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-29

field, was intensely interesting and cl-
oquent to Il high degree. Mr.. Petrdon,
| taking for his subject the aged vcter-
ans before him, spoke in part as fol-
lows:
'The city of Indianapolis is built af-
ter the plan of the National Capital,
except that the soldiers monument Oc-
cupicS The grand circle in the center.
From the monument the city's streets
| radiate in all directions like the spOkcs
of wheel. One is Immediately struck
with the appropriateness of the ar
rangcment, for it is thus that the Civil
War, the great event of which the
monument is Il symbol, stands in rela-
ton to our national life. 1t is the GEN.
trail event in our history. From it may
we look backward to our beginnings
ana forward to our future career, and
out and around in the directions in
which our national life meets the life
| of the world.
empires had arisen and decayed be-
fore the pilgrims of these times hope
fully looked toward our western wildS
rs means of escape from bondage.
They had ideas and ideals of their own.
They knew that their soul belonged TO
God; they had their own conceptions
of right and justice and would not be
cnSlnvcd to aught but their ideals.
Land. homes, friends-anything, but
not coercion or oppression, they would
worship according to their own con-
Scicnces-and they found place where
they could.
"The search for religious freedom
marked the beginning of our nation.
The great landmark in our history is
the War of the Revolution. This was Il
struggle for political freedom. The diff
ference between America and the
mother country was largely a differ
cncc of sentiment and Of feeling. Amer
lea was formed from the restless and
idcaIistic element Of England and Eu-
rome. Tho clash was bound to come,
ard come it did. and, when the smoke
| of the conflict cleared away, America
was free. IT had broken the bands
which related tho citizens of the Old
World and the old idea of graduated
rights ana privileges. IIenc"forth the
Divine right Of humanity was to take
the place of the Divine right of kings.
"'The Old World looked on and
| l,urhcd at the American experiment
If .tTp'tI1ftf It's Itl1itit 'tiIi, u IL ii-
| swcr to their prophecy the red demon
of internal disagreement arose to scat
| ter the former hopes. to rend the peo-
ple and to attempt to demonstrate the
weakness of peoples government.
| The Civil War had comc-thc struggle
| for our national life.
| "But again the American ideal won.
| The strength of IL peoples government
WAS demonstrated and proved itself
| strong to hold itself strong enough to
J hold itself together and powerful
| enough to insure the undivided rights
of it's citizens.
"The Spanish War. though i'm one
| sonse to be remembered as merely a
phvsical conflict. is important as
| landmark in Americas national pro-
| gress incidentally the surviving spirit
Of i'll will between the North and the
| couth was buried in universal union
In the interests of the honor of the ma
| tion. but that war marks the real be-
| ginning of America as a world power.
II is beginning to assert to the world
&c rights and the endorsements of its
| principles. From thenceforth America
| and American principles are to be
rocloped with in the dispensation of
the worlds affairs.
"Thus we see the Civil strife, not as
an isolated event, but as the grand
| central factor of our national exist
ence. America. then, is sublime ideal;
che is the embodiment of the princi-
| nles of religious, political and individ-
nal liberty. She is the greatest monu-
nent that man has erected. though vet
IN the building; and we respect the
.,rviying participants of that struggle
| which preserved the nation and recall
Nth tenderness the memory of the
dav. May the day never come when the
heart of free America will cease to beat
more warmly by the graves of our de-
! narted heroes and swell with pride and