The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1909-03-25
Meeting of the Veterans Associa
ton and Ladies' Auxiliary at
Madison

Madison.
The regular quarterly session was
held at Madison, Tuesday, March Is.
1t proved a beautiful, springlike day
and the patriotic enthusiasm by the
large numbers in attendance together
with the varied and interesting exer-
cises marked this as one of the very
best sessions thus far held by one oil
the foremost organizations of Som
erset county.
Officers present were Col. E. E
Gould, Lieut.. Col. X. A. Withee
chapla in J. F. Woodsum, Adjutant S
F. Emerson and quartermaster Saml
Vose. Forty eight veterans and large
numbers of the auxiliary and visitors
were in attendance.
Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr.
Wilson of Scion. The Adjutant and
Quartermaster's reports were duly
submitted and adopted Comrades j
HI. Harris of Norridgewock and John
Pratt of Madison were reported as
having died since the last meeting,
and comrades S. F. Emerson, X. A.
Withee and B. f. Lancaster were ap-
pointed to draft resolutions in their
memory.
Rev Mr.. Means of Madison gave a
most cordial welcome to the Associa :
ton, touching also upon some of the
great questions intimately connected
with the war.
Gan,raIa ~ Il Tnnao IN, Httino IN
responded to the address of welcome.
Invitation was received from
Athens to hold the June session at
that place which it was voted to ac-
cept. Col. e. b. Gould read extracts
from the newspaper reports of the
last meeting of the eWaldo Veterans
Association and Comrade M. l..
Quimby of New York was called upon
and offered remarks. Then the ques-
ton for debate was introduced:
"Who leads, Washington orlLincolu?"
Comrade S. F. Emerson opened the
debate in favor of Lincoln, followed
by Comrades J. f. Woodsum for
Washington, B. +. Lancaster for Lin
coin, Rev. Mr.. Wilson for Lincoln,
Comrades S. w. Smith for Lincoln, j.
ID. Emerson for Lincoln, Comrade C.IF
Jones for Washington; Comrade
Isaac Dyer offered remarks not COM
mitted to either, but he is proud of the
fact that during the war he had the OPP
portunity of shaking hands with Presi-
dent Lincoln.a Comrade E. E. 2
read extracts from some of the writ
ings of Gen. o. O. Howard, which
closed the morning session.
The gallant veterans with their
wives then formed i'll line and a
charge was ordered on the Congrega-
tionalist Church, when it was known
that large supply of provisions were
stored and guarded by the ladies of
the Relief Corps at Madison who i'm :
mediately surrendered on the arriv al
of the veteran columns.
The first that occupied attention in
the afternoonss.was to arrange for a
general Field Day of the Association
and Auxiliary at Lakewood sometime
August and the proper committees
were appointed to make arrange
ments for the same.
The committee on resolutions re-
ported as follows:
In memory of Comrades J. N. Har-
ris and John Pratt.
Since our last meeting these two
Comrades have been called from the
active scenes of this life to the Eter-
nal life beyond. 1t well becomes us to
recognize their deeds of loyalty, of
heroism, of devotion to their coun
try's flag in the most strenuous days
of our nations history. With sad
hearts we bid them a brief farewell
and close up our broken ranks till we
in turn shall answer the bugle call and
join the great majority of our Com
rades on "Fame's Eternal Camping
Ground" Their splendid record as SOL
diers was continued as citizens of the
same country they sacrificed so much
to save and today we deeply lament
the loss sustained in their deaths.
The choir rendered a selection in
harmony with the resolutions. G. w.
Emerson offered remarks of a humor-
GUS nature in connection with veter-
an of No. 3 Maine regiment and his
family. Alcornet solo was given by
Victor Robbins, aged II years and a
violin solo by Willie Robbins, aged
years, each of whom responded to an
encore. Selections were read by Mrs.
Addie Getchell and Mrs. E. E. Gould
with a solo by Emma II. Dunton
Comrade J. r. Bicknell came TO.
the front and recited Patrick Henry's
famous speech to the Virginia assem-
bly, at the opening up of the Revolu-
tionary war, which deserves special
notice because of the splendid man
ner by which it was delivered. We
could seem to see again that eloquent
Virginian hurting defiance at the
British government and arousing his
fellow countrymen to the highest de-
mands of patriotism. The recitation
was loudly applauded.
Then came splendid music by the
ladies' quartet and recitation by
Miss Thelma Adams. Rev.lMr. Mains
of Madison, was called upon and res
pended with patriotic remarks. He
is the son of veteran and at the time
of the war his parents resided out on
the frontier in Minnesota. His father
Tndinno kn