The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-31
Lincoln Bronze
 Tablet Unveiled
 In The City Hall
Address Written by Friend w. Smith, Who Presided When
 Lincoln Spoke Here

Bridgeport now possesses a lasting memorial to the day when Abraham Lincoln visited this city, in 1860, and delivered a speech that gave utter ance to many of the important prin- ciples maintained by the North in the four years strife that was so soon to follow.
 membered by many citizens. Friend w. Smith was chairman of the meet ing at which Lincoln spoke, and yes- terday a splendid tribute to Lincoln written by him, was read at the exer- cises which marked the unveiling of the tablet in the City hall
 The tablet is a handsome one of bronze, simple in conception, but nlak- ing a very attractive addition to the City Hall corridor. It memories the fact that Lincoln spoke in Washington hall, which was a part of the present City Hall structure.
 The unveiling of the tablet took place at 1:15 D. m. in the presence of small gathering of Grand Army men and city officials.
 Capt. S. c. Kingman, who was sec retary of the meeting at which Lin coin spoke. was one of the little group which watched the exercises yester- day. He came from Washington, D, C., for the especial purpose of being
  let.
 Alderman Farwell, chairman of the Memorial Day committee, opened the ceremonies with a brief address. He outlined the purpose of the gathering and then introduced Architect Joseph Smiths address, the latter being af flicted with voice trouble which pre- vented him from delivering it.
 The address was as follows:
 T esteem it a high honor, MT. Mayor, in being permitted to take part in these interesting memorial ex- ercises, and I thank all those who have been Instrumental in conferring upon me this great privilege. I very much regret that my physical condi- tion is such that I must rely on an- other, who has kindly consented to be my mouthpiece on this occasion.
 ''On this occasion the City of Bridge port honors itself by the erection of the bronze tablet that will soon be visit of Abraham Lincoln to this city in 1860, and the noted address that he made at that tme in this, our Cy.Ny Hall.
 Ut is we'll timed, MT. Mayor, that this tablet should be unveiled on the day set apart for the decoration of the graves and honoring of the me-
 
 of which the subject of this tablet was the commander-in-ch chief. and of which the Grand Army of the Repub- lie are now the living survivors. Grand Army indeedi Grand in its Qr- ganization in that it was an army iof volunteers. Grand in it's purposes in that it sought not for any personal or national aggrandizment, but simply to defend and maintain those precious liberties which we have inherited from our fathers. Grand in its achievements in that 1t plotted out forever the one institution or ele- ment that menaced this country, and under God gave it new birth Of freedom and kept from perishing people and by the people" from the face of the earth.
 We Owe Much to G. A. R.
 "Sir, how much we owe to that Grand Army of the Republic which assemblies with us to-day. of which the members are the living represent atives They were young men when they thus yielded up the independence of home life, and young and brown haired voluntarily enlisted and placed themselves under severe military dis cipline in defense of their country. To- day they are grey haired old men, men, many of them in very humble walks of life, bent with age and stricken with infirmities. Surely the republic should honor the heroes who have died by properly caring for those who still survive. Whenever you meet one of those men on the streets, you will honor yourself by grasping the hand, that once handled a musket, swung sword, endured the hardships of camp life for your benaf1t and for mine.
 "It Is a treasurea memory with me that I was present on the occasion of MT. Lincoln's address, his personality and his tone of voice and the manner of it's delivery. It was logical and con- vincing, and the cheers for Honest Abe" at it's close were sincere and most enthusiastic.
 Had Met Lincoln.
 'In addition to this memory I may also be permitted to say that I heard him deliver in Washington his second inaugural address, and saw him take with great solemnity the oath of office for the second time. I heard him pro- nounce those immortal words which will ever go winging themselves down centuries to come, With malice to- ward none, with charity for all" I have seen him and talked with him in his executive office. I have seen the glance of his kindly eye and the wOn-