Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-20

tile result achieved in it's far reaching
consequence. for il had its influence in
inspiring The men Of the Revolutionary
days in their struggle for Freedom.
Much of the region of wilderness
has m tie advance of time given way
to many Il fruitful plain and prosper
Gus settlement. but the heroism of the
men Of IT'S, IN penetrating the wilds,
shall be honored SO long as the Ken
nebec river flows, and the memorial al
Fort Western to commemorate I'M
daunted heroism shall last.
YOU have placed your tablet ef inn
periah1ble bronze upon a boulder oil
Maine granite, a boulder whose rugged
face has remained unchanged through
all the years since Arnold came to
Maine and which VIII remain unchang
ed for generations vet to come. 1t fit
tngly typiies the sturdy character OF
the men whose memory it perpetuates
and il IS with deepest appreciation tAat
I accept it On behalf OF the city of Au-
susta and the state of Maine"
There was u time when, if anything
had happened n Washington, Arnold
might have been considered for the
place of commandments In that
little army, led by him from this spot,
in September f775, was some of the
best blood of New England.
Arnold was their type of leader. They
loved him for those qualities that are
endearing.
They faced every kind OF death I'm
der his command. Starved, sick, dying
Il
mot its Waterloo, they believed in their
leader and rallied time and time again
under his courage. Arnold command
ed and conquered when he could
hardly walk. The trail he took 10 Can
ada, passed over territory, every inch
Of which was dangerous. Surrounded
ny trcachefous saveges and overcome
by frightful maladies, it is 4 wonder
they ever reached their destination.
We have erected monuments and
marked with tablets. the places that
are sacred in our history But no spot
hats ever teen conseerated carrying
with it 50 much that is strong. than
this Identification which you have reg
istored today
We are now thinking Of those brave
men who with but few EXCEPTIONS
kept their spirits through this long
battle with the wilderness. No COM
planning. ne Sinking; comradeship
was better than comfort and rough
pieasantries atoned for hardship.
We are also thinking Of Arnold. the
hero. If we could only hold that view!
II we could only make this day mem
cradle because of Our faith Alasl Our
sorrow is blended nth our pride, and
we are doing justice to a young man
who dice with a breaking heart in
England Der ause he had betrayed his
country and his friend. But there is
enough of him that is worthy of our
high regard. He was one of the pion-
GERS OF liberty. He was one of the New
England boys who gave all they had
for their country 'Ekey were of the
stuff Out Of which the Governors Foot
Guards are made, and it is noble of
the guards today that they should be
so frank and so fair as to place this
lasting memorial whore it belongs. 1t
shows the liberal spirit of your organ
ization and the true manhood out of
which the organization is built
The whole career of Arnold must be
made straight, as a study for our chill
dren. Because he turned out to be
rascal. does not destroy the period
when he was entitled to respect Give
him justice for his glorious deeds and
pass the res in silence and in sorrow
No blot or stain rests upon the HEROES
who We're with him. Their noble ser
vices must be emphasized and their
work Berpetuated in our histories AT
the period which We nov commemor-
ate, the four gpcat soldiers Of the Rev
olution We're Washington. Schuyler.
Green and Arnold. These men were ali
firm friends. Each relied upon the
judgment and the character of the 9th
er. Each OF these men would have
trusted each other with their lives.
Their mutual confidence was deep.
they believed Arnold to be reliable and
how the man ever betrayed them is
one of The euigmas of the Revolution.
The origin Il Arnold's treachery was
PROFESSIONALLY ambition and vanity.
He IVES like a number of public mon
who close what might have been glori-
oGs lives. by self-int9rest. Whith is the
ruin of character. Arnold wanted the
Revolution to fail and if his own worl;
could have accomplished il, the Revo-
luton would have failed. But ne W rs
only one man ana the nobility of
character of the rank and file OF the
Continental soldiery. stuck to the
cause.
Therefore, tie significance of this
celebration TODAY stands out in bold re-
lief, giving justice ito the deeds of a
man who accomplished great seryh,e
when orr struggling Country was bat
Ting for freedom. over ii all the reign
ing power WIS God, who saw that JUS
ticc was resolved in a country designed
for libert1 ard destined to be free.
Connecticut is proud of the history of
the Foot Guards. Its record runs back
to the early struggle for liberty, and its
civic life today is Just as important
Although we have conquered war.
we have not conquered tue problems Of
peace. our responsibilities now are
even greater than during the Revolu-
tion. our tasks today are To- Uphold
tho principles out of which our Coun- |
try is constructed 1t is harder now to
be the best kind of a citizen. than it |
WAS when our ancestors shculdered q |
musl1ct. Tho temptations of the present |
age -nrc FAR greater than at any other |
time since the Republic was establish |