Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-31
State through this era Of develop
ment and construction.

state through tnlS era OF develop
ment and construction.
Washington was the first. Buchan-
non was the last. yet sad to state be-
tween the day Of these two leaders
, an awful change had come. WASH
, ington found and left us a united
prosperous people. Buchannon left US
u divided people.
Seven states had left us, Ave more
| were ready to so. For years we had
| been brothers. one language. one GUS
tom. Now we were for fact avowed
| enemies. Only let the words be spok-
en- and brothers would fly at each
others Threats. Only the word to
march in battle line was needed.
Only thIs word prevented their their
each others blood.
What had brought about this sad
change you ask. answer time.
Time had been at work in the north
educating the people that human SER
vitude was wrong. 1t had strength
cned the feeling that slavery was
right in the south; and from the day
that dutchman, O-war landed its
human cargo Of 20 negro slaves at
! jamestown until the day when the
! free born son of the north said with
no uncertain sound. what is wrong
north Of of the Mason and Dixon line
| is just as truly wrong south of 1t and
to prove their convictions, marched
on to the battlefield and settled the
argument at the battles front, slav-
cry was among our nations greatest
I issues.
The spectacle in Europe should
teach us what 1t would have meant
tC have had, two or more smaller
nations, living side by side within the
limits of our present confines. Vie
ing together in fleets and armies,
JEALOUS and suspicious of one another
lest one should get scrap Of terri
tory or a petty privilege OF COM
merce. Cut up in weaker and small
err nations we would have long since
been crushed by the mailed list Of
sCme past European despotism.
| "War is He'll" The world war only
helped to emphasize this truth.
Bull Run will last in the minds of
man as long as he can realize, as that
battle which awoke the slumbering
sparks Of the north's patriotism into
q flame, when at the Presidents call
for $4,000 volunteers, one half million
men responded.
May we hear their blood as it cries
| aloud to us today from the ground.
| May America be the first among Na-
| tions who will arbitrate problems.
| May we have peace (but not peace at
any cost may we have it we'll enough
| to fight for it if need be. May her
| swords never be unsheathed except
| in defense of right and never be
sheathed until that end has been
achieved. May she be always right.
But right or wrong she is my coun-
| try. And it is more important that
oh 10 Ay,oa
leans should live, as these veterans
can testify.
Many strange, as 1t may sound, re-
turned from these scenes we'll and
half a century finds some still with
us. Many returned to die Of wounds
and disease contracted there. And
over one-half million were left to
rest where they weared and lie
where they felr' under a southern sky
in fair Dixie land.
We are here today to honor these
dead and those who make Cuban hills
and Flanders fields more than our
reighbors as we'll as those who have
dropped off from your rooster during
these intervening years to join those
around the great camp fire above
where all is music sweet and har.
monious. Where taps is never sound
ed. We have lived anew this scene
today that we might see why this,
your Memorial Day is the most sac
red of all holidays. That we might
see why the great wheels of industry
have ceased to grind. Why loving
nation steps aside to shed a tear on
the graves Of her fallen heroes.
That's why we have made this sac
red pilgrimage. Not to boast of you
and your proud works as we welcome
you in the name of a State which
sent over $4,000 as brave men as ever
faced a foe in battle, whose services
were conspicuous and ilustrious on
every field of battle of that great war.
We are not here to cast any re-
Election on the vanquished. They
were brave men. I have yet to hear
a Yankee say a johnnie was a
coward. They fought for what they
thought was right-you fought for
what you knew was right.
We are proud to be here and as
sist you in these exercises. proud
to be the sons of State that sent
74.945 men to be sacrificed in this
human cause to which I have
alluded. We. the citizens of Ken
nebec County are deeply interested
when we learn FROM the records
that she gave 6.115 of this number.
You. the citizens of this city have
reasons to turn out and extend every
overture of kindness to these vet
Grams of our great wars when we
are informed by the Adjutant Gen.
erals Department that during those
dark days of GIGS Augusta laid
sos of her precious jewels on the
altar of her country and some of
these old veterans before me today |
are the remainder as we'll as the
silent reminder of that squad.
You have indeed reasons to be |
proud that half century has not |
dimmed the ardor of youth nor |
fraught his heart with cowardice, |
for in 1898, 1O4 men went from this |
city. and the latest records avail |
able say 702 followed the flag into !
the World War.
You are now back home. the sabre |
and bayonet no longer blind your
eye. the booming of the cannon nor
the charging of the fiery steed no
longer deafen your ear. All honor
to you who returned from this your
task of devotion-all honor to those
who remain of both folds, the Blue
and the Gray. The poet has beau
tifully said:
Under the sod and the dew
Waiting the Judgment day,
Tears and love for the Blue
Love and tears for the Gray"
Your ranks are fast diminishing
away-the rudy cheek, the fiery
eye. crowned by your golden locks
OF fifty years ago, is now supplanted
by a dim eye. wrinkled brow and
you pass us by with a faltering step.
Many OF you have crowned your