OOV. SPBAGUE'S ADDRESS, 



Ex-Governor Wrn. Sprague of Rhode Island, the orator of 

 the day, was received with three hearty cheers. He began his 

 address by thanking the company for the response they had 

 given to his name, and also expressed his great pleasure in 

 meeting the men and women of New England, who had per- 

 formed such wondrous services in inspiring the men of the 

 Union to works of wondrous performance, as had just been 

 accomplished in the overthrow of the greatest attempt to sup- 

 plant Constitutional government and liberty that the world had 

 ever witnessed. Civilization owed its thanks and gratitude to 

 the men and women of Ma^saohusetts, of whom the company 

 present were its worthy representatives. But it was not his 

 purpose to dwell that afternoon on any matters connected witii 

 the past ; it was the present and the future to which he wished 

 to draw their attention. And it was because Massachusetts 

 people had exercised such influence in the past in the interpre- 

 tation of the present, that he called their attention that after- 

 noon to the present and to the future. Not in any political 

 sense, however, was he going to address them ; his subject was 

 above poUtics. It had for its aim and object the perfection of 

 mankind, and the establishment of a government of the people, 

 strong, pure, substantial, incorporated with everything that was 

 progressive, civilizing and noble. He always spoke with great 

 reluctance, but having in his mind an idea which had for its 

 effect more of interest to the people of this country than any 

 they had ever considered, he did not feel called upon ever to 

 refuse to give utterance to words indicating the thoughts that 

 were in him. It might be remembered that it was his good for- 

 tune first to utter the words that led to the movement on to 



