Governor George L. Sheldon : Ladies and Gentlemen, My Fellow Citizens, and Friends of General Thayer: It is peculiarly fitting that we should assemble here this afternoon to again pay our respects to a man who devoted his life to the welfare of Nebraska and her people. General Thayer was a farmer, a school teacher, a lawyer, a soldier, and a statesman, but above all, a most patriotic American citizen. He, as you well know, came to this territory the same year that it was organized as a territory, and cast his lot with the people, the pioneers who were here, who came here at that time. For six years, under a commission from the territorial legislature, as brigadeir-general, he guarded the pioneers against the outbreaks and ravages of the hostile Indians. When the war broke out, as a colonel he went to the front, and soon was made a brigadier-general. He was a friend of General Grant, and the valuable services that he rendered his country are so well known that it is not necessary at this time to recount them. Back again to the state and the people that he loved, he advocated earnestly the admission of the territory into the Union, and was then fittingly clected to represent the young state in the United States Senate. Again, as governor of this great commonwealth, he exercised the functions of that great office, always for the best interests of the people of this state. A conscientious servant of the people, he died like every unselfish man who devotes his whole life to the service of his people, a poor man so far as material wealth was concerned; but, thank God, the man who conscientiously serves his people through his life will have his reward from and by their gratitude. And I am glad to know that the people of this state have appreciated the services of such a grand and good man. When House Roll 438 was presented to me last winter I signed it with a great deal of pleasure, and at the same time with considerable regret—a great deal of pleasure because the legislature had seen fit, in this modest way, to pay tribute to a worthy man who loved his state and who gave his life work for the better ment of the people within it; with regret, because it seemed to me that a man who had devoted so much of his time in such an honest way for the people of this state should have a more worthy tribute and a better monument to mark his last resting place than could possibly be secured for $1,250. I hope, however, that the day will not be far in the future when this state will erect in commemoration of that grand old man a monument on the Capitol square proportionate to the great services that he rendered this state during his lifetime. [Applause.] I am glad indeed to know that there are so many old comrades of General Thayer here this afternoon; those men of the early days who sacrificed, who gave up their time and their services, that we might have a better and a freer country in which to live. I am glad, indeed, that these men are here this afternoon to pay, with us, their respects to this gallant soldier, statesman, and patriot. I do not want to take up a great deal of your time this afternoon, because there are others who know from a life's association with this man more of his sterling qualities, and are therefore better fitted to speak concerning him. I have the pleasure now of introducing the Rev. J. W. Jones, pastor of Grace M. E. Church, who will offer prayer on this occasion. INVOCATION, by Rev. J. W. Jones. Oh God, our loving Father, it is right that we should pause for a moment here under thy blue sky, under the light of thy great sun, and talk with thee. Thou art the providence of nations. Thou art the father of individuals. We have come here today to remember one of the world's great men. He was the nation's man. He was Nebraska's man, but above all he was thine own man. He sought thy righteousness and made himself the channel of thy righteousness to men. He looked toward thy truth and tried to live the truth reflected in thy Son. He caught something of thy great love for man, and poured that love upon the world about him. He entered into thy presence and caught the light of thy face and poured it back to his fellows. So, looking deep into thyself, his face was made to shine and all of his powers became to us thine own ministering angels. Grant us thy spirit. Be in every heart. May this shaft lifted here with thy fathomless heavens as its background picture the deed of the hour. May thy love bending over us all be ever the background of our activities and aspirations. Let thine own inspirations be the background of this deed of these, his friends, who lift this monument to his memory. Bless all men. Hasten the day when the whole world shall know thy love and shall realize thine own dream of the world to be. Bless our land. Bless our chief executive. Bless our governor of the commonwealth. Bless our legislatures and courts, our army and navy, and all who are in power. Lead and crown America more and more, and may the whole world know how blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord. Let thy blessings be upon these old comrades of the hero we today remember. Guide them by thy truth. Uphold them by thy love, and may they know that their heroisms of dream and deed are as thine own word and shall bless millions yet unborn. How good it is to recall all that he was. We thank thee for his great love toward the unfortunate and oppressed. We thank thee for his unfalter ing trust in thee. In the day of his strength he was thine, and when the shadows fell about him without fear and with great joy he turned toward the home-land and, smiling his love, bade his comrades not farewell but good night, saying, "In the morning we shall meet again." May thy blessings be upon his memory. May his love and trust, his loyalty and hope, be to us as guiding stars along this pathway, growing brighter and brighter even unto the perfect day. Let thy richest benediction be upon the hour and upon us all. Forgive us, lead us, and at last crown us with the larger life forever with thee. For Jesus' sake. Amen. UNVEILING OF THE MONUMENT, by W. M. Gillespie and Wesley Barr, of the 1st Nebraska Regiment. SONG by Professor Miller's Quartet. Governor Sheldon: The monument having been unveiled, it is particularly fitting and proper that on this occasion the dedicatory address should be delivered by the man who succeeded General Thayer as Colonel of the 1st Nebraska Regiment. I am glad indeed to have the pleasure this afternoon to introduce to you the Hon. Thomas J. Majors, who also has devoted the greater part of his life to the building up of Nebraska and defending her interests and her people whenever occasion called upon him. My friends, Colonel Majors will now deliver the dedicatory address. [Applause.] DEDICATORY ADDRESS, by Col. T. J. Majors:- We are assembled here today to dedicate a monument to one who has been one of the foremost men in this great commonwealth; one who was patriot and statesman, a citizen, and a brave and gallant soldier in the War of the Rebellion; one whose excellency and true worth and ability of character have excited the keenest admiration of every citizen and inhabitant of our great state. It is fitting that a monument should be erected in this hallowed spot to perpetuate the deeds and virtues of our late friend-one of our great national leaders. I appreciate greatly the honor conferred upon me in being permitted in my weak way to speak of our deceased comrade and testify as to a personal knowledge of his sterling worth and character and recount some of his valiant deeds which this magnificent monument is erected to perpetuate. To you, Governor Sheldon, as a representative of this splendid commonwealth, I desire on behalf of a grateful people, especially the soldier element thereof, to thank you for this beautiful tribute erected by the state in commemoration of our dead hero and statesman whose memory we all revere. True, this monument, great as it is, sinks into insignificance when compared with the still greater monument built by our comrade's incessant, intelligent, and unceasing life labors given to the upbuilding of this magnificent state, which is an integral part of this, the greatest republic on earth. I would first briefly call your attention to a few incidents in the early life of our departed friend and comrade. I find in the record published by the Nebraska State Historical Society the following: "John M. Thayer settled in Omaha, Nebraska, in the fall of 1854, a few months after the territorial organization. He was born in Bellingham, Norfolk county, Massachusetts, January 24, 1820. Possessing a good education, and hopeful of the future, with a laudable ambition to succeed, he naturally challenged early attention, gained the confidence of his associates, and found a field of enterprise wide open for occupancy. Belonging to the legal profession, it was not strange that visions of legislative honor should have had an enticing influence, and that in 1857 he was found a candidate for Congress in a free-for-all before the organization of parties, in a case where four aspirants divided among them 5,600 votes, each receiving 1,000, but Fenner Ferguson having the highest number in the hundred. Again in 1859 and then in 1860 his name was placed before the Republican nominating convention, but Samuel G. Daily, an original Abolition Republican, became the nominee and delegate. He was elected to the territorial council of 1860 and 1861, and subsequently to a constitutional convention. In the council he was author of a bill to abolish slavery in Nebraska." And now, personally speaking of his record, I desire to say: Answering the first call of the immortal Lincoln, General Thayer was authorized in April, 1861, to raise the 1st Nebraska Infantry, which he did in less than ninety days, out of a territory that had less than 30,000 people within its domain. One thousand stalwart sons, or more than one-thirtieth of Nebraska's population, responded to the call and marched forth under the leadership of our dead Commander to do or die for their country. General Thayer, fearing that his regi |