Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-07-19
For The Daily journal
THE CELEBRATION AT WEST RAN
DOLpH


with a spirit which indicates that the people
have lost none Of their faith. in the principles
of their Fathers. The great rebellion has not
shaken their confidence in the Nation, or in
the value Of our institutions.
The day was an that could be Desired
bright, warm and free from dust. The green
hills aud valleys Of Vermont never looked
more attractive The bells greeted The sun
rise with merry peals, and the streets soon
gave indications the coming throngs The
trains from north and south added hundreds
to the assemblage. All were orderly, good
naturcd, but evidently full to OVERLOOKING with
determined patriotic feeling. During the
morning detachment from jeff Davis rebel
army made its appearance, exciting much mrth
but small alarm. Borey Guards Flying
Artillery" and " Southern Chivalry" we're
particularly interesting.
The procession was formed at II o'clock
and moved to the grove appointed for the OK
ercses Of the day. Here the services were o.
pened with prayer by the venerable Chaplain,
Rev. Ammi Nichols, who has resided in
Braintree since 1887, and, with the exception
Of brief period, has preached there 81 years
His supplication for the country-simple, di-
rect and earnest-was deeply impressive
After the reading Of tho Declaration Of In
dependence by Mr.. Geo. p. Beard. the Grafton
was delivered by Rev. Jacob NJ. Manning,
Junior Pastor Of the Old South Church, Bos-
ton.
Mr.. NJ. commenced with an allusion to John
Adams prediction, that the day would be cell
ebrated with orations, bonites, bells and can
non, This has been criticized as the extrav-
agancc Of enthusiasm rather than the utter
ance Of great and staiesmanlike wisdom
This year removes all such reproaches and we
all feel the perfect proprety Of such demon
STATIONS. Thanks TO the mad attempt for its
overthrow, the people have discovered the .
value OF the government our fathers gave U.S.
and set greater estimate upon IT, 1t is no
longer perilous TO a mans reputation for good Z
sense to pronounce 4tb of July Grafton
The speakers fear to-day will be that his most
earnest utterances must appear tame and I'M
satisfactory as the expression Of the deep e.
motions which late events have evoked in all !
hearts. The subject Of the Grafton was. The
War, its Causes, and the reasons for anticipa-
ting its fortunate issue"
The War was defined as between freedom
and despotism. Remark was made at length
on the progress Of the race as indicated by the
relative position of the contending parties
Such struggles have hitherto found despotsm
In the seat of established authority Freedom
has almost uniformly been the rebel in the
past When oppression could be no longer
borne the instinct Of liberty has led men to
seek its overthrow. Luther and the Reform
crs were rebels. So were Washington and I
the patriots Of the Revolution they gloried
IN The title But in our country it is freedom
which Is ON the throne. Liberty is ordained
In our Constitution and Laws. The attempt
BIB asa.'.tov the established power is no lon
gen in The interest Of freedom. but Of bond
age. Dc-potism is put to the necessity of re-
bcliou to secure its unholy ends. The world
does move.
Slavery is but secondary cause Of this re-
bellion Its prime cause lies in the antagon- /,
ism q two great social elements--the one of
which grated slavery upon itself almost nat q
uraliy The aristocratic. despOtic element has
always preponderated in the South at the c
North the reverse is true The separation be- I
tween them was less clearly defined before the v
Union was formed. and for some time altev, q
than tits now. 1t has become more distinct
and sharp on either side, as each has obeyed
its own law OF development.
Freedom and despotsm were in collision
when the Constitution was formed, and free
dom trumphed Despotism has since been
struggling to reverse this victory The move
ment has gone on with increasing openness
and audacity till the slave power had almost
comprised its end The bred Scott decision |
accepted and established would have complet-
ed the conquest. But freedom was not ready
to be thus dsarmed, and yield her best inner
itance without struggle. Her forces have
risen in their might TO hurl back the legions
of oppression. The contest at some time was
inevitable. These bitterly antagonistic social
principles could not exist always side by side,
without battle for the mastery. The nature
4
The reasons for anticipating favorable re-
suit were eoquently elaborated. The Gov
eminent has right on its side, and po,oer as
well. 1t commands the heavy battalions.-
Providence has favored us wonderfully, bring
ing confusion on the rebels. History will
show that the design was to have assassinated
Mr.. Lincoln in Baltimore, and amid the en-
suing confusion seize the Capitol. The safe
inauguration Of the new President at Wash
ington spiked their best gun So the cow
ardly assault on Sumter just served to unmask
their wicked designs and rallied the free North
around the Government in overwhelming
might. This enthusiastic patriotism of the
people affords the surest guarantee under God,
Of the coming victory.
A fine tribute wac paid to our armies and to
the derotion that has sent them forth Also to
our brave Commander-in-Chief, who never
lost battle, save one nine years ago. de-
feat which only paved the way for his last and
most splendid victory, for the leading coun-
cillors of his successful rival were the very
men he has now to meet in arms, and to sub
due. The war will not, cannot cease till the
Union is fortified, in all our domain, with new
life and power, and the hideous dogma of Sc
cession is buried beyond all resurrection.
This is but a faint outline of the Grafton
which held the vast audience for an hour and
half in delighted attention. 1t IS sufficient
praise TO say that all felt it was worthy of the
man and the occasion Prompt measures will
be taken 20 secure the publication of the ora
hon in pamphlet form
The immense crowd in our streets protract-
ed the exercises of the day somewhat, and
particularly the dinner, which arrived almost
too late to deserve the name. After dinner
the regular toasts and responses, and voun-
teer sentiments, were given amid enthusiastic
cheers Of the multitude the report of cannon,
and the stirring strains Of national airs from
the Bands For want Of time these very in
teresting exercises were necessarily suspend
ed, evidently long before the patriotism Of the