The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-11-21
Conservation of the National Cemetery al
CettvshurO

National Cemetery at Gettysburg, commenced
Thursday, the 10Th inst.
The line of march was taken upat 10 o'clock,
and the procession moved through the principal
streets to the Cemetery, where the military
formed in line and saluted the President. At a
quarter past eleven the head of the procession
arrived at the main stand. The President and
members OF the Cabinet, together with the chief
military and civic dignitaries, took position on
the stand.
The President seated himself between Mr..
Seward and Mr.. Everett, after reception, with
the respect and perfect silence due the solcmni-
ty of the occasion, every man in the immense
gathering uncovering ,on his appearance.
The military then formed i'll line extending
around the stand, the area between the stand
and the military, being occupied by civilians,
comprising about $50, 900 people, and including
men, women and children. The attendance was
quite large
The military escort comprised one squadron
OF cavalry and two batteries of artillery and o
regiment of infantry, which constituted the reg
Ger In the service.
After the performance of funeral dirge by
the band, an eloquent prayer was delivered by
Rev Mr.. Stockton.
Mr.. Everett then delivered the address, which
was characterized by all the perfection of ex-
celence which has given Mr.. Everett reputa-
tioD first among American orators. We give
below such extracts from this polished address
as we have space Tor :
He commenced his address wits this eloquent
exordium:
1t was appointed by law in Athens, that the
obsequies Of the citizens who fell in battle
should be performed at the public exI ense, and
IN the most honorable manner. Their bones
were carefully gathered up from the funeral
pyre, where their bodies were consumed, and
brought home to the city. There, for three
days before the interment, they lay in state be-
meath tents of honor, to receive the votve Offer
ings Of friends and relatives-howers, weapons,
precious ornaments, printed vases, (wonders Of
art, which alter two thousand years adorn the
museums of modern Europe) the last tributes
of surviving affection. Ten collins of funeral cy-
press received the honorable deposit, one ior
in memory of the unrecognized, but not there
fore unhonored dead, and Of those whose re-
mains could not be recovered. On the fourth
day the mournful proce sion was formed moth
ers, wives, sisters, daughters, led the way, and
to them 1t was permitted by the simplicity of
ancient manners to utter aloud their lamenta-
tons for the beloved and the lost the male rel
atives of the deceased followed citizens and
strangers CLOS. d the train. Thus marshalled they
moved to the place OF interment in that famous
ceramicus, the most beautiful suburb of Ath-
ems, which had been adorned by Cimon, the son
of Mitiades, with walks and fountains, and col
umus; whose groves were filled with affairs,
shrines and temples whose gardens were ever
green with streams from the neighboring hills,
and shaded with the trees sacred to Minerva,
and coeval with the foundation of the city
whose circuit enclosed
" the olive grove Of Acaieme,
Plato's retirement where the Attic bird
Trlled his thick wsrbled note the summer long !"
whose pathways cleaned with the monuments
of the illustrious dead, the work of the most
consummate masters that ever gave life to mar.
BILE. There, beneath the overarching plane trees
upon q lofty stage erected for the purpose, il
was ordained by law that q funeral GRAFTON should
be pronounced by some citizen of Athens in the
prence of the assembled multitude.
Such were the tokens of respect required BY
law to be paid at Athens to the menery of those
who had fallen in the cause of their country
To those alone who fell at Marathon peculiar
honor was reserved. As the battle fought upon
the immortal field was distinguished from all
others In Greclan history Tor it's influence over
the fortunes Of Hellas--as it tended upon the
event of that day whether Greece should live, a
glory and light to all coming time or should
expire, like the meteor of q moment 80 the
honors awarded to its martyr-heroes were such
as were bestowed by Athens on no other occa-
sion. They alone OF oil her sons were entomb
ed upon the spot, which they had frever rem
dered famous. Their names were inscribed up
on ten pillars erected upon the monumental tn
mulus which covered their ashs (where, after
SIX hundred years, they were read by the trav
e.er Pausanias,) and although the columns, be
meath the hand of barbaric violence and time
have long since disappeared, the venerabl,
mound still marks the spot where they tough
and fell
THAT battlefield, where Persa's victim horde.
First bowed beneath the brunt Of Heas' sword"
And shall |, fellow-citizens, who, after an in
terval of TWEEN ty-three centuries, II youthful pl
grim from world unknown to ancient Greece
have wandered over that illuslrous plain read,
to put off the shoes from off my feet, as one tia
stands on holy ground have gszed " tn respect
full emotion on the mound, which still protect
the remains OF those who rolled back tue tide .
Persian invasion, and rescued the land OF popu
\. .xE lnAf.