Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-04-28
gHatrhman & STATE JournaI.
R.P. WALTON
MONTPELIER. APRIL 2s. 1865.
OUR FLAG ON SUMTER.

The historian Of our country will have to
record the strangest contrasts. In one week
the capital of the rebel confederacy falls, he
commander-i-- of the rebel armies sur
renders, the President OF the United States
walks unscathed through the city Of Rich
mond, and sits in the seat and house Of the
flying President OF the dissolving Confed-
eracy, and in the next week he dies in his own
capital, surrounded by his friends and by his
own armies, slain by cowardly assassin.
But stranger even than this is the contrast
presented by the day Of his death, for on one
and the same day the flag Of the Union was
restored to its place from which it had been
removed by the FIRST rebel victory, and the
head Of the nation, whose sovereignty was
thus vindicsted, was taken away.
The restoration Of the identical flag to Fort
Sumter which Aoated there wher the rebel
lion began, was an occasion Of great joy.
Rev. Mr.. Harris, who prayed with Anderson's
little band when they first took possession Of
the fort, offered the prayer Of Thanksgiving on
this occasion; Major Anderson himself run
up the flag to it's old place aud Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher, fit representative cf the re-
generated nation, delivered a very eloquent
address. We extract the following para
graphs:
&" On this solemn and joyful day we again
lift to the breeze our fathers'hag, now again
the banner Of the United States, with fer.
vent prayer that God would crown n with
honor, protect il from treason, and send il
down to our children with all the blessings
Of civilization, liberty and religion. Happily
no bird or beast of prey has been inscribed
upon it. The stars that redeem the night
/ from darkness and ;he beams Of red light
that beautify the morning, have been united
upon its folds. As long AS the sun endures,
or the stars, may it wave over a nation neither
/ enslsved nor enslaving Great applause. y
Solemn retrbntion hath avenged
our dishonored banner. You have come back
I with honor who departed once, four years
| ago, leaving the air sultry with fanaticism.-
/ The surling crowds that rolled up their fren-
zed shouts as the flag come down are dead,
or catered. or silent. and their habitstions
are desolste. Ruin sits in the cradle of treas
on. Rebellion has persisted, but there flies The
same flag that ioas insuited. Great and pro-
longed applause. With starry eyes it looks
all over this bay for that banner that sup
( planted it, and sees it not. Applause. You
that then for the day we're humbled are here
again to triumph once and forever APP
plause. In the storm Of that assault this
glorious ensign was often struck, but me-
morable fact not Que Of its stars was torn
out by shot or she'll Applause. 1t WAS a
prophecy. 1t said Not one state shall be
rtruek from this nation by treason APP
plause. The fulflment is at hand. Lifted
to the air to-day, it proclaims, after four years
Of war. not a state is blotted out. APP
plause Hail to the flag Of our fathers and
our flag Glory to the banner that has been
through four years, black with tempests OF
war. to pilot the nation back to peace without
dismemberment and glory be to God, above
all hosts and banners, hath ordained Uictory
and shall ordain peace Applause