The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-09-01

and distinguish himself as a soldier. OI
Burgoyne's approach to the state of Yer
mont, and at the head of the raw militia
he immortalized his name by his sigma
success at Bennington in one of the dark
est hours of the war-and it is on thi:
account, together with all the surrounding
circumstances, that the people of Benning
ton to-day have met in their strength an(
numbers, to celebrate in fitting manner
the noble deeds of the patriotic defenders
of liberty and homes.
The celebration of the battle of Ben.
nington was gotten up under the auspices
of the Vermont Historical Society, OF
which Ex-Governor Hiland Hall is presi-
dent All the preparations were on g
large and liberal scale, the details of which
were excellently carried out. The day
dawned clear and warm, though the fresh
breezes that ever play about these Yer
mont hills swept lovingly over the crowd.
The morning was ushered in by the boom
ing of cannon and the ringing of bells.-
At II O'Clock the procession, under the
chief marshalship of Col. j. E. Pratt, as
sisted by aids Lt.-Col Eugene Cole and
1t. J. II. Cushman, formed on Main
street, near the ST. Anthony House, and
moved through the principal streets to
Morgan's grove, a delightful retreat, where
the speakers and distinguished guests took
their places upon stage which had been
erected for the purpose. The crowd as
sembled here numbered from fifteen to
twenty thousand. Among the gentlemen
on the platform were the following: Gov.
J. G. Smith, ex-Governors Hall and
Fletcher, Lt.-Gov. Dillingham;, Gen.
Hooker, Gen. Truman Seymour, Gen.
Geo. j. Stannard of st. Albans, Gen. J.
W. Phelps of Brattleboro, Brig. Gen.
Foster of Walden. and others.
The vast assemblage was called to order
by Ex.-Gov. Hiland Hall, president of
the day, who alluded to the circumstances
which had brought them together, and af-
ter reviewing the details Of the battle of
Bennington he introduced to the audience
Rev. Z. H. Chaplin Of New York, orator
of the day. After some preliminary re-
marks Mr. Chaplin said that the battle of
August Ii, III, maintains its place in
the heroism of our country. 1t was the
Gettysburg Of the Revolution, and was an
instance of the plans of Providence. AZ
ter reviewing in an eloquent manner the
great effect this battle had on the de,tinicS
OF the country. at time when the patri-
o.S of the country were discouraged and
the country itself was in disorganized
condition, he alluded to the main object
the British general had in view, which
was to gather together what toryism there
was in Vermont. History tells lis how
he was deceived Her star has never set
ccncath the constellation of states, and
unhinching as she has been now. she WAS
then in that hour of trial Success of the
British at Bennington might have been the
straw that would have broken the camers
back But it was not merely for this that
we celebrate to-day. The revolution has
another aspect. 1t was the ideas and
principles involved therein. The speaker
next dwelt upon the subject OF national
life. The elements of nation, he said,
are to he found in its idcas-those ideas
which shoot balls thousand years in ad-
vance of an army. He then dwelt upon
the elements of our nationality, and show
ed what was necessary to give sustaining
lie to our institutions. Without correct
organism, founded in truth and justice,
liberty is nothing. The doctrine of state
sovereignty was next alluded to, the
speaker remarking that it was an assertion
of the right to kill the body if any portion
of ii chose to do So There was not q
man, he said, who honestly believed in the
{ doctrine of secession. The late war had
taught us that we must continually COM
bat this heresy We want race of An'er
iira,w, instead of state men, In our nation
ality is imbedded all the glories of th'
! past and hope of the future. 1t is the
magic of our nationality that causes oul
, flag to be respected all over the world
The men who fought August l6, 1777
did not have state, but they knew they
) had country. And nationality is no
IA mere human institution. The union o
hearts and the union of hands may b'
5 separated, but our lakes and rivers canno
be fenced in; they must be common prop
: erty and free, and remain as members o
this arterial permanence forever. Neithe
5 can traditions be dissolved, nor can new
ones be put in their places. The battle
of the Revolution and of the late war Cal
c never be effaced from our history. HI
n then referred to the noble deeds the peopl
: had accomplished in vindicating the gov
e crnment IN the late struggle. The tierc
e fight may be over, but there never was ;
: time in the history of the couDtry whe1
n brains were SO much needed as now. Th
, questions of adjustment and reconstructed
v required the greatest talent of the nation
y Ignorance, he said, next to the want c
= moral intelligence, was the greatest ban
d of the country. Mind is the criterion c
:, national right, and educated mind is th
It basis of intelligent suffrage. He conclut
If ed by hoping the people would cease a
e strife and chickering's and be true to til
- grand principles enunciated in the declara
Il ton of independence.
t. Gov. Smith being called on, said IL
events which we celebrate to-day were flu
n of significance and it seemed as though
@ stood in the presence of those men WI
Is shed their blood on the surrounding hil