Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-11-01
RUTLAND HERALD.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 80, 1866.
ADDRESS OF
Col. W. G. veazey of Rutland,
BRPoRE THE REUNION SOCIETY or YER
MONT oPPlosRs, IN THE REPRESENT
ArIvRs' HALL, THURSDAY RYE.
MING, OCTOBER 25TH,
MING, OCTOBER Doth.

<NVs FtsWcNt, luHNNat LSNhtts oftN WV
Esmen; The words Of introduction which
our distinguished President has been
pleased TO use, scarcely tend to diminish
the embarrassment and solicitude with
which l come to discharge Of the du-
ties assigned me upon this occasion of
fraternal reunion. We assemble from
our scattered hills and valleys to mingle
situations, to review the days Of camps
and battles, and to gather renewed cour-
age from the magnetic touch Of CON-
rade's elbow, for the unfinished duties
of life. 1t is an occasion when we feel
crowding in upon our minds memories
of mingled JOY and sadness; memories
not only of heroic achievement, but of
fallen comrades an occasion not for cold
speculative discussion, however pro-
found or ingenious, but rather for the
expression Of sentiment and patriotic
feeling. But in my solicitude, lest l
fail to do justice to the occasion, do
not forget that in the bosoms Of those
whom specially address, beats the SOL
dier's warm and generous heart that
brooks no unkindly criticism Of COM
rades fault.
1t is not unprecedented for post-rev-
dictionary period to be marked by evil
forebodings, and often by imminent pub
lie peril; greater, perhaps, than in
the height of the revolution itself Meet
ing as we do te-night in the midst of
such period, it has seemed to me not
unwise to run our eyes over some of the
features of the struggle, and perhaps
gather inspiration from bright exam
Piles, for the work which the perils of
the times impose upon Us. Until with
in less than a decade Of years, it is
doubtful whether any generation was
ever the recipient, or in the enjoyment
of so great substantial political bless
ings, as the present generation, in this re-
public. Almost perfect liberty, yet with
out license, almost universal prosperity,
yet without general dissoluteness, were
diffused over our broad domain. Com
pared with or government in its prac-
teal effect on the individual, not only
every form that preceded it, but even the
ideal republics of philosophers, were but
rudiments in governmental polity. The
hand of the State rested so lightly on the
Individual that he scarcely perceived
the touch. The fruits Of representative
republicanism were being enjoyed, while
yet the ordeal of internal disruption had
not tested it's strength as a form of gov
eminent In the struggle for liberty,
or, perhaps, better, in the constant effort
to suppress liberty, which constitutes
about all there is OF history, liberty had
occasionally gained partial triumph.
The words democracy and republic not
uufreuuently occur on the pages OF his
tory. but often misused as descriptive of
government oftener indeed descriptive
of tyranny than liberty. Where intelli-
pence prevails at all it is only under the
guise OF liberty that complete tyranny
can he exercised. Yet at long intervals
and for brief periods, the will OF the
peor,le has formed the government, but
generally so imperfect and under such
unfsvorable circumstances, that TIE
fruits of liberty to the citizen were
scarcely less bitter than those OF the
rvrauuv which preceded it, and into
which the peoples government soon re-
lansed, With us, security in person and
property, freedom Of speech ana tine
nress. taxation not a burden, labor hon
orable and rewarded, merit recognized
property distributed, knowledge dlnused
full religious liberation, poverty care
for, crime Punished nationality Of spirit
worthy ancestry, historic renown, al
these. my comrades, constituted but s
part of the blessings Of free government
profuseiy strewn along our pathway
Even the price paid by the fathers Of tn,
Republic, the expenditure OF blood ant
treasure, the sacrifice and sufferin!
through that long, dark night OF strug
gle, with oppression, which preceded tn
morning dawn of Independence, is no
adeunate for the privileges which we en-
joyed.
Add even the story of the schoolin!
through which the fathers passed, II
preparation for their struggle for indie
pendence, in that Sc zen years feartu
strife, so widespread that the sun Sc
not on peaceful quart er OF the globe
that contest when in the East, Cllve
Just from the accounta ut's desk, lee
Bri battalions to the C onquest of al
empire, wider and richer til an ever paleC
before the Roman eagles; when IN Eu
rope, Frederick the Great rose agalns
gigantic combination to the last gilt
tering peak" of heroic att ain ment, an(
"hCh ah buC 'cSbt iuouVSuihs
upon the heights of Abraham,
Bought by their death = 1esthless n sme;'
add, l say, the heroic and perilo as par
which the fathers performed in tbl s con
fiict In preparation for the nob.ey trug
gle for Independence that followed anc
we still have not a price equal TO- the
measure Of privileges melted ous t1 III
under the benign influence OF republic, II
liberty. J.,
So far, in national emergencies an WEI
as in Individual protection, the Republic
had proved sufficient.
With but comparatively slight inter
ruption, peace, disseminating it's unseld
favors, had attended the nation up
through it's growth to speedy man.
hood. Except in mimicry upon some
festive day, no "piereing fife or thump-
ing drum" or soldiers tramp. had
awakened the echoes of our mountain
slopes. Peace, prosperity, fraternity,
equality, had fallen to our favored lot.
Looking back through the tornado OF
war that followed-through the tears,
the pangs, the deaths, seems not unlike
81 honH fhrnnUh