Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-06-10

down. willing sacrifices upon their coun-
try's altar. 1t would tell of the dropping,
bleeding, dying here, Of the ghastly corsc,
of the slain warrior, of the thoughtful,
pleading look of the manned cOmrade,
friend aud companion. No, we will not
dwell upon these scenes, 80 frought with
unpleasant recolections. But let US rath-
er turn to the proud spirits that inhabited
these crumbling remains which now lie
beneath yonder mounds, mingling their
dust with the mother dust.
1t must. comrades and fellow citizens,
have been an occasion of no small impor.
tauce tha. necesstated the martialIing of
an armed host, aud the send ing it forth
to battle iu deadly strife with people of
kindred blood 1t was no unmeaning
request that called upon these peaceful
inhabitants of our peaceful communities
to surrender for season their freedom Of
action and to become willing subjects
10 the demands Of an outraged govern
meut, and to make their lives their po-
iitical and religious interests identical
with the potpetuity of the constitution
and the laws. And the spontaneous ris-
ing up and moving forward TO those
scenes of carnage, scenes so much in con-
trast with home enterprise. associations
and peacefulncss, by so many of our ac.
quaintauec3 and neighbors, Indicate the
highest manlineas, the loftiest patriotism
and the purest devotion to the land of our
fathers. Long indeed had We slept un-
disturbed in the lap Of peace. Its pure
principles had been transmitted trcm
father to son, and from son to grandson,
until they had almost become part OF
our natural elements Thosc good old
days of peace are within the memory Of
us all, when the plow share and the prun
ing hook, the loom and the office, the desk
and the forum were the all absorbing sub
1iects of interest and attention.: whel the
son toiled from youth to manhood, and
from manhood to the grave, seeking such
heroes and such alone, as the common
pursuits and callings of a peaceful and
civil life would afford when the meas.
ured tones of the slow tolling bell seemed
to linger long and doefully, as if for feai
that they might never again bear the
death message of even another departed
one so slow. seemingly, did people live
and die, when the busy click CT the axe
and hammer gave the ouly cadence Of oul
march along the highway of improve
ment when we, satisfied with our lot
kept within The bounds of honest indus
try. and left to the subtle intrigues o.
ci atty politicians, the details for vldettes
aud sentiDels around the fortress of oul
liberties Aye, when we had well nigh
forgotten that eternal vigilance is the
price of liberty" And VIC can remem ber
too, when the tocsin OF war first pealed
its clarion tones along our country, from
border to border Those deep waters o.
placid pesce were then suddenly rufficd
into mountain waves of engultipg war
Fears, hopes, expectations aud resolves
broke the long silent spell Of quietu lie III
the family circle of every hamlet, village
and city How then did the acclamationt
of bitter contempt towards the foul ag
gressors rcvcrberate along these green
valleys and bound from hilltop to hill
top. gaining ne8 impetus continually b.
the outspoken approgals Of every heart
within our borders, from the youngest tc
the oldest. And we can remember how
these departed comrades, when the first
minute gun was fired, gathered with u'
most manfully around the dear old flag
and then plighted their vows, relying OIL
the God of battles for the Tectitude o.
Their cause, that this banner shall wave
over every foot of Southern soil, though
it cost the sacrifice of their own lives
They we're uuaccustomed to the duties
and hardships of camp life, undiscip'ined
in military customs and requirements
unknown to the scenes of woe and desola
tion, incident to the battle field, yet with
full realization of all these aow did
they come forward and give themselves
away to their country. Motives that be
fore had laid dormant like sleeping in
fant, now put on the strength Of manhood
and moved them forward to enrol them
selves in the ranks of the nations de
tenders.
Home and its pleasures. childhood and
its scenes. maternal care and its associa
tiOns and their enjoy ments, business and
it's duties, all must be left behind as con
sidcrations altogether secondary to th'
pressing nesds Of the endangered govern
ment. The citizens soul was moved and
il became warriors heart. The crowr
of the king was placed upon the head o
~. s,h;nct Manbood roeo nboye tht