St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-07-09
DedicatiOn of the National -NOHa-
meHt.

The dedlcatOry services of the Nation
al Monument at Gettysburg, took place
last Thursday, and were deeply interest
ing. We take the following from the
Geographic report to the New York Tn
bune:
Fifteen thousand people came together
to-day to dedicate anew the beautiful
cemetery which no words could So con-
secrate as the tender speech of Abraham
Lincoln, uttered here five years ago. The
cemetery lies on Il hill, swept overly the
storm OF battle in those terrible DAYS OF
July. On the spot where they fell the
soldiers lie buried the resting place OF
each known and marked. Commission
ers of every State, whose sons sleep here,
have had the cemetery in charge. Each
State has contributed her proportion to-
ward the cost of the grounds and the
erection of the monument ; and to-day
the eighteen Commissioners resigned their
five years trust, and delivered the come
terry 10 the National Government.
On the platform sat Gen. Meade. Sec
rotary Rawlins, Gen. Parker, Gov. Gea-
nv, Gov. Padletord, Gov Baldwin, Gov.
Fairchild, Gov. Ward, Gov. Jewell, the
Hon. Simon Cameron, the Hon. Mr..
Ferry, the Hon. Edward McPhersom. the
Rev. III. w. Beecher, Bayard Taylor,
and many distinguished visitors Of Penn
sylvania. The public ceremonies were
opened with music from fine band.
Then Henry Ward Beecher uttered SOL
emn prayer, the large, and loving, and
tervent words 50 familiar from his lips.
Gen. Meade said Il few earnest words,
recalling the history of the place, rccog-
nizing the courage, and sclf-sacrifce, and
patience that made the day possible, and
teelmgly pleaded that the bones OF the
rebel dead should be gathered, and kind
ly and decenlly inferred. After music
from a volunteer choir from Baltimore.
the monument was unveiled, while the
Star Span2led Banner was played. The
monument Is an obelisk OF granite, 80
feet high, surmounted by the inevitable
figure of Fame, in white marble At
the base are four projections, on each OF
which stands a commemorative figure.
\ belt of thirty-siN stars surrounds the
column, and the national bird Is cmbla-
zoned on the front an entablaturc bears
the date OF the battle, July |, and ;.
1868. Senator Morton. sitting in his
chair, read his speech on the causes Of
the triumph of the North and the future
of the Republic. 1t was comprehensive,
mildly bcIlgerent, able and extremely
energetic, but fell without response on
the ears OF those phlegmatic border farm
crs. Mr.. Bayard Taylor read his fine
poem. The great audience stood quiet
touched by its grandeur and simplicity
his clear Voice bore the swellin. strain
tar out over the summer fields and lie
Charity, and Forgiveness and Reconcile
alton which he invoked seemed 10 stand
vlSiby beside the lcvelcd grave. Music
sounded again, and then Il prayer was
brcathed. Then Gen. Meade. who had
managed untold brieadcS OF men. mar
shaded an array more pOwcrtul-thc lit
tie army OF the little children ot dead sol
dlerS To their great delight, he review
ed them and gave them bit OF friendly
talk, aud they checred III smali voices.
Maryland, III the form OF a gaIIcut youl-
officer, gave them flag. and the small
voices cheered again. After the children
had dispersed, the crowd drifted away.
lingering in the quiet place, or wander
III" oil TO the old battlefield, or coming
INFO town with friendly speech and hand
>hakings, right and lett Tonight C,ct-
tysburg will be Il village again. tor.cttn.
already the faces OF her 10000 iuhabi-
tantS OF to-day.