Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-06-09
Proudly we'll follow it cen to deaths door,
Guardian alike over cabin and manor,
Emblem OF Freedom to us evermore

! Proudly we'll follow it cen to deaths door.
Guardian alike over cabin and manor,
| Emblem OF Freedom to us evermore.
Glory to God for the struggle is ended,
| Glory to God for the victory won,
Honor to those who the Right have defended,
Through the long years since the conflict begun.
| o, may the prayers of those ready to perish
| Guard them from harm like girdle OF fire!
Deep in our hearts their good deeds we will cher
ish,
| And to deserve them Wen ever aspire.
God at Thine altar in Thanksgiving bending,
Grant that our eyes Thy great goodness may
see;
0, may Thy light, while the temples veil rending,
Show, through its portals, the path of the Free.
"Rally Round the Flag" was then rem
dered by the band.
Mr.. William H. Johnson, of Albany, N.
Y, was then introduced, who delivered an
Grafton well adapted to the occasion, we'll
conceived, full of fact and argument, and
which was delivered with ease and grace.
We had hoped to give the oration in full
in our columns this morning, but the
pressure upon them entirely forbids 1t
will appear on Saturday and will well re-
pay perusal, as it is replete with instruc-
tion that all, white men as we'll as col
ored, should read. Mr.. johnson is evi.
IDENTIFY man of ability and power. Dur.
ing the delivery of Mr.. Johnson's oration
portrait of old John Brown was placed
in front of the desk, which was greeted
with cheers.
At the conclusion of the Grafton the
band played "Red. White and Blue"
ExGov. Ryland Fletcher was then in.
troduced and was received with rounds
of applause, and we may also remark that
when the venerable ex-Gov first appeared
upon the platform, in the early part of the
proceedings he was received with applause
and attracted marked attention. He was
introduced as one of the Old Guard OF
Liberty"
Gov. Fletcher said he was desired to
speak briefly but thought it would have
been more graceful to have kept silence
in the presence of these new citizens, but
none rejeiced more than he in the occasion
that call them together. He was thank
full that that the great Being gave him
| light of the enormity of the great evil OF
slavery aud from that hour he had been
its opponent and the friend of the bond
man.
He hoped our colored brethren would
not be unmindful of their white brethren,
and now that they had received their
rights, they would find among them some
rights at least which colored men were
bound to respect. AS early as 1887 he
had clear views upon the question of the
abolition of slavery and had commenced
work. He had been depot agent on the
Underground Railway he had protected
half dozen painting fugitives in his
house at "a time, and kept them until rest
ed, and when it was safe had put them on
board the train and sent them onward in
their journey to land of freedom. He
was overwhelmed when he thought of
what the old liberty party had accom-
| plished the one idea party, but it swal-
lowed up all others and stood IN its ma.
jesty to-day. I did not expect to see it
triumphant, and the bondman emanci.
pated from their fetters but thank God ]
have lived, to see this day and to greet
you as men and citizens. 1 must leave
you and go away happy in the thought
that have been privileged to join in the
services of this hour
Mr.. Dubois read telegram from Senator
Edmunds, announcing that Senator Rev
els could not be present, as had been ex-
pected. on account of sickness in his fam
| lily.
The following poem was then read, en-
titled, "Afric's Complete Emancipation .
written for the occasion by G. R. Ballard,
of Castleton -
Afric's Complete Emancipation.