Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-06-07
An Address,
Delivered at the Cemetery, at North
TroN ~, ap0e tie Decoration Of
Soldiers Graues, May 80, 1870, by
Ge'eI WtUidm W. Gr0m.

IfoN ~, up0n tie Decoration Of
Soldiers Grayes, May 80, 1870, By
Ge1p William w. Groaa.
Mr.. COMMANDER AND COMRADES.
LADIES AND GKNTLEMEN:- -
1t is well, in the cheerful spring time,
as nature, radiant with smiles, emerges
from her winding sheet of ice and snow
into new life,-so beautifully sugges-
tive Of the resurrection from death to
life eternal,-for the living to visit the
resting place Of the dead.
1t is well, as nature robes herself in
green, and the flowers begin to bud and
bloom, and the birds begin to sing,-for
the living, with those flowers in their
hands, and, if possible, with more than
the music Of the birds in their hearts,
to repair to the place where rest the
ashes Of the departed; and there, from
the silence OF the grave, receive instruc-
ton; there, also, from the memory of
the virtuous and the good, the patriotic
and the brave, gather inspiration and
courage for the duties, the responsible
tiles and the toll of life ;-jnspiration
and courage, too, tor life's pleasures and
triumphs; for its disappointments and
sorrows. 1t is well, for the living to
turn away, for a brief season, from the
cares and anXieties that perplex and
oppress, and, SO much as may be, forget
the jostlin@s of the forum, the strife
Of the mart, and the
Rushing wheels
Of trades tumultuous jar
and take counsel from the dead who,
from across the river, still speak to us.
We are met, to-day, for this purpose !;
and to scatter, upon the graves of the
fallen brave, the early spring flowers.
You Of the Grand Army Of the Re
public, the veterans of a score of bat
I ties, the surviving comrades Of those
/ who sleep beneath these mounds, have
come up hither, to-day, to make this
| floral offering and fitting it is, that
YOU should perform this ceremony ;
you, at whose right hand and at whose
/ left hand, these men fell you who,
a- they fell and as the ranks were again
closed up at sharp command, felt the
/ touch Of a new comrades elbow. Fit
ting it is, that you, who withstoOd the
/ ftiguc Of the wearisome march, who
escaped malaria and fever and the bull
l,., should keep green and fragrant the
/ graves OF those who went down at your
/ side, while You, through miraculous
Providence, still stood. Nor are YOU
alone in this work. Up hither, also.
from their quiet homes, have come the
. Old and young; the man Of business,
the student, and woman toO,-bringing
flowers in memory Of the heroic dead
Nor is this the only gathering, thus
employed: but everywhere over the
face Of the whole country, wherever
in the late struggle, Union soldiers
fought and fell a grateful people are
to-day, rs hcre,-mder the auspices OF
ycteran,-aSsembled to recount theil
! Suferiugs and commemorate their val
or. Not only at all the great battle
fields, nearly every one Of which has
its National cemetery, but in many
another quiet church-yard, perchancC
among the hills, or like this beside the
river, may be found the graves Of the
Union dead; and many anotherpeople
ike this, have to-day plucked thei
choicest flowers for their decoration.
1t has been said, that "the whol,
earth is the burial place of the great
Whether this be capable of demonstra
ton or not, certainly this continent
with only little more than two cen
f turies Of civilization is, already, a grave
: yard Of heroes. From Quebec an,
Lmdv's Lane on the north, to New
Orleans and Vera Cruz in the south
5 from Bunker's Hill and Bennington il
the east, to Shiloh and Pea Ridge, il
/ the west, are everywhere scattere,
throughout the whole length an,
breadth Of the land, the Union dead
Here We stand to-day, upon the yer
frontier of our jurisdiction, within ev
shot of the British flag, and not nea
any great battle field, vet the Unior
! dead are here; and | presume there i
not a town in the State, in which the
> may not be found. Within the limit
Of our county are the graves of Bailey
and DwinneIl, and Mason, the tw
j Bartletts, and Flint, and Spauldine
and Phelps; and within the State, ar
those Of Barney, Stone, Tyler, Rol
: erts, Cummings, Preston, Jarvis, Di
/ ingham, Chamberlain, Reynolds, ,Eatol
Buxton, Dudley, Quimby, Tracy, Eros
> Davenport, Woodward, and More,
| name these, because from their ran
l. they are familiar to all. Time, howeve
{ would fail me, were | to undertake a
e enumeration ofthose without title, VIII,
d in common with the titled, have bee
:. mustered into that service, which know
no rank OF title, save such alone aS hol
t living conters. These men have gon
to their reward. They fell at the po.
of duty. They were sacrificed upo
. no Pagan altar; they met no annie,
9 death. They paid their devotions ;
5 the shrine of liberty, and there offere
: up their lives. They died for the m
:, vcrsal freedom of man; and if the p
d ct be right, they died in the rigl
r place -
o 'Whssher on the scaffod high,
~ --r,+1 +1,g Lor+1 +1,-..,