The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-06-14


your praise, and urge my countrymen to
initiate your noble example. We come
to-day and pay you the willing homage of
our gratitude and yeneration. because YOU
cheerfully sacrificed your lives that our
country might remain, and that we might
live in honor and in peace. The tribute
we bring is justly due and with our eyes
dim with tears, and our hearts filed with
love and gratitude beyond expression, we
now commend your lasting resting place
to the blessings Of heaven and your fell
lowmen.
ain peace and honor rest you here brave .ons.
Vermont's noble champions
Repose you here in silence and eternal sleep:
Here turks no treason, here no envy swels
but the daughters of eternal love and fame
Shall with holy fingers Gull the freshest
And choices flowers of Spring. to scatter
On your honored turf"
You may well pause here, for moment
and ask, for what cause did these brave
men sacrifice their lives? We answer for
that cause which in all ages Of the world
has engaged the hopes, and wishes, and
ehieavors of the best men; the cause of
Human Liberty.
Liberty thou art indeed valuable The
source Of all that is good and great upon
earth for thee the patriot of America
has drawn his sword, has fought and has
fallen, but thank God has conquered
OF the part taken by Vermont in the
last grand struggle for liberty and nation
al life, and the gallant achievements of
her sons, need not speak to-day it is
known and read by all men, and chal-
lenges the respect and admiration of the
world.
Nine times the SHOWS of winter have
come and gone, since the brave and gal.
liant men of Vermont, in all the pride and
pomp of glorious war, stood upon yonder
camping grounds, and with uncovered
heads and uplifted hands, in the presence
of God and their fellowmen, bound them.
selves by sacred oath to defend the gov.
ernment of their fathers, the homes, the
fresides and the altars of their native and
adopted State. against the fierce and trai.
torous assaults of the corrupt and domi-
neering spirit of the southern slave power
Who does not remember with mingled
emotions of pride and sorrow, when as
upon the wings of the lightning, the
news spread through our vallies and over
our hills, that the long expected moment
of bloody strife had arrived that the
noble emblem of our power and nltional-
ity had been insulted and fred upon by
the uncircumcized and rebellious hordes
Of the South; Who does not remember
when the first gun at Sumpter, reused our
country from its lethargy, that Then
there was hurrying to and fro and gath.
ering tears, and sudden partings, and
choking sighs;" and there was mount
ing in hot haste, the steed, the mastering
squadron, and the Gathering car, went
pouring forward with impetuous speed,
and swiftly forming in the ranks of war;"
Who does not remember the long, loud
and spontaneous outburst Of patriotic feel
ing which echoed from hill and valley,
and from peak to peak Of our Green
Mountains, until it was caught up by the
mastering legions Of the whole North,
and became the battle cry of freedom, in
that terrible conflict which ensued.
Where is the man, that breathes this
air, who can contemplate the noble ex-
ample of our people in that terrible day,
and not feel proud that he is a Ver-
monter.
When the news arrived at Athens that
Eleatia had been seized by Philip Of
Macedop, the people all rushed together
into the Assembly, and when the heralds
shouted, "who will speak for us, who will
speak for our deliverance," all was silent
as the grave, until Demosthenes came to
the rescue, and with words of burning
eloquence, which are as immortal as his
name, reused his stupid and desponding
countrymen to sense of their danger and
inspired them with spirit of successful
resistance of the tyrant.
But not so with the people of Vermont,
when in April 1861, the national heralds
proclaimed that our country was in dan
ger, and demanded your services, when
you saw that Z" from the glittering staff "
had been "unfurled the imperial ensign "
of your country, which, then full high
advanc ed. shone like meteor streaming
to the wind with starry gems and golden
lustre rich emblazed," you waited not for
Demostheues to rouse your spirits and
stir your blood, but at once bucklcd on
your arms and went forth.
''Your country's daring champions,
To tell her foes you were net born for slaves,
To assert your countrys rights, ,avenge her wrongs,
And hurl the bolts of justice on her foes"
But that day has passed the battle
which was to decide the cause of human
liberty on this continent has been fought
and the victory won. No more wars
dread summons" calls us from our peaceful
homes to scenes Of carnage and bloodshed A;
no more we hear the notes of preparation
for the coming conflict, and nc more does
the bugle's shrill notes call the patriot
soldier to the fierce encounter and the
bloody charge all now is peace and
"Grim visaged war hath smoothed his wrinkled
'front.'"
and "all the clouds which lowered upon
our" believed country, 4" are in the deep
bosom of the ocean buried" The million
men, who but few months ago, were ar
rayed in all the pomp and circumstance c
of war and who in
"The front Of freedoms battle charged the foe
Now with the reapers to the furrow come,
Or in the Council of the State check
Encroaching powers, and teach mankind to
Kow and reverence the majesty of the law"
And you my comrades, the remnants
of those devoted bands, after having pass
ed through the tolls, the sacrifices aud
glorious victories of that eventful period,
come up here to-day with your friends
and neighbors,to celebrate the anniversary
of your VOWS and to join in the pleasing
vet solemn exercises of this occasion.
Your history from the memorable 2lst
of July, 1861, when Vermont offered her
first sacrifice upon the bloody altar, down
to the last grand charge at Petersburgh,
where "laurel wreaths by angel fingers
rro,,cht wara tuined around vour brow 4"