Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-06-02

million lives it sacrificed, and the crush
ing defeat it sustained in the final
contest.
The Day,-it shallltell of the thrilling
call, ITO arms! To arms" that rung
through our valleys and echoed from our
hill-tops, firing the hearts of the Green
Mountain boys, and rallying them to the
defense of their imperilled national gov
eminent with an alacrity and prompti- |
tude unparalleled in history. 1t shall tell
of the glory won by the stalwart sons OF
Vermont on many an ensangulned battle |
field, glory won for the State OF their
love aud pride by deeds of valor and of
noble daring, which made the Vermont
Brigade a terror to its foes, boast to its
friends. 1t shall tell the great political
principles which were involved in the
FEARFUL contest of the slave power against
free republican institutions; principles,
that kept up an "irrepressible conflict"
so long as they were champiened by equal
or unequal strength in our national coun-
ellis; principles, which on the one side as
serted liberty and equality before the law
to be the natural right of man, in opposi-
.tion to the claim that slavery, subordi-
nation to the superior race, is the natural
and moral condition of an inferior race ";
principles, which, on the loyal side, af-
firmed the supremacy of the Union, its
constitution, government and laws, and
which stood in hostile array against the
insurrectionary doctrine of State sover-
eighty, as held by the disloyal side. AS
it is the nature of true principles to pre-
vail over false ones, it will be told to fu-
ture generations that the final issue of
the internecine war was the grand tri-
umph of the Northern doctrines of uni
versal freedom and the federation of the
States, a Union one and indivisible; while
in the same breath will be told the ami
hilating defeat of the Southern doctrines
of State secession and oppression of the
inferior races of men.
I have said, we are on historic ground.
In this same month OF May, 1885
years ago-our goodly town of Castleton
was the base of active military operations
in the colonial war against the British
government. That war was opened in
Massachusetts. The sword of Revolution
leaped from its scabbard first at Lexing-
ton, next at Ticonderoga. At some point
near where we now are, for aught l know
within the range of our eye, the heroic
Col Ethan Allen had rallied his $50
"Vermont Invincibles," as they were
called. Connecticut sent him 40 men,
and with his Spartan band of 80, he was
equal to any daring enterprise within the
power of men who could do exploits.
We can scarcely believe that, at peri
cd 80 early, the "pomp and circumstance
of war" were displayed within the boua-
daries of our town that here revo-
lutionary patriots gathered, eager for the
coming fray ; that hither came Benedict
Arnold, to dispute the command of the
forces with Ethan Allen, the giant war
rior, whose name was the inspiration of
success to every undertaking and that
from this point sailed forth the Irwin
cibles who reached the shores of Cham
plain on the 9th of May, 1875, on an ex-
+, petition that captured the fort at Iicon-
deroga, and gave 70 Vermont the honor OF
6 striking the second blow in the bloody
drama of the Revolution.
The Revolution had causes that justi-
, fled it-a purpose that enuobl9d it-a sue
, cess that indicated all the sacrifices 1t
cost Its causes originated in the despot-
ism of the mooher country. Its purpose
; was. an Independent nationality ; Gov
eminent, established by the people ad'
ministered for the benefit of the people
perpetuated for the security of the
, people and free country, for the homes
of freemen, for all succeeding times This
purpose had a grandeur towering into the
| sublime, and its accomplishment, by sew.
en- long years of weary war, was the glory
of the age.
The Declaration of Independence spoke
nation into existence the success OF
the Revolutionary conflict gave that ma
ton a tree country; it remained for
statesmanshiP to provide a sororunrnt
for that nation and country, and to estab-
lish the fundamental principles that
should guide the administration of public
affairs The civil institutions that bless
IA TO day, were born of the tried patriot
ism, sharpened intellect, and wise fore
cast Of the Revolutionary period. They
have stnod, on their immutable founda-
ons,-though stealthily assaulted by sec
tienal policy, or covertly assaulted by po-
litical intrigue, or boldly attacked by trea-
son. Events have proved that they were
bequeathed to a patriotism that has de-
Tended and preserved them, at cost of
blood aud treasure vastly exceeding the
price paid by the illustrious men who es-
tablished them.
Long had it been the boast of our land
, firmly established to fear destruction
The belief in their perpetuity was too
deeply rooted to be shaken, although at
tempt at instruction had been made, null
T LITIGATION had been asserted, and secession
had been claimed as sovereign right in
herring in each State of the Union. The
monarchies of the Old World had predict.
ed the downfall of our Government, and
f,,1GI +haIr ,,rOrha-
cies. We laughed them to scorn. Threats
of dissolving the Union had frequently
been made; but they were regarded by
New England as the insane rawlings OF
the mad politicians of the South.
i Yet, for more than Il third of century,
deep-laid plots had been ripening for
treason's wicked hour at length came
the hour, charged with folly and madness,
and the Shareholders Rebellion startled
us from our dream of security. The capt.
tai of our country was menaced, not by u
foreign power, as in the war 1912, but
by men solemnly sworn to protect 1t
men educa ed at the public expense; men
who had hitherto controlled the couusels
of the nation vipers, who stuug the bos.
ON that warmed them into life.
ITO the rescue To the defence of
w h5uluSbOui Nds VIC cry bIlhb laAliti
the patriot hosts, and in week the capt.
tai was safe
4 But the Confederate slave states had Or
ganized rebellion, and war between the
Southrons and the Mortimer was newt
able On the part of the traitors it was
to dismember the Union, destroy the Ma
tional Government, and erect a Confeder-
acy of their own. On the part of the pa
triots, it was to preserve all that had
been 80 dearly bought by the blood of the
Revolution.
The traitors brought on the fearful
crisis, and wildly dared their doom. They
attempted to justify themselves before the
world by the fagitious asseveration of
wrongs never endured by them; by the
declaration of grievances which they
claimed could not be redressed otherwise
than by seeding from the Union and by
the prediction of entertainments upon
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