Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-24

which their right, so long and so un-
righteously withheld, of marching to the
ballot box and participating in the choice
of their rulers and their law makers, was
forever granted to them in cur fundamen-
tai law.
Some of these occasions are SO great IN
the estimation of our fellow-oitizens as to
command commemoration throughout our
whole domain others having more or less
of local celebrity, are more narrowly
observed. But all in their spheres, at
their annual recurrence, furnish occasions
on which patriotic devotees pause awhile
for such feasting, rejoicing and review as
that in which we are engaged to-day. On
such occasions it is the prudent and prof
table custom of mankind, wherever they
are Observed, to susvey their past, scan
their present and contemplate their future,
noting with such care and impartlallty
a. they may their origin and their pro.
gre>s, and resolving on such measures or
Improvement as guided by their best wis
dom ii ey may be able to devise.
Now in obedience to this custom, we
are conveNed on this the Ninety-fourth
Anniversary of what in Difference to his
toric phrasi we are compelled to denomi-
nation the Battle of Bennington. This
being one of a joyous sort we meet to
mingle in the pleasures and festivities
which ita re.oCcurrence Is calculated to
afford. Nor have you omitted in your
programme the moro serious duty OF such
days to which | have alluded-that OF re-
trospect and resolution.
To lead you in this exercise of patriotic
devotion 90 far as [ may in the few mo-
mc7,t4 ynu lend me your attention, Is the
uurposa with which I accepted your Hat
terins Invitation to minister at this altar
to-day.
It ynnuot be donied that the conflict
which our assembling in this beautiful
place this day commemorates, was one OF
immense importance in the struggle tor
Ionr Iudppaudence of which it Justly stands
recorded rs 40 glorious an incident. The
richest fruits, however, of the victory that
Derched upon our banners here 94 years
400. were gathered elsewhere. Burgoyne
|onlv bowed down to the necessities OF
the honr, as they we're manufactured here
when he marched to Saratoga and delv-
cred up his sword IA prisoner of war.
Tn L wise and just historian Hallam
! r, marks of the victory gained by Slr
Charles MAttel between Tours and POlt'
Ii,r- over the invading Saracens that "it
may Justly be reckoned among those few
fattl.S Of which contrary event wonld
, have. e-sentially varied the drama OF the
world in Ill its subsequent scenes: with
NJ trathon, Arhpla, the Metaurus, Cha 'ons
ana I.eipsic." I am also aware that an
. p,niueut British Professor of Ancient and
Modern History, both in London and at
, / c. .ubriige, in an interesting volume on
."The Fifteen Decisive Battles OF World,
races the Battle of Saratoga with Mar.
.a.h9n nd Gibbons, with Hastings and
/. yyith Waterloo, and MI the other fields
@ enumerated by Hallam. But we coulc
tell thorn both that but for the victory o.
Bannington. with the numbers and en-
thu.i .sm which it brought to our stand
ard. S>r .toga would have been lost, anC
New Eagland isolated and overrun. Nc
= ether battle of equal proportions wrough
% more nightly to hasten the triumphs o
/, tha arms Of our ancestors, that gave to III
tba ,,overnmnnt of which we are SO proud
and which has more indelibly craven IL
it. constitution the stamp of immortality
- than any other that the world has ever
- k own.
The detail, # This memorable battle
! the uumher and character of the lndlv
i5n,l- engaged in it-and its bearing
J. upon the vital interests of the hour IL
r. which j. WA fought, have been frequent
" dilted upon and discussed before tn
.m.i0r p,rt of this vast audience; ant
J. have tls9 been read in the numerous his
= tories aud biogra aphies which have chron
J. icIsd, md almost photographed for pos
, t, ritv. the miuurt5c of the scene and 1t
. glorious personnel l could not add
new .nt to the narrative, nor to Gree
$ Mountain audience magnify any Of tn
W ola ones Bot great as the Battle of Ben
le niug'ou seemed when it was fought, an
in vast as it really was in the encourage
>. mont and advantage it afforded to on
side. nd the discontinue aud dis ,ster
j BROUGHT upon the other, | know you viii
d lur,e viii me- that contrasted with con
n, Hicf- which have recently passed int
y, our history, aud in which the sons of Ver
mou+ have ken no unenviable share,
= dwiudl~4 to the proportions of a mer
'e Daltrv skirui~h. There are sons OF Vel
lf mont both before and behind me wh
N have recently played the part assigne
,s them gloriouIy on blcodier and waste
field. than Bennington. VermOnteI
4 need 10 exhurtation to embaln in thel
lie memories the names of Stark and Warne
II Of Williams and of Herrck, of Brush an
ar of Simmons, of Dewey and Of Robinson
- and the remainder of the galaxy tbs
struggled on this field They are name
y held in honor by every citizen Of th
'e Comrao1 wealth, and our living heroc
ioin Us this d9y most heartily in all ha
to the heroes Of Bennington
" No nation can be fonnd, [ apprehcht
40 petty as not to furnish food for exu
I'd tation in the bosom Of its subjects, whel
ry they contemplate its history. To be
ly Roman was once the coveted title of tn
OF world. The SpaniArd, the FrenchmaI
ls the Eu4lishmau, and so on through tt
is whole list of nationalities. each for hin
C. self put his country's glory first an
a. promptly points you to its record to just
oh fy his Judgment. But conceding mer
n in them all, if you please, no other ma
on earth can point to so much in the hi
elk torv of his country for any century
be which he may be justly proud, as has a
1r, ready fallen to the lot of every America
rn citizen.
a Unlike any other man, be starts Wi
be a government of his own choice, (thst
TO- unless he happens to live in New Yol
Of city) and one which contains within itse
the agreed machinery for peaceful mod
ch ficatien at the pleasure of the people. II
ers government has quietly acquired mo
ru- territory than any other in the sar
les length of time, and continues to hold al
nd glorify it all. Naked plains and swan
lat even of ten, twenty, forty years ago a
pie covered with cities which in size, veal
of and beauty have not been equalled
me centuries elsewhere. In population
his has grown from three millions to near
1ut forty millions. In wealth its growth b
1us been equally great. His Cover
the ment affords him an opportunity such
op. no other man has, of which no man C
rth deprive him, and without money or pri
Igh to obtain an education only limited
ion his capacity and measured by his desi
the The speaker here called attention TO
changes and advancement which had tax