Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-06-08

and three hundred and tweDty burial
grounds near hospitals and camps, CONTAIN
he graves of Union soldiers. and over
two hundred thousand of these graves
have been identified, and by this early
| care, have saved from that saddest of all
records, SO ominious of dreadful death in
prison pen or on the battle field, and so
mysterious and yet so fatally certain sun
| known" All honor my comrades to that
grestest minister of war, Hon. Edwin nj
Stanton, himself now gone to join that
patriotic band-to whose efforts more
than of any other, the country ewes this
debt of gratitude. These graves have
been graped together, identified, marked
in letters of iron, enclosed, and are now
being guarded by the nation ~ an ex-
pense of over three millions Of dollars
and who would have the record etfaced,
these enclosures broken downfall vigi-
lance abated for hundred times that
sum. Here too rank or title has no pre-
ferred spot-the humblest private and the
officer of highest rank are alike remember
ed, and lie side by side in these receptacles
of a nations gratitude. Through history
and tradition we learn that for
| all time wars have convulsed
| tl6 DdtiODs VI tbo COL Ihy JON ~ ONHSh
country can point to such a mon ument OF
elevation and honor to its entitled dead.
Then we behold all over our country,
thousands of beautiful and lasting mon
uments, erected and guarded by states,
cities and towns And then, too, we have
pension list for the benefit of the living
not paralleled by that of any other age or
country; and then shall it be longer said,
| %ha onna1s of
tyranny and despotism, that republics
are ungrateful?"
And at this point ask so far to digress
as to express hope that we. the citizens
of Brandon, may not much longer wait to
see erected here an appropriate monument
to our soldiers-to those who left our
midst full of life and hope, and in devo-
ton to country, yielded up their lives
Shall it be longer said that we who were
spared to enjoy the government they died
to save, withhold such well earned graft
tude on account of an expense of few
dSllars2 In q pecunisry point OF view
we owe our dead soldiers debt we can
never fully pay. 1t is not necessary for
me to demonstrate this by way of argu-
ment. A united and prosperous coun-
try. fostering within its borders immeas-
urable business enterprises, beautiful
homes in every vale and upon every hill
side, where naught but peace prevails,
and where the watchful vigilance of her
armed sentinel is no longer required, sug-
gest far more than I have asserted. Let
this part of the debt be no longer unpaid.
This duty which should be to US all one
of unequsled pleasure, remain no longer
unperformed and, comrades, it is our
duty to ask, and if necessary, demand, in
the name of our dead comrades, that such
q monument be erected, and that it bear
upon it's surface the name of every sol
dier who went forth from within the bor-
ders of our town, and through any of the
many vicisitudes of war, returned to Us
no more.
Comrades of the Grand Army of the
Republic: Yours is an organization that
numbers in it's membership more than
six hundred thousand veteran soldiers,
and cannot be ignored, and should not be
omitted to be noticed by more or less
mention this day. The raonllantion of the
services and virtues of oar departed com
rades, is peculiarly the pride and boast
of our people. To look after and eniate
the wants of those whom they left uu
protected, and the preservation of the
principles for which they fought is oul
special trust.
, The object and aim of our organization
is to promote a fraternsl feeling among
, soldiers-to be an organizer of and to dis
, pense public charities among the needy
and to defend in every issue the union
and integrity of these United States.
| Having no politics but loyalty, disre
, garding rank and enfolding all in our i'm
3 partial fraternity, we shall command the
: respect and support of all loyal citizens
5 Thus our duty is clearly defined, and il
: us the generous public may find ready
Q and sufficient channel for dispensing char
q tiles. Under its present efficient anc
D stable organic alton there is no excuse fol
: the suffering of widows and orph ans O
= our deceased soldiers in our land. Le
: those of our country who so bounteou-l,
D supplied the wants of that noble band
: the Sanitary Commission, during the war
/ continue to dispense their charities
= through you, and the object of your or
r ganization will be fully met. We too
s my comrades, have duty to perf"rm, we
t are no longer soldiers, but citiz-ns. nnc
? as such let our example, our energies anc
t efforts, attest to the world that in earning
o for ourselves the best record that wa
q ever inscribed upon nations flag, w
f can at the same time keep that prouc
g record not only untsrnished, but mad'
i brighter and more secure by our oaus
o and conduct in the various walks eff civi
t life to which we have returned. If w
l. have been more or less tried by the rigiC
V and necessary discipline of the army, lie
,, that be an additional incentive to a NOR
o entire performance of duty in the affair
d of State, and thus secure to our eouutr.
! an enduring and lasting term of peace
y and put afar off the horrors and suffer
/. ings of desolatiug war.
= And now as approach the close OF sucl
l. remarks as I have been able to colleo
e amid the hurry of business, in the shor
r time which has elapsed since I was awar
,s that was to appear before you to-day,
i; have to express hope that all presen
n will have been made stronger in increases
Il determination to guard with Jealous car
=. the memory of our dead soldiers; an
o that we may by this annual devotion t
A. those who died that we might have com
"a mon country undivided-that only on
i. flag should wave over our land-that tn
% plotters and abettors of treason should b
a frustrated in their evil designs-that tn
b principles of our government might b
re- psrpetuated be led to remember and oil
D. serve this day in this sad but beautifr
D. commemoration from year to year. An
/. as you separate to strew these beautift
flowers upon the graves of our heroi
te dead, let it be done by kind hands an
D. not as mere performance of fixed dut!
Of but may that service be accompanied b
sr a feeling of gratitude-and when we r.
n tire to our homes, may we have tt
70 heartfelt feeling of satisfaction that accom-
re panies the performance of a sad but plea
ar ant duty well performed; and in tt
"a words of another allow me to add:
" eBlest are the msrtyred dead who lie
TO In holy graves for freedom won,
of Whose storied deeds shall never die
10 While coming years their circle run.
+ Blest be the ground where heroes sleep,
lei And blest the flag that DER them waves,
g. Its radiant stars their watch will keep,
lie And brightly beam on hallowed graves.