Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-11-21

Inc record OF your city Just record, ana
TO exhibit public recognition of the ser
vices Of their departed kindred. You arc
eXpendnG hun dredS of thousands upon
your school houSes,-l have no reason
to suppose that you are cXpeuling too much,-
but monument TO your sons fallen in the war,
erected with liberality in taste OF art and with
impressive proportions, is as much medium
and agent Of the higher education of this peo-
pie, as the sumptuous schoolhouse which is
costing more than skiold the sum which we ask
this evening at your hands. Educate your
young men to a right conception OF the eternal
glory Of America, of liberty and the rights Of
man. Educate their patriotic sentiments to a
comprehension OF the growths and powers of
this independent nation. Do this by erecting
in bronze and granite for their daily observation
aud study the names Of their fellows, young
men of Worcester, who have gone before them
into the dark valley making it radiant with the
example of their sublime sacrifice. About this
tender spectacle patriotism, humanity, romance,
poetry love of Justice and freedom, all the high
or sentiments, all the more profitable thoughts
and reflections of our life, shall cOngregate com
mune and instruct the future out Of the present,
which will soon become the past. This work be-
longs as part, TO the education OF an American
citizen, and the laws of our ancient and patriotic
commonwealth make this one OF your municipal
duties, by conlerring upon you the authority to
vote money to perform it, / have no right TO
speak for others, but under your courtesy | eX-
ercise the right to speak for myself and to eX-
hort you TO settle this long pending question by
vote, which, in my opinion, will be more an
act of Justice than Of generosity, a vote, which
your own reflections, and Of your constituents
who are The whole people of the city.
If there be in this government, or in this city,
any man who hesitates in this particular in
stance from reasons affecting the general scope
and purpose of soldiers monument, | beg
IN n m ln pf
Everett uttered upon similar occasion, when
pleading for Il monument on Bunker Hill, and
which will gratefully adopt as my own:
But am met with the great objection, a0hdt
goOd lCW the monument dO2 beg leave sir, to
exercise my birthright rs a Yankee, and an
swer this question by asking two or three more,
to which believe it will be quite as difficult to
furnish satisfactory reply. am asked, what
good will the monument do? And | ask what
good does anything do? What is good? Does
anything do any good? The persons who sug-
gcst this objection of course think there are
some projects and undertakings that do GOOD
and should therefore like to have the idea OF
good explained and analysed, and ran out to its
elements. Does Il railroad or canal do good
Answer, yes And how2 1t facilitates inter-
course, opens markets, and increases the wealth
of the country. But what is this good for?
Why, individuals prosper, and get rich. And
what good docs that do? Is mere wealth, as an
ultimate end-gold and silver, without enquiry
as to their use,-are these u gOod2 Certainly
not. should insult this audience by attempt
ing to prove that rich man, as SUCH is neither
better nor happier than a poor one. But as men
grow rich, they live better. Is there any good
in this, stopping here? is mere animal life
feeding, working and sleeping like an Oxen
titled 10 be called good? Certainly not. But
these Improvements increase the population.
And what good does that doI Where is the
good OF counting twelve millions, instead of six,
of mere feeding, working and sleeping
animalsf There is then no good in
the mere animal life, except that it is the
physical basis of that higher moral existence,
which resides in the soul, the heart, the mind,
the conscience; in good principles, good feel
ings, and the good actions which flow from
them. Now, sir, | say, that generous and
patriotic sentiments, sentiments which prepare
us to serve our country, to live for our country,
to die for our country-feclings like those which
carried Prescott, and Warren, and Putnam TO
the battlefield, are good good humanity speak
ing, of the highest order. 1t is good to have
them, good to encourage them, good to honor
them, good to commemorate them; and what.
ever tends to animate and strengthen such feel
ings, does as much right down practical good as
filing up low grounds and building railroads.
admit the connection between enterprises which
promote the physical prosperity Of the country
ard its intellectual and moral improvement; but
| maintain that it is only this connection that
gives these enterprises ali their value; and that
the same connection giVCS a like value to every
thing else which, through the channel of the
senses, the taste, or the imagination, warns and
eevateS the heart"
And having thus employed these words of the
lament2d citizen and statesman, TO raise the sub
lcct which is before us from matcrialistic cOnsid
eratiOnS to a higher level of contemplation,
will also adopt his conclusion as my own, re-
gardin@ it as not above the dignity of the pres
ent occasion: And now, sir, from all the scat
tered graves THE VOICE OF OUR BROTHERS
BLOOD CRIES To Us FROM THE GROUND. 1t
rings in my ears. Il pleads with us, by the
sharp agonies of their dying hour. 1t adjures
us to discharge the last debt to their memory
Let us hear that awful voice; and resolve, be-
fore we quit these walls, that the longdeayed
duty shall be performed; that the work SHALL
BE DONE, SHALL BE DoNEF
The convention then dissolved
After some discussion, the following order
was unanimously adopted by yea and nay vote
Whereas a committee of the citizens of Worces-
ter, by memorial herewith presented have re.
quested an appropriation of thrty-ive thousand
dollars to enable them, (by using funds in their
hands collected by private subscription to erect
suitable monument to commemorate the sacrifices
of the fallen heroes of Worcester in the late war;
Ordered, that the sum OF thirty-fve thousand dol
mayor be authorized and directed to draw his war;
rant accordingly, to enable the citizens com
mittee, of winch George CrOmpt0n is chair
man, to contract with Randolph Rogers TO
erect a soldiers monument in the city of WOrces-
ter, substantially in accordance with model eX-
hibited and which said committee represent can be
erected by using the funds in their possession, to-
gether with said sum herein appropriated, at a cost
of fifty thousand dollars. And the city treasurer is
hereby authorized to borrow, upon the credit OF the
city, under the direction of the joint standing COM
nittee ON finance the sum of $4,000 to meet said
appropriation.
Petitions were received and referred as fol-
lows: From Margaret K. Mooney, asking for the
removal of nuisance caused by the manner in
which the sewer is constructed opposite her es-
tate on Madison street, and for damage caused
said estate by the nuisance; and from Taylor
and Farley and others, for sewer in Harris
street. to the committee on sewers. From Daniel
Herr and others, for water in Mechanic street;
from D. Waldo Lincoln and others, for water in
Russell street; from Joseph Chamberlain and
mittce on water. From Richard Conlon, for
payment of damages and expenses caused to
him by the widening of Lafayette street, to the
committee on highways. From Mary A. Spur
and others, for damages to estates by the rails
ing Of Central street, to the committee on side.
walks.
An order passed authorizing the setting of
curb and laying of sidewalk on the north side of
Temple street and the east side of Salem street.
The decree widening Wellington street was
accepted in the board of aldermen, but laid
over in the common council on objection to a
second reading.
Reports from the committee on water, sewers,
and finance, which were left over as unfinished
business at the last meeting, were accepted in
concurrence, and the accompanying orders were
adopted. The orders contain the sense of the
reports. The one adopted for the abatement of
the assessment for city work on the street rail
way reads:
Ordered, that the city treasurer be instructed to
abate One-haf the amount charged to the street
railway company to witt 81 1880, upon their pay
ing INTO the city treasury like amount and placing
in the hands of the city clerk obligation, duly eX-
ecuted and approYediby tho city solicitor, acknowl-
edging the receipt of 81 S9.50, in consideration of
their agreeing TO sell packages of not less than 20
tickets for dollar, from and after the passage of
this order, which shall entite the purchaser to the
same of the cars of the street railway company
as those heretofore sold by them,
The order submitted by the joint standing
committee on water, which was adopted, pro.
yides for the laying of water pipes in Canter-
bury, Wall and Norfolk streets, together with
the necessary gates and hydrants. The order