The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-01-23

honored place in its armies, which he had
deserted in order to raise his hand against
his country, marched from the seat Of the
confederacy in Virginia, across the half
sympathizing State of Maryland, into
Pennsylvania, and took mp his position on
tho hills and among the pleasant farms of
Gettysburgh.
His army composed of the veterans Of
his service, equipped with all the imple-
ments and means of war, numbered up
wards of 100000 men.
In this position he threatened the great
cities cf Baltimore and Philadelphia, and
on the capture of either of which, must
in all probability, fall the national capi-
tol at Washington, and with it tho cause
of the Union.
The momentous gravity of the situa-
ton was felt by all.
The Union army of about 80, 900 men,
hastily gathered sometimes in fragments)
from other fields of service, and from the
militia, aud composed in considerable
degree of soldiers who had not much ex.
perienced the storm and stress of actual
battle, was posted on the low hills above
the little valley, whence the Monocacy
takes its southernly course towards the
distant sea-
The question decided so long ago at
Marathon was again revived, upon larg-
er scale ; and the prize Of victory, with its
accumulated value of two thousand years,
was again the same. The invader ,as up
on the Attic coast, stood up before the
world as the champion OF slavery, and
caste and aristocracy
The defenders of the Union spread 10
the winds the flag that had been the EN-.
blem of national republican govern.
ment, which had been forced for the time
to compromise something of its high prin.
ciple, to the circumstances which pro-
duced the very rebellion seeking its over.
throw, but which was now, happily, the
/ pure and unstained symbol of universe
liberty and equality under the law, with
in all the borders Of the republic.
r Reversing in one particular the scene
, at Marathon, the rebel general threw his
: forces upon part of the Union army be
r fore its whole strength could by forced
5 marches, be brought into unity and coop
Grafton. But the stubborn courage o
l the fragment thus attacked, clung, will
s more than Grecian valer, to the key o
: the situation, until all the available troop
: could reach the field.
= For three days the tremendous conilic
/ ragged. For three days the fresh your,
: soldiers of Vernon with the aid and un
t der the loving eyes of their veteran broth
S ers stood bravely in the "horrid front q
:. battle against the rebel powers, and a
:. last, under leader, who, with his broth
: ers in arms, on many fields, has crowne
, our State with imperishable laurcls, re
!. peated the movement at Marathon, an
= swung their lines upon the charging col
!. umns of tho foe, and gained the 6na
Y day.
= The rebellion has eliminated, and wi
c hence recede into everlasting deatl
# Vicksburgh falls, and the chief soldier c
the republic, transferred to the Rapidar
/. begins again the steadfast and unyieldn
!. pressure, which is to crush, in due proces
= of time. the remaining power of tho rebe
i lion, in the Wilderness, and at Peters
It burgh, at Richmond, and Appomattox.
c May | not say, then that out Of Get
i tysburgh,as out Of Marathon, tho cause {
IS free government, and of institutions {
g. tho people and for the people, ha
IS trumphed?
C And what triumph Though it rise
l. in its glory out Of sacrifices inuamerabl,
d attended with many tears though it
Q over spread by the embarrassments {
n disordered business and heavy public bur
of dens, as well as by the greater one ofth
,e sudden infusion into the governing ell,
ID ment of the country, Of more than ha
ID a million of voters Of II race to whom
l. century Of slavery had denied the bo'
:. qualifications of citizenship, it is still tn
il grandest event Of this or, it may be, an
le age. A continent devoted ever hereatt,
D.. to equal liberties aud equal rights, und,
it the sway of equal laws; an asylum ft
,e all who seek Tor rights, and are willing
a. concede them,-a great group Of loci
te governments by the people at home, VII
!, make aud administer their own regul
t. tions, consistent with the national pow,
al u the whole people, consecrated TO Il
Il guaranty Of justice and equal rights
). every part Of the laud.
1t Truly the one hundred millions of ir,
IA and prosperous citizens, who within Il
rt lifetime of some now living, will occur
10 this first empire Of real freedom, vi
ell ,less, not only the soldiers Of the JniC
ii who fought at Gettysburgh, but all tn
two millions OF men who entered the sc
ST vice Of our country during the four yea
b. Of war.
e, And it is fitting and noble that 20
- the surviving defenders of so great
iaith, should associate to celebrate Il
Id achievements and preserve the mem
ii rIes which belong to its history.
c Many of your comrades in arms we
h, from their sweet northern homesfto retu
10 more. they gave their lives hap
d. tribute to the public veal. The gre
H. ,ods of many battle fields cover tn,
le bones, or they are gathered into the Z"
OF ent bivouac Of the dead" halowed by
n nations love and guarded by natio
Ia care.
o. Let their monuments be as enduring
,r, that Of their elder brothers at Maratho
n and may tho nations representative /
Iers. as they look from the lofty port
.c- Of the Capitol, across the city to the b
ny Of Arlington, beyond the Potomac, a
ow behold the spot where lies one great arr
-e, ot our dead, keep in perpetual rene
So Orance the true spirit of the couhict
ice which they and their fellow patriots di,
OF Let no man or party disturb their 10
&c repose.
ie- Let us inscribc upon enduring mari
err everywhere above our soldiers sacI
We graves the grand and joyful words spok