Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-09-04


and perpetuate the memory of the spot
whereon Fort Vengeance once stood,
and in honor of the soldier, Caleb
Houghton, who was killed by the In
dams near the fort.
When the question came before the
it was received with favor, and
the money appropriated with gratifying
A committee of seven cltl-
zens was appointed to take the matter
in charge, fix upon a design, select the
inscriptions, procure the material, ana
prepare and erect monument suitable
TO meet the end proposed. The commit
tee consisted of Messrs. A. nj. Caverly,
s. III. Kellogg, J. G. Wheaton, ii. r.
Lotbrop, r. Woodcock, r. s. Meacham
and William E. Hall. 1t is matter for
congratulation that the committee have
been able to accomplish their task and
present to us the result of their labors
at this early day. Had they been mem
bers of some municipal ring or alder
manic clique, five years would have been
consumed in the work which they have
well accomplished in as many months.
The work of the committee was made
especially easy by the aid afforded them
by certain generous and public spirited
individuals. This aid was not limited
to mere suggestion and advice, but was
of very material character. The mar
BILE blocks for the monument were given
outright by the Central Vermont Marble
company, represented by Messrs. George
Z. Hall and George Osborne. The saw
ing was the gift of the Pittsford quarry
company, through Messrs. BickneH q
Griffith. | am sure you will agree with
the committee in the proprlety OF TINS
public and grateful acknowledgement OF
their generosity, and after this statement
you will not be surprised that the COM
mittee are able to present to you mon
ument, the cost of which, under ordinary
circumstances, would have been several
times the sum set apart by the town Tor
this purpose. And now it only remains
for me to offer word Of congratulatlon.
We may congratulate ourselves upon the
time of this dedication. 1t is only with
in the last ten years that those events
have transpired that enable us to lay I'M
disputed and undoubted claim to the title
of free people. 1t is said that to COM
plete that title three things are neces-
sary.
First-The people must show their
ability to establish their own independ-
ence. This, Caleb Houghton and his
brave comrades helped to do a hundred
years ago. ,...
Second-They must show their ability
to resist foreign aggression. Our strength
in this respect has been sufficiently tested
in the il servening years and probably
would not be seriously questioned by
the nations eff the earth. But the third
great requisite to perfect nationality
namely-that we should show our abil-
itv to suppress domestic instruction
and civil war-ten years ago was an I'M
solved problem. At that time many a
gallant Y ermonter, some perhaps who
are now present, was struggling upon
the bloody fields of Gettysburg and
Antietam to establish this last great con-
dition of complete nationality as favor
able as the others had already been set
tied. 1t is only within the last decade
that our claim to the title of q COM
pletely free and independent people
has been established, and our mon
ument commemorating as it does
the scenes and incidents of the
early DAYS of the struggle for nation
al life, may also mark for us the COM
p1eting of that struggle and the perfect
ing at all points of our claim to place
among the nations We may also con-
graduate ourselves upon the influence
which this stone will exert upon the
feelings and sentiments of us and our
children to the remOtest generations.
Commemorative as it does the heroism
of our ancestors, it cannot but excite
and strengthen feelings of loyalty and
patriotism in the breasts of their de-
scendants. We are creatures not of
reason alone, but of Imagination and of
sentiments of the heart capable of being
wrought upon by what appeals to the
eye Watch procession in the streets
of New York and you will find the very
highest pitch of excitement and enthusi-
asm is reached as it marches past the
statue of Washington. Or attend a
mass meeting in Fanueil Hall, in Boston,
and see what response is given to every
reference to that historic editice.
Who shall estimate the influence of
that towering path surmOunting the hill
upon which occurred the first great bat
tie of the revolution, in moulding the
sentiments of the half million citizens
of Massachusetts from whose windows
it is visible. Robert Toombs knew what
a sting he gave to his impudent boast
when he named Bunker Hill Monument
as the place where he should sometime
call the roll of his slaves. | can recall
no scene in my own life more impress
sive than that, when, a few years ago,
on the anniversary of the battle of Bun
ker Hill, / stood, with many thousand
others near the base of that magnificent
structure, and listened to the glowing ell
oquence of Boston's famous orators. AT
our feet lay the navy yard-the harbor
of fleet commanding the respect of the
world-acrOss the river long wharves
lined with merchant vessels that have
no sea unvisited, and across the country
as far as the eye could reach, the domes
and spires of a hundred cities and Will
ages, the homes of a free and happy peo-
pie. And then, our hearts swell
Ing with emotion, our thoughts were di-
rected to the scene of the battle COM
memorated by the monument, and when
an old man, bending beneath the weight
of more than a hundred years, was in
troduced, the sole survivor of that bat
tie, no tongne could describe the scene
of wild enthusiasm that ensued.
And the source and inspiration of that
enthusiasm were the thoughts, the men,
cries and the contrasts suggested by the
monument towering above us.
In a similar way, my friends, even if
in less degree, this comparatively
slight memorial which we dedicate to-
day will through future years be an edu-
Gator of the loyalty and patriotism of
our people. 1t will quicken our emo
tions of gratitude to our forefathers. 1t
will increase interpretation of their tri-
ais and sufferings 1t will awaken our
wonder when we contrast the peace and
plenty prevailing now throughout this
beautiful valley, with the restitution,
dangers and disturbances that called for
the erection of this fort, and it will be
standing rebuke to treason and disloy-
atty, for we shall remember that Caleb
HoughtOn and his patriotic comrades had
a bullet for tories as well as for. red
coats and redskins. And now, my
friends, if | may, in a concluding SEN
tence, represent you as well as the COM
mittee, let me say that we gratefully ac-
cept the results of their labors and here
and now receive this graceful and beau
tiful memorial to place in our respect
and objection.