Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-11-07
VERMONT oFF1CERS REUNION
Major Tyier's Address, and Judge Po-
lands After-Dinner speech.

The speeches delivered at the annual
gathering last week of the Reunion Society
of Vermont officers were nearly all OF them
of merilorious and interesting character,
and we should gladly have published them
entire in our last issue had time and space
permitted. As being of special Interest TO
our readers we this week give place to the
address of Major John c. Tyler of this
place, orator of the day and the alter-dinner
speech of Hon. L. p. Poland.
MAJOR TyLER's ADDRESS.
Mr.. President aud VermOntcrS We |
have come up here as soldiers, Tonight, |
fraterually to commune. we nave Iell
loved homes, leaving care to care Tor ltselI |
leaving ambition behind us putting aside |
even our own pct thoughts and purposes, |
in the fond desire each TO warm his broth
cr's heart, with coal from oil our common |
| cOuniry's altar.
fer weary marching, we "awaited the con
| tpst with stern, yet impatient joy" 1t Is
| not i'm the midst OF the thickly wooded
fight, where we "struck for God and our
! native lands" ii is not just alter the bat
| lie, when, cXultant, we grasped the hand OF
| Bill, and dropped n manly tear over lallen
! Joe: no, the camp-tircs are all out; "all
| il quiet on the Potomac and here, where
water-beds, and deat-lnes no more pro-
woke to arms, it is here, long after these
| scenes, and in our own beloved state, lhat
we have come up together, 10 commune.
1t is not any part of my plan To open up
TO view the various causes which involved
us in war. Those who threatened the re-
pose of their country have now nothing
| left but 40 erect d fortress, and refuge
for disappointed ambition" Suffice it TO
say, there were plotters within and sup
| pOrters without-some of the latter nave
died, and others of them have recently
liquidatod, as FAR as money goes, their deDl'
| Thesc two classes were in sufficient mum
| bcrs, and of sufficient importance, 10 bring
about that mighty contest, to which, TO"
| night, ii is proposed to give passing
| glance.
But first, word as to Vermont and the
character of her men and women. re-
ioice that YOU can unroll a century's scroll,
can touch upon the balowe1 past, and re-
veal the peerless glory of old Vermont. So
81 all your memories be refreshed with du-
" done, and your nerves s;eadled Tor duty
in coming days.
Geocraphically, Vermont is unique. Hex
mountains so extensive, her plains and val
leys so limited, her twenty and six rivers,
nearly all her own from source to outlet,
her lakes so beautiful-thesc, in the words
of an early writer, complete the enchant-
mont of the scene. Here the works Of
man seem like speck in the solitude Of
the ocean. The lotiiest edtice is lost in the
blueness of space, and villages, humbly
catching the shadows OF the mountains,
look like the dwellings OF pigmies perch
ed upon the bulwarks of creation."
Such is Vermont and here, In such n
country. nearly every nation on the globe
has reaped benefit, or incurred loss.
Chalnplan has had her waters plowed by
many a blood-stained fleet her bays have
sheltered many shattered craft; her shores
the hard fought b lttle ground of French
and Indian, English and American-have
echoed with the voices of "the last of the
Mohicans," of a Carleton and Schuyler /;
of Gates, and Montgomery; OF warm
er and an Allen.
Nav more here in such a country, Swiss
! in its nature. lived your sires. From the
capture of Tconderoga, all through the
Revolution, all through the New York
State troubles, all through the war of 1872
, those spirits far too noble, those wills far
too firm, those arms far to' strong, TO brook
oppression, constantly appeared.
fIardy, self-reliant men, struggling with
f a struggling SOIL but full Of health, catch
ing its glow from the air Of no luxurious
cline but from pure mountain air and
honest toll weak in numbers, vet strong in
the conviction that true progress and social
happiness could never he attained under a
code that monarchy had instituted. and
bigotry sustained; stronger yet in deep
moral persuasion, so that, even in success,
they rose above the excitement and vanity
of the hour, to high degree, and experience
ed with our grandmammas and grand
toe, were they-the Stbimity of that gold
. en- mean in life, which, devoid Of osterta-
! ton is ever prc-eminent in modest dignity,
and unassuming worth.
From such stock you came. and as Yer
. mont grew and prospered, as her sons, year
! by wear, scattered. until nearly every Stale
: and Territory felt the influence of their Ia
bored thought and enterprise, who slept
more sweetly than her daughters, who
thought so little as her sons, of that leadcn
cloud, which, AZ first Il mere speck in The
political horizon, gradually spread and
ilackened, until, in ireacherous fury IL
burst over Sumter who, ask, could
have been less prepared to meet such a dire
j., calamity, than the sons and daughters OF
= old Vermont?
7 And there were others, born in Other
: cimes, acquired sons, who did their duty
well in the struggle that came 1t came.
7 Four wayos OF that wide which rings the world
! Broken upon the shore, Eternity,
Upon VIII So crest-, like waits tossed by the tide
+ We nearcd, touched, AID hoated side py eide.
# -Four years
As early as January, 1861, Gov. Fair
=, BANKS, tiued win ANXIOUS apprehension oil
impending trouble, caused, III part BY
" changes ia The CdDluet; by Tue Withdrawal
= OF Anderson from Fort Moutrie, ana by
me generally disturbed ana threatening
attitude Oh the South, ascertaineu, through
the commanuautS oi Inc theh existing
militia companies in The State, now many
90 men were Wiling 10 volunteer their servi
\ ces, il the United states Government shoult
: issue cdIl. rms MAS Tue nrst move II
Vermont. Nov gather thyseif i'll troops,
!. was then virtually ordered. Ihen followed
- Inc extra sessio.. of the Legislature, tnt
, Governors address, the, at That lime, well
:, digesled bllis, The firsl Regiment, aud, Al
. time, It's duty, Wen performed near 'Oit
" Point Comfort" rms, and all suosequen
ORGANIZATIONS, The taxation OF Inc State; 81
:, | cneerlully mel, we omit, for All ADLER pei
- mas given To Lue State, dates aud nSureS
- Time and place, which VIII De more ant
>, more valuable in each succeeding genera
>, non; the pen OF That Woodworking ant
n iamenled man, Peter 4. WashDurn.
- Let us rather devote Il lew moments II
u calling 10 mind q feW OF the incidents au'
- actions OF tho war i'll which you were rs
- pecIaiiy Interested aud engaged.
y YOU remember Camp uriiiin" pickle
, ct duty and the drill; you rememDe
% Lees Mills, where private Scolt die
>, Tor his country and prayed Tor Lincoln
~ YOU remember the mud and ram, ant
-, Summers advance al three taps OF IN
70 dram" al Willamsburgn; you reneinOe
~ crossing the CuickahoininJ you remem
- Der GUidings Farm, Savage station, an
those tough fights al Gaines Hill, and Il
N White Oak Swamp, where BROOKS wa
If wounded: that stern mans lip long after
10 wards quivered, unusual Tor Nun, When
a win molstened eye, he Dade Inc old Dfia
10 ade goodbye; you remember Malver
20 Hin; YOU remember the department {
or the DUFF, with its work and destructiv
H. disease; you remember South Mountai
"a | and Autieluu; you remember Harper
ar | Ferry, regretted, but no lauIt oil yours
nd YOU remember Fredericksburg; you re
Id | member Banks Ford, where three brigade
n of .Johnnies were tiiled with deceillu
IL hope. You remember Gettysburg, wher,
I'd win the lion hearted Slannaru at you
ar head. you dealt, on the flank and III Ia