Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-08-14


brought up a soldier, and I never knewa
man who was educated in that way who
could make decent speech.
| once did service with noble son of
Vermont, Martin Scott, who had the
reputation of being the best shot in the
United States army, whether with a
pocket revolver or mountain howitzer.
He always said that Vermont raised the
bravest men, the handsomest women,
and the best horses in the world; from
serving with your men and now having
seen your women, am not inclined to
dispute either proposition.
When | received the invitation of your
committee, / determined to accept it |
wanted to see the men who fought with
Badly Smith on the peninsula and with
Stannard at Gettysburg, and who are
| the sons of the brave men who at Ben
nington did all they could to prevent
! Molly Stark from being a widow on
are the heroic sons of heroic sires
honor a Union soldier | care not for
! his rank. If he wore the blue and
! fought for the salvation of the Union,
| he is my friend and brother, and as such
[ greet you to-day. We have no regret
| for the hardships of the march, bivouac,
| picket line and battlefield. We get our
! rewards in the glory of a united country
and we give the memory Of brave
| deeds done in war as a heritage for our
! children forever. Cheers.
Gen. Simon B. Griffin, of New Hamp-
shire, was next introduced and received
with enthusiasm by the boys of the 18th.
GEN. GR1PFIN's sPEEoH
1t is exceedingly gratifying to me to
=, meet you here to-day. 1t is gratifying
to see the old soldier element so power
! full, and to meet it on such occasions as
! this What magnificent army could
4 he organized on a weeks notice, but
! God forbid that war should again come
upon the country, Yet if war does
come again, | know that the soldiers OF
the Rebellion would rally the flag and
/ say with the noble Warren, cit is sweet
to die for one country. j.. .........
When we see the Legislature of g
State refuse to invite the chief magis-
trate of the nation to visit their State,
/ and then turn around and invitethe chief
of traitors to come, and when also the en-
tire press of the South have said that if
there should be return of times like 81,
we should range ourselves upon the same
side as before when they eXult over
the murdercrs of Candy as avengers OF
the wrongs of the South, we may think
the time may come when men will be
needed to protect the flag and keep the
leaders of the ku-KMX from shaping the
legislation of the country, and when SC
needed we shall be ready.
When the names of Grant, Sherman
and Sheridan are detested, and Gettys
burg, Shiloh and Appamattox shall be
a reproach, and men shall be ashamed
of the musket they bore, it will be after
our de ath. Men may say that reunions
decorations and monuments should bt
done away with, because they are irri-
tations to late enemies, but they mistake
the spirit of conquered traitors, and
don't know that it is by patriotic adher-
encc to principles and to duty, that we
are to wiR them back to their allegiance
Gen Griffin highly conplimented the
18th Vermont Vols, who served their
whole time under his command, and
closed with a sentiment, which had oe,
Cured to him white sitting upon the
/
the White and Green Mountain States
formerly united, now side by side in ter
ritory. their sons will ever be ready to
act side by side in defending the red,
white and blue" TCheers].
Colonel Neazey next introduced Chap
lain II. Clay Trumbull, of Connecticut
who delivered an eloquent little speech.
CHAPLAIN TRUMBUII's SPEECH.
Ten years ago to-day, was in Column
bia Jail, with a large number of officers
and soldiers, and was then more sure
of my audience than have been before
or since. Uaughter.)
The Chaplain then paid an eloquent
tribute to the character of the unior
soldiers, and narrated a number of in
teresting incidents of the war, which
were received by all present with APP
plause. and he closed with an eloquent
appeal to the old soldiers, saying, 3" Let
us stand in unbroken column, and as
one after another gives up life's battle
let the command, close up, be obeycd
until the last veteran awaits the muster
out Then shall we have fought the
good fight, and be prepared to enter into
the joys, where there is no war, anC
where all is peace foreyermore.
The chaplain retired while the soldiers
filled the air with vociferous cheers. A,
soon as quiet was restored a voice in the
ranks cried out, Bring out another
chaplain" Col. Vcazey replied, "Tht
stock of chaplains has run out, and louC
call were made for Gov. Converse.
THE GOVERNOR
stepped to tne front of the stage ans
said
G6ntlemer--I think the day belongs to
the venerable, the patriotic men, who
barred their bosoms and received the
wounds of battle therefore. I cannot
occupy the time that belongs to you.
have the honor of being your Governor
and God knows | never felt my inability
to make a speech as do at this moment
Words are not adequate, and should
attempt to speak, you would be ashamed
of me. There is one way in which you
would be proud of your Governor il
when these speeches have been published
as | hope they will be, word for word
in the papers, you could read them over
and prefix the name of Julius Converse
to them and call it my speech, you would
be proud of your Governor.
Gen. Sprague, of Worcester, Mass.
was called out and made few eloquent
remarks, Astounding in patriotism and
poetry, which were well received. Col
Veazey was then called for, and the
more he tried to excuse himself, the
louder were the calls for the gallant
Colonel, until he had to submit to make
speech.
COL. yEAzEY SAID,
Soldiers If had any ideas to ex-
press at this time, my voice, which has
been constantly exercised during the af,
ternoon, could not give them utterance,
and besides it is too late. l have been
making speeches to you every day for
the last fortnight in the orders issued,
perhaps without authority, for this Re-
union. You reposed in me, with few
other gentlemen, the business of this oc-
casion, the first Soldiers Reunion that
has occurred in any State since the war.
There have been officers reunions, but
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