St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-04-30

men 10y whom and through whom Won
must restore the South. instead of the
meancr men for whom power is only a
synonym for pluuder. As | begged
you, last summer, | entreat you again,
do not repel the returning love of these
men by suspicion on Indifference. If
y"u cannot IN forgiveness kill the
fatted calf do not with coldness .kill
the prodigal." When the 54th Massa
chlsetts regiment made its gallant at
tack on Fort Wagner in july, 1863. if
lost, with hundreds of its brave men.
its heroic leader and its colors. few
weeks ago, that flag was gracefully re-
turned to the GOV crnor of Massachusetts
by The officer who took it in action with
these noble words:
nder the existing state of things |
deem II decnrlls if not il positive duty.
I" promote the oblivion of the animosi-
ties which led to and were engendered
10y the war. Snrh being the case. pre-
fer t" look upon the trophies of the
character OF the one i'll question as me
lnentoes of the gallant conduct of men.
who, like Shaw, Putnam and other son,
ot Massachusetts, scaled their devotion
10 the cause winch they adopted, with
their lives, rather than as evidences of
proWcss on the one side or the other.
| he ru>todIanS OF such "A mpmeuto
should he the authorities of the stale
served 10y these gallant men, and /
therefore. transmit the flag to your cx-
rcllrncN for such disposition Us the uu-
thoriticS of Massachusetts shall deter
mine. Respectfully, your obcdient
servant, Il. =. RIPLEY.
No one but il soldier can know how
he would cling to Il trophy that he had
taken i'll honorable battle. No one
but Il soldier knows what il COSTS TO
give 1t up unless compelled b\ lottier
motives ot chivalrults patriotism. and
when Gen. Ripley wrote that letter. he
Thought not of self. not of South Caro-
llrfi. nor of Massachusetts, but OF Il re-
stored and united country. and his
heart took in Il continent. There are
tattclcd flags i'll that sacred hall in ,ou-
der capitol. around which. in the shock
of battle. | have seen dear friends and
brave men fall like autumn leaves.
mere alr flags there that cannot look
upon without tears of pride and sorrow
Bnt there Is II" flag there which has for
us Il deeper Significance. or that bears
hhIh It's loIis brighter omen of
peace on on earth. goodwill to men"
imam thai hattlc-> stained emblem so ten
derry restored 10y Il son of South Caro-
liuA. whom here, in the uamr of the
soldiers "t Massachusetts. thank and
greet as brother. Aud am proud that
ne WAS an American soldier As an
American. | am as proud of the men
VIII" charged :" hla>elN ith Pickett's
division on our lines at Gettysburg us |
am OF the men who bravelN met and re-
pulsed them there. Men cannot always
choose the right course, hut when, hay
ng cnosen that which conscience die
lal">. they are IcadN to die for il, if
they Justify not their cause. they at
least tnn"hle themselves. and the men
who for conscience sake fought against
thcll government at Getty shurg ought
easily Ia he forgiven by the sous of
men VII" f"r conscience sake fought
against their government at Lexington
and Bunker Hill. OH sir. as Massa-
| 'hi>rtt> NH> inst III val. 80 let her he
Inst III peace. and She shall forever he
nt>i III the hearts of her cuuntr\mcu.
Nnd Ir! u> here resolve that. true to her
ancient motto, while in war ense Drfit
Ph"1d"m. ia peace she demands not
ONLY tor herself, int also for every inch
"i ihl> great country. sHb Hbrrtdte gai-
ctcm.