Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-10-08
A spcceh by the Pre.,den,.

President Grant has always had a way of
surprising and disappointing his friends and
enemies alike, and his last achievement h
this direction was at the meeting of the Ar
my Of the Tennessee at Des Moines, Iowa,
Sept. 80, where, being called upon for a
speech, be arose aud delivered the follow
ing from notes which he held in his hand /:
Comrades: 1t always affords me much
qualification TO meet my comrades in arms
OF Ten and fourteen years ago, and to tell over
again from memory the trials and hard
ships Of those days-or hardships imposed
for the preservation and perpetualion OF our
free institutions. We believed then, and
we believe now, that we have government
worth lighting for, and If need be, dying
for. How many OF our comrades paid the
latter price for our preserved Union
Let their heToism and sacrifice be ever
green in our memory. Let not the result
Of their sacrifices be destroyed. The Union
and the free institutions for which they died
should be held more dear for their sacriti-
ces. We will not eny 10 any of those who
fought against us any privilege under the
government which we claim Tor ourselves.
On the contrary, we welcome all such who
come forward in good faith to help build
up the waste places aud to perpetuate our
institutions against all enemies, as brothers
in full interest with US in common herl-
IdR6j Dul we are uOl JItldTSu " dpoioBlno
for the part we took in the war. 1t is TO be
hoped that like trials will never again befdl
our country. In this sentiment no class of
people can more heartily join than The SOL
dier who submitted 10 the dangers, trials,
and hardships of the camp and the battle
field, on whichever side he fought. No class
of people are more interested in guarding
against a recurrence Of those days. Let us,
then, begin by guarding against every enc
my threatening the prosperity OF free re-
publican institutions. do not bring into
this assemblage politics, certainly not par
tisan politics, but 1t is fair subject for the
soldiers in their deliberations to consider
what may be necessary to secure the prize
for which they battled. In a republic ike
ours, where the citizen is the sovereign. and
the official the servant-where no power Is
exercised except by the will OF The people,
1t is important THAT the sovereign, the peo-
pie, should foster intelligence-thati ntelll-
gence which is to preserve us as free ma
lion. If we are to have another contest In
the near future of our national existence,
predict that the dividing line VIII not be
Mason and Dixon's, but between patriotism
and intelligence on the one side, and super
stition, ambition and Ignorance on the
other.
Now, the centennial year Of our national
existence l believe, is a good time to be-
gin the work of strengthening the founda-
lions of the structure commenced by our
patriotic IOfeldtneIs ohe nunutoN N"'??S
| al Lexington. Let us all labor TO ald all
! needful guarantees for the security OF free
| thought free speech, a free press, pure
morals, unfettered religious sentiments,
and of equal rights and privileges to all
men. Encourage free schools, aud resolve
that not one dollar appropriated ior lhelr
support shall be apprO prlated to the sup,
port Of any sectarian schools. Resolve that
neither the stale nor the nation, nor both
combined, shall support institutions OF
learning, other than those sufficient 70 al,
| ford TO every child growing up in the land
| the opportunity of a good common school
education, unmiY ed with sectarian, pagan,
| or atheistical dogmas. Leave the matter "i
| religion to the family altar, the church, ana
| the private school supported entirely Dy
prIyale contributions. Keep the church
and tbe stale forever, separate. With these
safeguards, believe the battle which ere
ated the Army of the Tennessee Will not
have been fought in vain.