The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-17
TODAY.

One hundred years ago, the battie Oh
Breeds unker-hill was fought, and to-day
its centennial anniversary will be cele-
brated with appropriate ceremonies. Re-
representatives. from the north and the south,
from the east and the west, will be present
to unite In commemorative one of those
events which gave us common country
The south, with her armed militia, VIII ne
there and join in fraternal greetings WIN
those of her more northern bretnren'
Those who were lately battling In arms for
the disruption of the Union will join hands
with those who fought to save 1t, In re-
calling the trials and dangers which brought
the Union into existence, and in rejoicing
over reunited people, restored Union,
and common flag. There is, indeed,
something providental in the time OF the
occurrence of these cen,ennials. Our civil
war is ended. its annimosities are becom-
ing but dim memories, and now common
ground is found, upon which the people OF
both sections of the country can meet and
stand, and where every memory is instinct
only with pure patriotism, devotion to
liberty and Union, and where the prowess
and bravery of common people can be
recalled and recounted without disparage-
ment to any section, or loss of self-respect
by either.
Had these centennals occurred fifteen
years ago, we might have been saved the
war of the rebellion but then the fatal
dogma of secession would have remained,
dormant perhaps, but with sufficient OF life
to have been constant menace to the
country. The country, too, would have
been cursed with the dark, foul stain OF
slavery and while commemorating the
birth of liberty, it would have been of Q
liberty depending on the color of the skin
our flag wonld have been the emblem moi
of freedom but of slavery, and our declara
ton of independence either lie or set Of
glttering generalities. To-day, the Amer
| lean flag floats over a nation of freemer
and shelters not slave owner or task
master One hundred years ago, the SUI
rose on few feeble colonies, peoped b,
men without civil or political rights !; Il
night it sets on free, united, prosperou
country, whose every inhabitant is free
man, possessed of perfect civil and polit
cal rights, and all equal before the law
How vast the change in century.
To produce this change has required pri
walton and suffering. wars and revolutions
the expenditure of blood and treasure with
out stint, but the results are worth the sac
rifce. The wounds of the past must b.
healed, the bitterness of strife must pas
away, and they are becoming even nov
only as dim unpleasant memories and VI
have faith to believe that these centennial
will result in total eradication of tn
sting, leaving only the lessons of pa
triotism rs Il common memory, common
heritage. We have already seen how tb
chorus of Union has been made to swell b.
the "mystic chords of memory" whicl
stretch "from every battle field an
patriot grave" all over the land, and W
have faith to believe, that the memorie
kindled at Bunker Hill, at Concord an
Lexington, at Ticonderoga and Crow
Point, at Bennington and Saratoga will
by sort of "moral telegraphy flash to tn
first affairs raised in the south, and theme
diffuse themselves as electric fires throug
the forty millions of hearts that throb
sympathetic patriotism over this might
continent" God grant it,