The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-09
CARING FOR THE DEAD.

The governor of New York has vetoed a
bill, which passed both branches of the leg
stature, authorizing the removal of the
dead from one Of the Hoosic cemeteries
and it is to be hoped, if it should succeed
in passing the senate and assembly, that he
will treat in similar manner the bill pro-
viding for the removal of those buried in
the old Nelson burial ground, in Saratoga,
to the Gre .nridge cemetery. In this old
burying place, lie the remains of a many a
revolutionary hero, and here, too, is buried
Roger Burchard, the grandfather of the
president of the United States. Let their
ashes remain undisturbed.
We have no sympathy with that utill-
tartan spirit that would conve t the rocks
at the roadside into advertising bill boards,
or that groans at the waste of water power
at Niagara and still less with that utili-
tarianism, which degenerates into sacrilege,
and would seek to desecrate our
burial places by removing the dust of
those buried there so that additional
| bDdCC OC ODlhlnCu lOl tuO
development of some ambitious city or vii
lage. We doubt not that Trinity and st.
Paul's church yards in New York city, and
the Granary burying ground and that con-
nected with Kings chapel Boston, might
command large prices as building sites, but
with all the eager greed for the Almighty
/ dollar which has, at one time or another,
marked these cities, it has never been Sc
riously proposed to desecrate these resting
places of the dead by making them the
abode of the money changers.
If the greed for gain has spared these
acres of God in these places, how much
more should they be reverenced and cher
ished in the country Take the matter
home to Rutland. Undoubtedly our West
street cemetary would be a desirable loca-
ton for business purposes. Its accessibility
to the railroad would give to 1t high
| price-and, perhaps, for small sum it
might be deemed suitable for a work house.
But would the citizens of Rutland consent
to any such sacrllege? Here repose the
ashes of two governors of Vermont, two chief
| justices of the supreme court, one United
States senator, officers and soldiers of four
wars, and legislators, lawyers, merchants,
physicians and business men innumerable
representative men not only of the town
but of the state. Would any one consent
to removal of these sacred remains2 We
know that, of late years, it has not been
thought of-although at one time it was
seriously consldered-and we only refer to
the case of this cemetery for the purpose
of bringing this matter of the removal of
the dead home.
But who can tell how soon this spirit, so
rife all around us, which respects not the
rest of death, may, also, become prevalent
here? 1t is but a year or two ago, that the
West street cemetery was almost an open
common, affording convenient pasturage
for cattle and an abode for swine. The old
north burying ground-where lie the re-
mains of Samuel Williams, the historian of
Vermont, and that other Samuel Williams,
the judge, councillor and representative,
" the father of this village"-and the old
cemetery at Center Rutland, where is
buried, in an unmarked and unknown
grave, Joaeph Bowker the president of the
convention which declared the independ-
ence of Vermont as well as that which
adopted our first state constitution, show a
general state of dilapidation anG want of
care which almost approaches vandalism.
The public sentiment which will allow of
this neglect shows want of respect for
the dead that is but little removed from the
spirit which would consent to transforming
the temple of God into seat for money
changers and for those who sell doves, and
His acre into prison yard or a manufac-
turing Establishment.
Nehemiah incurred over the desolation
OF Jerusalem, the city Of the Great King
and his heart was especially sorrowful at
the thought that the sepulchres of his
fathers should be dismantled and dishon-
ored. Have not the people G this country
reason to mourn over the desolat on which
threatens the cities of the dead in 50 many
places; and the people of Rutland to be
especially sorrowful that the sepulchrcs of
the fathers are dismantled and dishon-
ored The governor of New York has in
terposed his veto and prevented further
desolation in certain parts of that state
and, whatever motive governed him, he il
entitled to the gratitude of his countrymen.
With the people Of Rutland it rests to de.
termine whether the sepulchres OF the
fathers shall be further dismantled and dis
honored, or whether they shall be rescued
from further decay, and shall be watched
and cared for with that tender reverence
and devotion which is due from a gratefu
people for their many and great services il
their behalf.