Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-06-09
Rcmnrks Of Hon. William ChIlds.

Remarks OF Hon. william Childs,
Ar FAIRLEE, W., MEMORIAL DAY, MAY 3OrH,
Ladies and Gentlemen with Teachers and
Scholars of the various Schools in town
here assembled.
A little group OF our citizens having
expressed desire to do honor In u small
way to tho veterans of our army, whose
| lives were acIiiiced in our country's de-
fence and for the want of some suita-
bic person to address them on this occa-
sion, have imposed the unexpected duty
Of making few remarks appropriate to
the occasion on me, your humble servant.
We have assembled here this day to
pay our annual tribute OF respect to the
honored dead, who so nobly gave their
lives u sacrifice to liberty In the defence
Of our common country, when threaten
cd to be rent assunder, by rebe llious
faction. composed OF citizens OF our sister
States of the South. for the sole purpose
of the perpctuation of the institution OF
slavery.
Although our cause was that of right,
yet we suffered many defeats, with the
loss of much blood and treasure before
this wicked rebellion was put down, and
we were called to mourn the loss of many
of our young men-yet we have the hap
py consolation of knowing that the foul
cancer of slavery-a national disgrace,
which was eating at the vitals, and de-
stroying the life blood Of our body poll
tic, is forever blotted from our history
rewarding us partially to say the least
for all our noble sacrifices. And that
we can now truly say in the words of
| our Constitution under our Government
"all mankind are created free and equal. )"
Although the expression "free and
equal" has ever been prominent one
and ono glibly uttered by stump-spcak-
ers, yet while slavery existed under the
sanction OF law, the expression was a
base He-a Hbcl-a foul blot on our Mag
na Chdrta and shameful disgrace to
our nations honor while holding over
4,OO0.O 900 of human beings in cruel bond
age.
Although our rebellious States by their
folly and wickedness caused q great
amount of mourning, lamentation and
woe, of which we have frequent and mel
ancholy reminders; yet in many respect
they are entitled to our sympathy and
to kind and encouraging words; for the
institution of slavery has existed among
them from time immemorial almout, and
the generations now living in the slave
States have grown up with the peculiar
institution about them. They have in
fact grown with its growth and strength
ened with its strength, until they have
come to think and believe slavery Di-
vine institution founded by Deity him
self
But in this as in many other cases, the
verification of scripture is wildly bro't
to view.
"They were blind leaders of the blind
and they all fell into the ditch together" !;
and we firmly believe that when our err
ring brethren emerge from this ditch of
degradation, they will come forth thor
oughly washed and regenerated from the
fatal fallacv of the divine right of men
to enslave his fellow man, and thereby
extinguish the most potent and serious
cause of civil war in our midst. and Sc
cure to us and to all the sisterhood of
States, that degree of confidence, which
shall insure a more perfect union in feel
ing as we'll as In name.
And while here together on this lovely
30th day of May 1S77-the day set apart
for the patriotic and mournful duty of
decorating the graves, of our fallen he
roes, may we cherish that union of hea TT
and soul, which shall serve as nucleus
around which shall grow and increase
such ardent love of, and devotion to our
country as will forever perpetuate the
civil and religions liberty tor which our
mani ipcfitufoA
And now while these floral offerings
are being distributed as a slight token Of
respect to the memory of our friends
who fell in freedoms cause, NAV we
cherish a due regard for the patriotism
which prompted voluntary enlistment.
to do battle in the cause of freedom and
equal rights.
BY the Adtj and Inspector Generals
report we find this small town with a
population of only Alp, furnished 25
three years men-18 of this number be-
ing residents of the town at the time of
their enlistment, and their names occur
in the following order in the Generals
report:
Darius G. Child. died at New Orleans,
July 20, 1862; Lewis Child; Dan b. Full
Ter, killed Sept. 10, 1864; w. II. Gill
more; Gilman +. Hammond, died at N.
q: Sept. 20, 1862; Mason b. Jenkins,
Thos. j. Jenkins, Lewis S. Jenkins, Asa
5. Remission, Jonathan g. Lutfkin, Ste
phen II. Mann, Arthur w. Marston, Lc-
vi j. Marston, Amos b. Sawyer, Elliot
F. Sawyer, Monroe Shumway, died at
N. o.; Milton II. Davis Albert G. Full
Ter. One year VOLS, Willard II. Child,
Freeman Il. Clement. Volunteers for 8
months, Daniel w. Morey, since died;
Royal A. Morris, Walter b. Paine, died
at Wolf Run Shoals, May Is, 1868; Geo.
II. Pierce, John G. Putnam, Clark NJ.
Smith, Benz. A. Stratton, died Jan. 81,
1868. Resident vols who re-enlisted for
q second campaign of three years, Chas
S. Barber, Lewis Child, Daniel T. Davis,
Stephen II. Mann, Asa S. Remission.
In this connection allow me to insert
the names of Newton Smith and Nathan
Hammond whom Though not residents
Of this town at the time), the former
died Feb. 8, 1864. the latter, Dec. 10,
1868. This depression seems Justly due
to the parents of these soldiers who were
lifelong and prominent inhabitants of
70,