Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-06-05
Memorial Day at Montpelier.

Memorial Day at Montpelier.
Memorial Day, 1878 Is one Of the things Of the
past. At Montpelier Il was not allowed TO pass by
unnoticed Post Brooks entered into the celebra-
ton OF the day with its old-tme enthusiasm and
willingly followed the lead OF the fife and drum
to the spot where lie the fallen heroes Of the Re-
bellion. And as the floral tributes were placed
upon each dead soldiers resting-place, we doubt
not the thoughts OF the surviving comrades went
back to the time when together they marched side
by side, and met the common foe--al for the sake
Of the old flag to which they had sworn allegiance
Early in the forenoon the people began to arrive
from neighboring settlements and trains and
teams continued to contribute TO the general as
sembly until the streets were well filed. The
number of people present was as large as ever
perhaps trine larger than last year. The only
falling of from last years celebration that we
noticed was in the decorations "about town"
These were neither general nor elaborate as
last year. though, to he sure, there was fair dis
play Of patriotism and interest through the agency
Of flags.
About half-past nine a. NJ Post Brooks, pre-
coded by martial music, went to the Elm street
cemetery and decorated the graves of fallen COM
rades who rest there.
Az one CLOCK r. NJ Post brooks, accompanied
by the St. Jean Baptiste Society, marched to the
Catholic cemetery and performed the memorial
services there.
At half-past one the procession was formed in
front of Erastus IIubbards residence, under the
direction Of General p. p Pitkin as chief Mar
shall, assisted by Aides Cofrey, Wilson and Lul.
The order WAS as follows,
80 >,,'a', - '' '.1 "'''
A. e. chase. leader
Third Mount Zion Commandery No. 0, knights Templar,
j. l.. Mack. commanding
s o. Jan A,I ''s,ai
Nv. wizard Rcv, n. n olazar, and Hon 4 A page
Carriage with Floral Tributes
Seventh Carriage with handsome draped Floral Cross
cattaee WIN tioi'' conh''ee'
renth. Marta, Mns,c
Eleventh.. Post Brooks No 49, @. A. r.
Charles Wells, commanding.
Carriage WIN Choir
~,
i"e procession marched uo"n man anu oV'te
s'ree's W oreen mount Cemetery where 'ne man
oAo'o'scs Vi ..'e u"y were helu' AS 'hey heareo
e' s"''S vi ''io ve'he'e'y 'ue p"nu p'yeu urge
.o'''',"s IL ",''i' '"e ,'a'uns p'aoo was 'o'c"eu'
'"''' VI o"' ol""o"' "uue' 'ii"0" " '''o
'''."s'' u ."o '''o"'o"s
"iNeu Nv '"o S''nu pioPaiou ioi 'no eNoroises'
..o "Sse"o'S was '''ou W oruo' ny "cno'"I iit-
Nm ',"''' W .'' o'''' was i',s' u" oiuei' l"en
r?'o'' s'as ~ 'io s'oo ',"o, e"''Neu' nest
o''u'oi VS.. Hi.oi pi"9, VI ny chapman ",aN'er'
1870, INN. '"' spo"Ao'' H'"'S
'''''"i' '"q' VI ~" ''o''''''oi "''o'o
''"''' NJ VIC s''' oo''"'
MIR BALLARD REMARKS
c"VdfS " ne pFd''d army LddteS ana den-
ue"" TN TINS duth DAY Of May, AMID these
heiuS green ana bursting with the promise oil an
early harvest under that nag which hoats from
the lakes to the Gull, we are assembled to do
honor TO the memory oil those VINO died to give to
US these helghts OF prosperity ana peace-to make
tha' nag supreme or all the Iahd-to make 1t
the emblem oil sovereignty and protection TO all.
nature oids us welcome 10 TINS celebration, and
joins with us to make these ceremonies fitting
tribute to our soldier dead. To-day the senti-
hient oil every heart Is, let us keep the memory
OF our dead soldiers ever green And nature in
mute response reflects the sentiment in picture
whose impress snail ever cling To memory. 1t is
beautiful custom which sets apart certain days
whose celebration shall illustrate sentiments dear
TO loving hearts. Inc sentiment oil Decoration
Day is peculiar. 1t Is mingled feeling OF joy
and sadness We mourn that those whose graves
we decorate are gone from us; we rejoice that
the issues oil the past In which they fell were
worth the costly sacrihce' Inc sentiment oil this
day Is one oil gratitude ana love- TINS celebration
Is prompted by our affections. These horal offer
lngs come from the heart. we meet to-day not
as Vermonters, but as American citizens. We
are no longer democrats or Republicans; PARTISAN
ship is sunk in patriotism as we stand by the side
of soldiers graves And methinks see written
on every heart this injnnction "1f you speak
at all, let the words spoken be Of fraternity, char
ity. peace and good will" To-day rs we make the
rounds OF this beautiful cemetery and read the
names of those dear to us, let us not forget that
the roll is not complete. There are hundreds and
thousands Of our brave boys that sleep in I'M
known graves-that sleep in Southern graves.
But that God that watches even the sparrow $
fall, and teaches the wild flowers how to grow,
decorates the unknown graves to-day as a tribute
to our soldier dead Were it my duty simply to
pronounce funeral Grafton here to-day, could
do no better than to repeat this which was Mt
tered by a captain at the burial of private who
had been killed while ON duty: " He died as a
soldier shouldn't his post, doing his duty Sleep
in peace, martyr in the noblest cause in which a
soldier ever fought" That Grafton might be
pronounced over the heads of II thousand dead
comrades to-day Our service il TO the dead; the
lesson of the day is to the living Let us learn IT
so as to become as citizens wiser, nobler, better
Here the speaker going back to the days OF
1860 reviewed the condition of the country at
that time and followed its progress through the
dark DAYS of war TO the browning stroke of Lin.
coin in the emancipation of the slaves. He said
the victory that was thus won gave equal protec-
ton to all alike, and set forth the fact that soul
exists under a black skin as well AS a white one
He paid a warm tribute to the martyr-Presdent
and to the soldiers of Vermont, who were even
ready TO do their duty. He said the nation must
be better for the thousands who fell in its de.
fence. He commended to the charity and loving
care of the country the widows and orphans who
had been left destitute Of helpers, and was sure
that they would not be neglected by the patriotic
people of the country. He also paid tribute to the
many foreigners who had become citizens of our
country and Joined hand in hand with us to put
down the Rebellion.
Just before he was ready to close his speech a
heavy shower occurred and put an end to all
further exercises at the stand This was regretted