Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-09-26

again my friends in Ohio, and especially to
meet so many of my old comrades at this
yearly reunion Of the Tweuty-third regiment
Since we last met at Willoughby, year ago
there has been n vast improvement in the
business condition Of our country Whatever
differences of opinion may be still found
among the people of this part of Ohio as to
the importance of the resumption Of specie
payments and as to the methods by which il
has been accomplished, there is one kind Of
resumption which is very noticeable in
| Youngstown, and which is making rapid
progress in the whole country, about which |
imagine we are all heartily agreed. When |
last visited this beautiful valley of the Ma
honing four years ago, the financial crisis
and the gloomy outlook for business and la
Dor and capital, occupied the thoughts and
depressed the spirits of the people wherever
/ met them whether in public assemblies, at
their places of business, or at their hospita-
ble homes Now. however how great and
how gratifying is the change All around us
here, and throughout the country generally,
we see cheering and hopeful indications of
! better times. Not only have specie payments
been resumed, but business activity and prof
table employment for capital and labor have
come also. The chief industry and interest
of this valley-Athe great iron intercst-al-
ready begins to share largely in the benefit
VI our lniPIo',u cuuuitIoiI "hu therefore
ie'', VI! cous'"',,''' M ci''stS Vi cIuzeh9 IN
','' '"i r. ol ''le pruS1n! iaNora,
encouraging prospect which the future holds
out.
There is a subject interesting to every cti-
zen, and especially to those who served in
the Union army, in regard to which | wish to
"a! 'e" "oiua' ''"'' o"' iaa' reunion III
SeF'r"l OF thr otateS Hnu III congress events
nave occurred "hich nave revived the discus
SION oI inc lu'a'oh "A 10 the oolects ior
"HiIn i We .""su1 J." 'ho s.'"' 'onliiVt Ito.n
lI"I 10 I0"'' hhu a' 10 "nht was accomplish
,,i "! 'le nnai ''lumlPn VI the Cnioh cause'
ne quTsuoh Is hA' was hetueu oy the
w"r "nnt may tho7e VINO iought ior the
mon justly clnm' ana what ought those
VINO ionBht Tor secession iaithiully to accept
h7 'he IT, esluh"'e f,'uii, oi the war An EN-
lncu' c'uHeh OF our otatr' Mr' IroesOeck.
hlu some years ago that war leglsates.
lie regarded the new constitutional amend
menus as part oi the legislation OF the war
lor the Ohlon, ana SAID with significant EN-
phasis and they VIII stand. The equal
rights amendments are the legislation of the
war Tor the Onion' and they ought to stand.
Great wars always legislate. little more
thah hundred years ago THIS land where we
no" are was claimed and held by France.
heh' "oie' on the fiaihs OF Abraham, set
t''u thht chlih' ana the rcSnit was the trans
Ter OF the utlr aud jurisdiction OF tins entire
secuoh oi the country TO England for lew
years It's chef ruler was the English king.
me reVoInton followed and the question OF
l's ownership was AGAIN the subject OF war
legislation, anu 1t became part OF the United
States. no longer under a monarchy, but un-
der a free republican government l need
not enter INTO any discussion OF the causes OF
our clvli war. We all know that the men
VINO planned the destruction OF the Union and
the eStabHshheht OF the Confederate states
based Their attempt on a construction OF the
constitution called the State rights doctrine,
ana ON the interest oI the people OF those
states III ihe extension and perpetuatioh OF
slavery. me doctrine OF state rights was
thht each Statr was sovereign ana supreme
ana hllgh' huIh'y the hWs OF the Union or
hec,ue from the Nh'oh nj pleasure 1hey
held tna' sihVery was tne ha'urai ana normal
cohu'ioh OF the coIof'u man. ana thaI' there-
i"I', 7i"'er! !" 'h'N country eouln ana Hhoulu
be the corner stone oi iree government
NO man has eVt r slated the issues ~ The
clNh war more ihlly' more clearly or more
"0CuI"'S'y 'n"" 1li' ihnc"'h' III any inquiry
ns 10 "La' may i"'F! ., 'hcluHeu among 'he
'h'hSN S'"l,H oH our El'tur9' al Ju't ana pa
lrio'' minus h>''H''lF'Y turn 10 pit LIN
com 10 MN hlnrt 'hah 10 any othtr man
the cause OF the l mon and liberty Is lndebt-
eu LOT ltH hhd' triumph. besides WIN all MS
Wohueri3l si5Acity Hnd wisdom ana logical
lacNl'y, d"eli'hB IHtth'ly ana "nXiouSly ana
PFayeHuIIy during i"hF years OF a"tnI tIlAI
ana responsibility ON the questions whlch
were cohtlhnalIy arising TO perpleX ana al
most eoHiouhu MN, he NJ last became the
very embodimeht OF the principles by when
the country and its liberties were saved; All
good eiilzens may now well listen TO and heed
llS WORDS. None nave more reason TO do II
win respect ana conhdehce' ana genuine
regard thah those Whom he addressed III ms
hrst inaugural speech as my dssatished lei
lo~-countrymen. The leader OF the Union
cause was so Just ana moderate, and patient
and humane, that many supporters OF the
Union thought that he dld not go far enough
or fast enongl' ana assalled his opinions ana
MS conduct but now al men Deglh TO see
that the PLAIN people, who at last came to
love Inn and 10 lean upon his wisdom and
lrmness with absolute trust, were altogether
right, and that IN deed and purpose he was
earnestly devoted TO the welfare OF the whole
country ana OF all It's INHABITANTS BeheVlng
that Mr. Llncolhs 5 opinions are OF higher au-
thority on the questions OF the war than those
OF any other public man on either side OF the
controversy, desire TO present them quite
fully and IN his own language In the third
year OF the war, and while It's result was stlll
49, 'A't'N'e go
address at the conservation OF the Gettysburg |
national cemetery, on the 18th OF November,
1868 Tie was standing ON the field of the
greatest battle of the war. lie was no doubt,
deeply impressed with the heavy responsible |
lues he had borne 30 long lie spoke not AS
a PARTISAN emoittered and narrow and sec
tional but IN the broad and generous spirit |
OF patriot solicitons to say that which |
would be worthy to be pondered by all OF his |
countrymen throughout all time. In his short |
speech OF only two or three paragraphs he |
twice spoke OF the objects OF the war, once
IN It's opening and again IN It's closing sen
tence. The words have been often quoted, |
but they cannot be TOO familiar. They bear
clearly and forclbly ON the question We are
considering. -Four score and seven years
ago, said Mr., Lincoln, our fathers brought
forth on this continent new nation, con-
ceved IN liberty and dedicated to the propo-
stion that all men are created equal, Now
we are engaged IN great civil war, testing |
whether that nation, or any nation so con-