Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-10-20

years, and there Ia nothing to me In this world
80 inspiring the possibilities that lie locked up
In the head and breast Of a young man: Inc
hopes that lie before him. the great Inspiration
around him, the great aspirations above him, ~
these things, with the untried pathway OF NE
opening up Its difficulties and dangers inspiring
him to courage and force and work. II isa spec
tace that the very gods would look down upon
In ancient Roman days with more than ordinary
interest.
Now, let me say n single word or two In answer
TO this great kindness and compliment OF your
coming to my house, about some OF the thoughts
that know get into the hearts OF young men and
inspire them, and some delusions that are likely
to get into their minds Let me speak OF one de-
fusion that | think, from the remarks Of yonr
chairman, you are not likely to have IL ba de-
fusion that affects all men more or less psrtlcu,
lary the young men-the delusion that good
things and great things are some way OIL yonder,
away abroad That is one Of the delusions that
hope you are not living in now. To illustrate this
Where spent my childhood there IL a lonely
little brook and gorge where We used 70 go
down and find slate stones and whittle them out
into pencils for ourselves that were better than
all other pencils that we brought from abroad:
But II any boy ever brought into our school what
is not in any English dictionary, but In the
school-boy's dictionary, boughten pencil, he
could get a whole handful of our homemade
pencils for 1t, and yet every one OF ours was pet
ter than the best that he brought from abroad:
There was a delusion among us that outside OF
us, away from us, was glory. III III Ola,
Now, as TO our country, let us not get any such
delusion into our heads. know all about abroad
know what 1t is TO enlarge our minds by IT, But
I want yon to feel In the depths OF your heart
that there il no abroad in all this world that is
half equal to the glory OF being an American here
at home and to- day Right here In this yard is
splendid specimen OF American sovereignty. En-
large it into the million Of men who vote, and
you have the grand, august sovereign OF this last
and best born Of time, the American republic.
Now that the sovereign shall be unshacked for
ever, that that sovereign shall be unpurchasible
when he stands at the ballot-box to order the SUI
preme will Of the nation, that that sovereign
| shall be unintimidated by mortal man when he
continent-that IL the great purpose that all true
Americans should keep in their minds. When
see such band OF earnest young men as meet me
here to-day feel certain that II they could deploy
themselves as a ballot~box guard to defend the
purity OF the American ballot-box 10 stand around
| 1t as around the cradle Of our her-apparent oi
| American sovereignty, such guardians, such de
| tenders, will keep the republic pure and keep II
| free.
| Young gentlemen your visit to me gives me {
| compliment OF the highest sort, and while 1t dis
| enchants me- as I said little while ago, 1t still
reaches the hand Of youth out to me, which TAXI
with all cordiality and earnestness; and for YOU
| rendered support to me- which is not for my sake
| but for the sake of the cause Of which am nov
the representative, give you all the thanks o
| which my heart Is capable. The house Is small
the farm Is small, the township is small, thu
county is small one but all there Is in 1t to Civ
of generosity, and hospitality and wecome-al
stay. ! bid you welcome to all there Is OF us