Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-01
Decoration Day in Montpelier.

| ton day were varied on Monday by the presence
OF tickle skies that alternately promised sunshine
| and threatened rain But the day dedicated to
| sacred and patriotic memories ended in auspicous
sunlight, and its lowering midday aspect was
unavailing to diminish the number of our people
who habitually participate in It's memorial cere-
monies. The forenoon Of the day was devoted by
the members Of the Grand Army post to the dec
Grafton OF the graves OF their fallen comrades In
the various cemeteries Of the town and village In
those grateful ceremonies the graves where sleep
the dead soldiers IN former wars Of the republic
were pousy remembered The national colors
were profusely displayed throughout the vii
lage from private residences, and from the state
house and public buildings flags at half-nast be-
tokened the memorial character Of the day
| At half-past one o'clock the procession formed
on Barre street, under the marshalship Of Captain
| II. G. Lu assisted by his staff, j. L. futile, J.
II. Burpee, r. p, Sloan H. s. Smith, Eugene
Laviolette and II. NJ. Pierce Preceded by the
Montpelier band, the procession composed Of
| Capital Guard, Captain +. Ely-Goddard; carriage
with the orator Of the day, Colonel George T.
Chds, and chaplain, Rev. Howard Y. Hill, fol-
| lowed by carriage containing the clergy OF the
| village; Mount Zion Commandery Knights Tenn
| plar, ]. L. Mack eminent commander; Company
| c. LIST regiment, g. NJ. G., Of Barre, +. w. Jack
man captain floral cross, supported by four young
| ladies' Goddard Guards, Company b. LIST regi-
ment, G. NJ G., C.. +. Roleau captain; carriage
with floral committee; carriage with singers;
drum corps, Kilburn Day leader field artillery,
W. l.. Washburn commanding; Brooks Post, No.
| 49, Grand Army OF the Republic, w. Y. Water
| man commander; citizens In carriages; citizens on
foot followed the order OF march through the
principal streets Of the village to the place Sc
lected for the exercises OF the afternoon on the
state house grounds. The order OF exercises was
| as follows: Memorial ceremonies OF the Grand
Army OF the Republic, in memory of their fallen
| comrades, by Post Brooks No. 49, In which Com
rades p p. Pitkn, II. A. Huse, f. Il. Smith, and
the chaplain, Rev. II. +. Hill participated. These
impressive services were interpersed with the
singing OF Let them sleep" and Kelers Amer
lean Hymn by the choir; prayer by the chap
lain, Rev. H. f. Hill; Grafton, Colonel George T.
Childs; music, by the band; doxology. The fol-
| lowing is a brief abstract Of
COLONEL cHrLDs' ADDRESS
Mr.. Childs commenced his address by express
| ing the hope which formed the burden OF the
great Athenian's prayer that he might speak no
word unworthy the day, no word unworthy Of
the high purpose which anmates its touching
| symbolism. He spoke Of the beneficent plan In
the creation Of mortals which enables them to for
get their and to recall in the memories OF
their life its brightest and airest incidents. lie
recalled the scenes OF mourning, when, sixteen
years ago, the decimated regiments of the north
ern armies came marching home, their standards
torn and battle-stained but sanctfed by the
blood OF the 'unreturning brave" When the grief
their gaps inspired fresh the mourner could
not see the fulfment Of hopes nor realize that
only through darkling days we reach the light"
To such the glory of the grand triumph was OBJ
scured by grief for the sacrifice through which
victory had been secured No government exists
where human rights are recognized, but that its
foundation stones were laid in blood and tears.
When the passing years have softened the an
guish Of the early days of mourning, the keen
sense Of personal sorrow is not lost, but it is
lightened by the consciousness that the sacrifice
has not been in vain, that through it the nation
lives. All the blessings of republican govern
ment are ours to enjoy while life shall last, and
ours to transmit unimpaired to our children. This
high privilege we owe to the courage and idelit
OF those whose memories we are assembled to-day
to honor and whose graves we have strewn with
flowers. The custom of appropriately honoring
the memory Of those who have nobly given their
lives in defense Of their country is older than the
Grand Army Of the Republic, older than the re-
public itself. In all ages, among all peoples, it
has been esteemed privilege to give expression
In some form to the gratitude which brave deeds
| and heroic sacrifices have inspired. The pyra-
mids OF Egypt, the well tembs of Peru where
slept the descendants Of the children OF the sun,
the mounds upon our western prairies the IN au-
soleums OF ancient and the monuments Of modern
times, all give evidence of this desire to preserve
in some appropriate manner the resting places of
the dead. OF all the ceremonies to which this
sentiment has given birth, none is more beautiful
and touching than the annual decoration with the
sweet flowers OF spring Of the graves OF the fallen
by their comrades of the Grand Army, and there
could be no stronger testimony to the patriotism
that animates the people than the earnestness
with which they unite in the simple touching SER
vices Of Memorial day. Without either state or
national authority, but simply upon the order of
the commander-in-chief Of the Grand Army of
The Republic, to consecrate one day In the year to
the memory of the nations dead, not only the
surviving soldiers and sailors OF the war but
whole people gladly unite to honor the memory
OF their defenders, 1t has been sometimes urged
that the money expended in the observance OF
this day could be more worthily bestowed upon
the necessities OF those who have been left DESC
late by the war. This is no new theme. "why
was not this ointment sold for three thousand
pence and given to the poor" said the Scribes
| and Pharisees Of Jerusalem more than eighteen
hundred years ago. This argument is applicable
to any expenditure for the manifestation OF our
love or gratitude. Who shall say, remembering
the fidelity and patriotism of the American peo-
ple that the observance of the Fourth OF July for
century past has cost too dearly? Would the
devoted courage OF our fathers in 70 have been
the inspiration OF our boys in o. If we had failed
to hail each recurring anniversary OF that day
with bells and cannon? 1t will be dark hour
for this republic when we shall guard our wealth SO
closely that from our plenty we can spare nothing
to commemorate the deeds of those who made that
plenty possible. The Grand Army believes that
fidelity for the past and security for the future
demand both watchful care for the living and
fitting honor for the dead. To their comrades
OF the Grand Army, to the mother who
yielded up her first born, to the widow
whose heart is filled with the tender memory
Of a soldier husband, to those to whom the
name OF father Is but story told around the
family circle, flowers are needed, no words are
hoeonsoty W hocp ifesii anu ifhBrhut uecus VI
their dead. II this memorial day has no deeper
significance than the tribute to unselfsh patriot
ism and heroic courage, 1t may be well left alone
to those who number among the vast army of
the dead some father, or brother, whose names
are written on the roll call OF our regiments; but
the purpose of this day is not to ennoble alone the
men who died but the cause also for which they
gave their lives. The speaker claimed this ami |
versary day wholly and entirely our own. in |
which with no room In our hearts for bitterness
towards those who made necessary the sacrifices
we commemorate, we decorate the graves OF our
dead resolute In the faith that the cause In which
they died was wholly and entirely RIGHT. The
flowers that have been scattered alike upon the
graves OF those who wore the blue and those who
wore the gray are fragrant testimony OF the de-
sire OF all for the future welfare OF the republic
but the perfume that rises from the graves which
throughout the land are garlanded to-day by our
comrades Is an incense that can be common only
to the memory of those who died to preserve the
government, and to these honored graves re-
peat with each recurring anniversary OF this day
the lesson OF their devotion to the principles OF
| government whose corner stone is Freedom. This
lesson not needed by the actors in the war,
but 10 those who come after us the lesson should
| be emphasized that there is no grander manhood