Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-06-03
PRESS. FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 3, 1881.

Chaplain of the day, the Rev. Lewis O..
Brastow, ID. d which was followed by the
hymn GLOW they 50 softly rest" by the
Glce Club. The orator of the day, the Rev
Merritt lIulburd, pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal church of this city, was then in
troduccd and spoke as follows;
ME-. HULEURp's ADDRESS.
Fellow citizens: | am honorcd in the invitation
20 address such gathering in the chief city of my
native State ! am Lacking IN one important quail
iicaiion for this service Tor though my generation
attained It's majority during he great war and many
NJ lis members were at the front, and it is Il
fragment by the same means hal little part in
that struggle since services carrying musket
volunteered twice were each time rejected by a
ruthless Inspector who probably hut poor mate
rial for 4 soldier in me- But whatever else lack |
am moi wanting in sympathy with this commemora-
tive occasion. !, too. am an American and my heart
thrills At the story ~ our mighty past hut am
also .crIi'!iur and share IN that pride which you
justly feel ~ lac part played by our gallant Stale in
the grand drama. lier record is grand one. In
legislation IN she has moved steadily forward
and from the days Of the Beech Seal until now
she has struck hard hut honest blows for freedom
and the rights of man. Her line of majestic noun
tains that stretch themselves through the length Of
the domain constitute the back bone which Is
ONLY a fair type of the State itself since let her cnoe
get her back up i'll any good cause .nd ii assumes
curvature of the spine whch no one has been able
always been far IN advance OF the average public
sentiment of the country. Tut she has never receded
and the Nation which has come Gil 10 her ground i'll
regard to slavery Viii also trnst, one day, attain
the moral altitude Of our PrOhlbitory legisla-
ton Snd The land that holds No save. per
nit no man to pat the cup to lis neighbor lips.
But trust ne my friends Notwithstanding this d-
gression which some OF you will charge 10 the
speakers pet GRACE do not forget the
occasion that has called us together. A State with
such history IN regard 10 great moral Ideas will
prove itself recreant 10 them VIXEN the price
OF their niartrnesEce must be paid in blood and
tears. and so when the cause called for charpiun5
the STATE sent forth 3j001 mCn, 1he-thir or whom
either laiti down their se On the field in hospital
or surviving swing an empty sleeve or halt through
the remainder of their journey; proportion at
tanned by the soldiers of no other State and which
abun dainty attests the fact that our soldiers won
The spurs of their knighthOo1 where the battle was
hottest. We should be wanting in every impulse
and instinct of honor did we fail in gratitude 10
treasure the veliest remembrance of their valiant
deeds and 10 celebrate over all the land their glOr-
ious achievements. We should be unworthy the
legacy they beupeathei us should we grow neglect
full of those who Ned for their countrys service
and lied for its fame. Let the salyos of artillery
wake the echoes of our hills and solemn procession
in stately parade tell the peoples of obligation
down 10 the latest generation. Bur il is urged that
this commemorative occasion Keeps alive feelings
that better buried and that we should do well
To let old ChronOs, who so mercfuy bures the signs
of death. duls the grief. and deadens the rancor
engendercd by the strife work his will and heal
the gaming wound in our National life. They tell
us that as the years wear On the Ieepins women
who laid lGweis on The bare graves are replaced by
strangers who amid shouts and drum beats, place
bought wreahs and little fags on these hest re-
membered graves, while the deep significance Of
the day is LOST sight of entirely, and we should
put out Of sight the remembrancers of the.war with
the fading love and hate. which We cncc thought
immortal md ny iricnJ,5, II ,uis occasion were
Kept alive by passion or were continued only to
stimulate anew the sectional feeling, should not
so confidently expect that while this Nallcn con-
tnues lis grand career, lifting high the standard
of the universal brotherhood OF man, this day will
continue to be hOnorcd and observed; nor should |
desire even hy so feeble an instrumentalty as my
own influence 10 continue II for another year. But
while love and hate may fade, principles are i'm
mortal and contend that.t these rec 5eIe noI laitl
down III passionate trCil, lney we're yielded up in
devotion 10 principles which shall dutlast these
hills: and say with that great preacher of America
who belongs to the Catholic church and illustrates
the breadth q, his communion IN hlmself-Philps
Brooks men cannot tell us that ii makes no differ
ence for what cause a man lays down his life. /
stand with as much reverence as any by the grave
of a man who laid down his life for mistake, but
| cannot feel the same sense OF gratitude which
animates me when stand by the graves OF our men
who Land down their lives for what we know 10 be
absolutely ii.nI We I.ust Lct keep silence on our
CommemOraion day upon oar creed that that
which the men III or war died for is the everlast-
ing necessity OF our nation. We may be sure that
we cannot honor them simply by the flowers which
lay upon their graves unless by perpetual asser-
ton. and by all we do, We bear testimony that the
Union is sacred and never to be broken, and that
citizenship Is sacred from one end of our land 10
the other. Hence II il, il must he right II must he
best for the whole c,atOn that y G ana Cur children
should look back periodically upon the great strug
gle which rent the Nation while 1t lasted body and
soul apart amt reckon for ourselves what led TO it,
what il gave TO US, what that gift cost, and how we
shall Keep thc'pOssession. These great, solemn
sublime lessons for our children 10 learn; lessons
which these graves and this commemorative occa-
sion will help TO emphasize. He Will be only Z
superficial student If his cblp,ef ., history who
sees IN II oniy 4 'ia,e unpeasantness," "a family ia:
which was more quickly healed By little blood
letting" There We're wrongs 10 be righted which
had cntrenched themselves IN the worlds thought,
sanctioned ~ "grey bearded use" that like the
tabled serpentS which grew on either shoulder of
the prince who suffered the devil 10 kiss him there,
and which dlrted fery poisonous tongues at his
them from him he found We're part Of himself. The
rendIng away of these serpenls of wrong took the
blood from either shoulder and has left ''our gener-
alton" in the language of Joseph Cook, "a frag-
ment." Generation after generation saw gigantic
oppression tramr!iGg un'le. foot ,he iers doc
trines mai the Nation was planted 10 maintain, and
philanihropists mourned, Truth for ever on the
scaifOid. wrong for ever on the throne; but 1t was
left for the lifting shadow Of the war cloud to reveal
.behnd that shadow" one who was keeping
watch above His own. We have now learned that
no man poor or 50 week thai en- Ea,ion is
struI.; onouen 10 uplirsa MN Win lnpnnlty. the
historian tells us That when the King of Prussia
was heautfyng his palace OF SanS-Sonc1,he thought
in order TO complete II, thai II was necessary 10 re-
move an Old stone mill which stood near by. and to
his nation mgrred tho Scene. Accordingly he pro-
posed the old miller 10 purchase OF himbut the
miller male answer that the mill had come down
10 him from his father, and was the Inheritance he
proposed to leave his son. The king pressed his
suit and the other remained obstinate. At length
the monarch. irritated at his resistance. made n
tender of what he thought was more than It's value
and ordered the mill destroyed, which was speedily
done. The :iil.iti afpealel tC he toArts' winch
decreed that the King should restore the mil as II
In after years the d0ughiy.old Miller dled and
his son came speedily to offer .he property 10 the
king. But he said NO the mill must stand as a
monument that even a king must submit To law.
so these graves. North and South are saying that
trlttl l.,l il .A1"
law" shall not go unpunished.
AMI II Is here that all sectional interest and ner-
scnal elements N ms c.9ef. "iiyu sinh Gown and
disappear. 1t is hdmanitys shrine al which We
how, 1t was huEauliys cause for which they died.
The Nations life involved, 10 be sure hui more,
the hopes of. millions IN al. lands hung upon il,
Haughty EOnarches, proud aristocrace ,Inigh well
sympathlZe with the slave oligarchy, for they them
selves were weighed in the same balance. II was
humaniiy's struggle, ami prayers went up to the
God of battles for the success OF our cause even
from Lancashire operatives who were starving
because blockade Kept the cotton from the mills
where they earned their bread, prayers from around
the pea,-tre of Irish cabins from The vine clad cot
iagcs of the German Fatherland, and from the
serfs of that Vac: EJrthe-.. E.cr.r:.
But again there is need Of this commemorative
day as our defense Gmi5sf secitonllisrn. What
hui the iigmen oil that devilish doctrine OF estate
rights fosters secilGnaiisM9 That school of small
statesmen who have always taken The type for their
nation from the wrong ease, as the printers say and
insisted on setting up their Stale with a.caplta 5,
whose whole claim 10 craftsmanship rests on their
success III getting an appropriation from tOuSTtss
for improving their local mil-pond, need 10 learn
that these States are and ought 10 Dea sovereign Nd-
tua and tcrnlonl viii help the lesson ~ re,alang in
her service that senator, who has taught them that
ther. blay he mare Craftsmanship in the single
phrase Il Object than Il! I'll their iani and fret. That
greater than any State is the MON Of the States and
at must and shall be preserved that legislators
are the servants of the people AMI that even 1.-The
courtesy Of the Senate must yield TO the idemlnd
of the people and II some cOnceited and spoiled
child Of fortune whose cOnsumniIte abilities have
urO FGr such ltultDu That he has come 10
think within himself Win ihe ull French king
1.-The State is ny self such an one, fed on such
meat and grown Too great shall sulh and declare he
.woni plaJ" II he rgnnat have this John the Bap-
lists head, It Will only lie Necessary 10 reiind him
that the Nation and even the Empire state has those
that make such he and while II may not be able
10 create another such bundle Of concelt-for which
may Heaven make us truly thankful-lt can make
what he Is NOT now, senator, who let us hope. VIII
be what no selfish man can ever he, statesman
Truly We havon need 10 live over with our children
those grand heroic days. iut r'ese days are not
heroic; men are not now pushing ino the battlefield
to die for al idea; they are pushing mo place we
should lose no chance 10 remind them that We are
capable of better things thai he only IL patriot who
looking beyond mere selfish consideration and local
interest can regard with Henry Clay 1.-The interest of
the Nation as paramount 10 the State DO not the
wor,iso of Washington III his Farewell Address sound
prophetic $50 contemplating the causes which
may dislurG our tnlpa y occurs asa matter OF
serious concern that any ground should nave teen
furnished Tor characerlZlng parties by geographl-
cal observation-disclosures Northern and Southern Atlantic
and Western, whence diSa2fCelny men olldelVGr 10
excite belief NAT there Is real difference OF local
interests and views" Thus II comes 10 be That II
was no war OF races camUrlng for supremacy no war
orierrtorial acquisition or national aggrandze-
menl but the assertion of great. grand and eternal
principles OF liberty, equality and National unity anu
so inevitable as against slavery, paste anu sett9n-
alism: and thus 1t can be national occasion, since
the fate of the South as well AZ of the North de
pended upon the ylndicaiiOn of the principle, and
The emancipation which struck the shackles from
the slave freed the masters - well from moral
incubus which eitectually blndered development
and dwarfed the social life OF the fhlrest portion
OF the Republic. Bnt can We forget the cost At
which these blessings were purchased? Ihey nave
had erected around them n rampant OF inutllated
bol;as and an carthNOrk OF these graves Is their
defence as riIJy also constitute the affairs at which
We today take our saofu,ein. our oalh oi altgl-
ance anil aYow our purpose TO see 10 II mat inns
land bought WIFI blood, redeemed by blood, shall
prove worth all II cost. 10 his cost we have seen
our own State make grand contribution. IAN
up to-day. the forms of those who on that chilly
April morning lett you to respond 10 the nrs call OF
the President, the advance guard OF that splendid
line which marched down from our hills AMI valleys
and dung themselves on the foe. Vermont boys had
their smell of powder AT Little Bethel and they were
in line 1t AppomatoX April ., lS63, and a Vermont
regiment was the first 10 enter Richmond wheh
their leader the silent man llh the swing oil con
quest, :" arrange! the terms OF that Surrender Wlrh
closed the rebellion; aud between the tHo events
you NAV trace the progress nj the war hy the ln-
Inner