Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-05-31
Memorial Services In Montpelier.

| lrlnlty churcn IN the pesence OF htge huuience
last sabbath afternoon at three o'clock On the
| platform OF the pulpit we're seated the ministers
OF the churches and oilers resident In Montpelier.
The services opened with singing by the choir OF
the church and the rea'lng OF the Scriptures and
| prayer by the pastor Rev. X. ID. Miller. Mr..
| Miller also made BRIT address, and introduced
| the other speakers Rvs ]. II Hincks, John +.
Stone, II. +. Hill and J. }. Beeman made brief and
appropriate addresses gathering up the lessons OF
the past and pointing the future duty OF all
| good soldiers and citizens. These were inter
spersed by singing Appropriate hymns, choir and
congregation uniting. rhe service was truly
commemorative, patriotic and religious one, clos
ing with the benedictioi by Rev. A. ID. Barber.
DECORATION DAY.
During the forenoon Il Tuesday the members
OF Post Brooks devotedthemselves to the grateful
labor OF distributing tie flowers and plants fur
nished for the graves q each soldier and sailor
buried In this village and vicinity.
| At two clock r. NJ. the procession formed on
Barre and Main stress in the following order;
| Captain H. c. Lul mirsha and staff Montpe-
| lier cornet band; Mount Zion commandery of
| Knights Templar; st. Jean Baptiste society;
Thomas Wildey encaupment OF Odd Fellows
| grand army of the republic drum corps Brooks
Post, No IL, grand army OF the republic; carriage
with the orator OF the day, George W. Wing, ESQ /,
and chaplain OF the day Rev. j. Edward Wright;
carriage with members oiAoral committee; carriage
with memorial cross an0 floral offerings; carriage
with disabled soldiers; carriages with the clergy
and invited guests carriages with citizens; cit-
zens on foot. Passing through the principal
streets Of the village to the state house grounds the
following order Of exercises was observed: Music
by the band; Prayer ty the chaplain OF the day.
Rev. j. Edward Wright; Grafton by George W.
Wing, Esq; memorial ceremonies OF grand army
OF the republic, in memory OF their fallen COM
rades, by Brooks Post, No. -; music by the band
MIR. WINGS ADDRESS
In terms Of graceful eloquence the speaker re.
ferred to the return OF the season and the day
devoted to the memory OF those who gave their
lives to the defence of their country, and briefly
reviewed the circumstances under which those on
whose graves chaplets Of flowers had been placed
by loving and tender hands, sank to rest - By all
their country's. wishes blest He thought 1t fit
ting upon this day. consecrated to noble purposes,
while we give thanks for the prosperity and peace
we enjoy, to examine briefly what IL was
that fired the hearts Of those whose arms were
Rerved to more than knightly bravery. These
inquiries are not answered by the fundamental
propositions Of the national constitution. These
existed before the formation of this government
OF the landing of the Pilgrims. The war was for
the supremacy or ideas rs old az the human race.
We inherited from our ancestors the bless
ings under government which is the develop
ment Of those ideas Love Of religious liberty,
to which was superadded the desire OF civil
liberty, brought the Pilgrims to these shores.
Love OF religious liberty made up OF sense OF
right and conviction of duty Is able to look des-
potism in the face and shake to their foundations
principalities and powers We owe our high posi-
ton as a nation to-day to religious persecution.
The love OF liberty made these bleak shores the
home Of new nation, defended them from foes
without and within, established their independ-
ence, maintained and bequeathed 1t from genera
ton to generation. This splendid heritage has
not been won and kept without effort Every
one OF the elements of civil and religious freedom
has been secured only by the expenditure of
countless lives and untold suiferings. For thou
sands of years, blood has flown freely as water
and every step forward has been accomplished
10 Qft mr. raOa harOtn ar In In nItra
TEN Of government all these elements are crystal
lied into n perfect whole. More than three thou
sand years before our era. began the dawn Of our
present civilization and the beginning of lib
erty. Along the valley of the historic Nile for
more than two thousand years dwelt a homeo-
geneous people. There was no migration, no
change in thought or action. Its consolidation
and civilization were assured. Nowhere else
can be found such noble monuments OF antiquity,
under no other conditions was permanency in
institutions possible. From the changes which
began when emigration from Asia into Europe
commenced Mr.. Wing traced the dawn of modern
civilization, the rise of personal liberty, the de-
sire for knowledge and art which was the out
growth Of the wealth accumulated under the Ro-
man empire There these elements OF civilization
were combined into political system. The
Christian church arose which became the vital
living principle of civilization. The development
and advance of the elements OF civilization con-
tinued under the feudal system, cessation Of
migration, association of men, the consequent
rise of sentiments of protection and the establish
ment of the right of inheritance but no system of
government. Under the feuda system the free
cities came again into prominence. In them trade
and commerce had their beginning, but there
was no protection. The barons waylaid and rob-
bed the merchants, the stronger the weaker and
drove the cities to rebel. Thus came ulti-
matey the enfranchisement OF the citizen, the
formation OF classes, an aristocracy, workmen
and the inferior population. Still there was
no government but spirit OF unrest and a
atrifa far In thraa fftrin NOR
the unity OF nations was completed in the
general establishment OF monarchies. The cru
sades came, political benefits came through them,
ideas were extended, the social sphere enlarged,
individual freedom produced, and the transforma-
ton of the elements of society into government
began. After national unity came Capitalization
of power, the formation OF alliances, combina-
tions for peace and war, the sanction Of the kngy
prerogative literature revived, and the period OF
voyages, travels, discoveries and inventions be-
gan The period OF the reformation was reached
The means of instruction had increased Men
began to think for themselves. Magma Charta
gave free institutions to England. Representative
government and the establishment of parliament
followed. King Henry renounced his allegiance
to the pope and taught the people to brook no
tyranny Of opinion from whatever source The
English revolution progressed and absolute power
in the temporal order was abolished, as it had
been done in the spiritual All the elements of
civil and religious liberty, thus briefly traced, our
ancestors brought to these shores and reared the
great charter OF our liberties contained nothing
which was not law before, but this was the first
attempt to make those vital truths the foundation
for a government. With their lives our fathers
defended it and transmitted it to their posterity in
all its completeness. And this was the glorious
inheritance which was put in jeopardy and which
the people rescued in the war OF the rebellion.
The speaker graphically referred to the great up
rising for the defense Of the government and the
painful events of the great war. In a fine perora-
ton he justified his departure from the usual
routine of discussion on the occasion and said
=" trust 1t has not been wholly without interest.
It is fitting that you should examine whether
that which cost you so dear was worth the sacri-
flee you made. 1t Is right that you, who have
contributed so much to our national prosperity
and happiness, should examine the history Of
that liberty You so nobly defended, and which
existed only because in all ages and conditions OF
mankind there had been those willing to offer
| up their lives in its support and in its defence.
! II history teaches any one thing with certainty,
| 1t Is that there is no Immortality for nations
| they have their BIRTH rise, progress and decay.
Their purpose accomplished, they pass into OBJ
| livion or live only rs memories Of the historic
| past. But through all the vicsstudes Of ma
, tional life, the development OF human thought
| and the march OF progress from barbaric night ia
the full clear light Of civilization and liberty,
| has never wholly ceased. Starting out from un-
der the pyramids of Egypt three thousand years
ago, the pathway of civil and religious liberty
| may be traced in blood. Red-handed war has
l
| agent In its advancement How well you, and
| those in whose honor we meet here to-day bore
| your part in the preservation Of these blessings
the history OF your country will testify. On
every battlefield OF the Army of the Potomac
through Chickahominy's swamps, along the Red
| River, in the valley Of the Shenandoah, whenever
and wherever called upon, you nobly did YOU
| duty. 1t IL especially fitting that TO you, who
| profess the tenets of fraternity, charity AND
loyalty, on this day set apart by grateful ma
ton for honorng its loyal dead, should be com
| mitted the sacred duty OF these CUSTOMARY
observances No hoier trust could be committed
TO your hands. As you stand before the grave,
| OF your comrades, and place upon the stone tina
marks their last resting-place the blossominl
tribute of affection, register anew your vows o
loyalty to your country and your God"
NOTES.
We have only words OF praise for Mr.. Wing
excellent and very sensible and scholarly Grafton
For several years past there has not been 3,
large an attendance OF veterans In line as were IL
the procession yesterday.
Captain X. ]. Coffey and Lieutenant Charlie
| Wells were In town and Joined their old comrade
| OF the Grand Army in the Observance Of the day
The following is an enumeration OF the soldie
dead entombed In this vicinity: In Green Noun
Cemetery-5, OF the war OF the rebellion; 49, 1872
2, revolution. Elm, rebellion II, 1872; 4, revo
luton Cuter--l3, rebellion; g. 1872; 2, navy
Cathoc-l6, rebellion Seminary Hill, re
| bellion.
The excellence of the music by the band was
we think, matter OF surprise, for 1t has beer
heard so seldom that II has been supposed to b.
| defunct. 1t Is gratifying to know that that Is no
the case and that the boys propose to reiuvenate
| by giving concert In few weeks. Our citizen
should give II substantial encouragement,
Brooks Post at a meeting held in the Grant
| Army OF the Republic hall subsequent to the ex