St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-06-02

there; pointing to the mOnument) we
only know the fact y he gave in
few words a tribute to Capt.
Z. B. Frost, whose blanket he shared
as they talked over friends and home
scenes, the night before the dreadful
battle of Cold HarbOr, which proved
to be Capt. FrOst's last night on earth.
The audience then bowed in prayer
under the lead of Rev. II. Lockhart,
chaplain. And after another song by
the Glee Club, the orator of the day,
Major Josiah Grout of Derby, was in
troduced, who gave the Grafton. Ma
jor GrOut labOred under great disad
vantage, as he was obliged to speak
against "A strong wind, which was not
only unpleasant to all, but exceedingly
hard for the speaker. The audience
near by could hear him very well, but
those at distance heard with diff
Guilty. The address was well written,
carefully listened to and well received
by all who heard it. Below we give
liberal extracts:
THE ADDRESS OF MAJOR CIRCUIT.
[Extracts.l
A score of years since, in point of
general regard, this day of the month
was simply the thirtieth of May; now
it is Memorial Day, filled with graft
tude and memory for our dead heroes.
OF heroes there are many, differing
from each other in note as the stars
differ in glory but no form of bravery,
gallantry, enterprise or magnanimity
more completely commands our atfec-
ton than the heroism of arms. SO
generally is this the case that we are
inclined to consider all who gave them
selves to enlarge the life of the Repub-
/ lie, without reference to prominence or
distinction, as enrolled among the il
lustriOus. This estimate embraces a
grand army of noble souls now sleep
ing just over the river. 1t numbers
those who exchanged worlds during
the tedious stretch of war from Bethel
to AppOmattox, that the latter spot
might be the grandest surrender ground
of history. 1t is out of consideration
for our heroic dead and to pay the an
nual inStallment of interest now due
on that great debt of gratitude we owe
their memory, that we are assembled ;
the principal of which we cannot cancel
| in time but must await the fOrbearance
of eternity in which to liquidate it. 1t
is fortunate that dead heroes are alone
involved in the services of the day, for
in busy, bustling America, we make
and unmake heroes so swiftly, that the
surest way of remaining i'll the class is
to secure death when the crown is fair
" set. We must think, however that
those who shuffied off the coils of earth
and plumed themselves for the flight
to eternity amid the thunderings OF
war, have as surely attained the heights
of human esteem as those who tarried
to improve their chances. There is
not unfrequently an advantage in the
circumstances of death and many are
not counted heroes until dissolution
intervenes to conceal and reveal.
The merry markings of Christmas,
the personal recollections of the 22d OF
February, the glory and grandeur OF
the Fourth of July, stand subdued in
the presence of the thought that a
mighty people to-day turn from care,
business and pleasure, to remember
the 400, 900 called from life to death
during the late war.
1t is so fitting while extending the
acquaintance of the living to honor
these who imperiled their lives for the
safety of the nation, and who i'll con-
sequence thereof now sleep with the
unnumbered dead, that | trust it will
he long before an annual tribute OF
this character will be neglected. May
it never be, but from year to year mag
nifty in Importance until inetfaceably
impressed upon the hearts of all AZ
first among our National Observances
Too many husbands, fathers, sons
and brothers would go to preserve in
tact the unity of the states, and did &c
to return no more, leaving to mourn
their untimely departure too many
widows, orphans, sisters and mothers,
: to allow this observance to be very
soon forgotten.
/. The lacerated heart, the grief-ren
feelings, the general weight of mourn,
ing in every hamlet and dwelling
throughout the land, testify too clear
ly that the sOlace and comfort of strew-
ing the graves of those we loved anC
held most dear, with natures. choices
gifts, the most expressive emblems o
our affection, cannot and will not bt
dispensed with while the memory o
those who so nObly gave their lives re
mains.
Then let us welcome the custom
each year as nature re-rObes herself IL
J beauty and the turf green's over tn,
sleeping ones, of decorating the visi
BILE appearances of their last resting
places with the fresh flowers of spring
Many whom we would honor to-day
sleep in unknown graves, awaiting the
final summons to glory, i'll an unfrieHd
ly soil ; sleeping their last great sleel
where they fell so nobly breasting the
shock of battle, or where they tainted
and gave out upon the long weary
march, or where they wasted slowly
away upon beds of sickness, or where
they starved to death in the prison
bells of the South.
For the grave of every slumbering
= hero we would gladly wreathe chap
let of flowers, but it is impossible to dc
this, so let the decoration of this mon
ument, the appropriate record of thOs,
who fell in the service from the tow
of st. Johnsbury, and which solemn!
5 announces that fact to the country
round about, represent suitable OBJ
servance of this occasion to the ex
: tent of our knowledge of and love fol
those who died in honor of the flag
Let these garlands bespeak the kindl!
remembrance in which we hold thOs,
whose patriotic fervor lost them thei
: lives, whose manly devotion to Nation
= al principle separated them from the
endearing comforts and kind sOlicitud'
of home, from the fellowship and sOci
ETY. of friends, from the familiar, happ!
Il.