Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-06-06
Memorial Day Address.

Memorial Day Address.
Rev Dr. Brastow Of Burlington, formerly chap
lain of the Twelfth Vermont Volunteers, delivered
the memorial day address at Waterbury. Mr..
Brastow fully sustained his reputation as an elo-
quent and magnetic speaker. What he said Is
worthy OF wide hearing and as no mere abstract
could convey an adequate lea of the scope and
power OF the address we publish the following
extended extracts
"Citizens We bring to-day fresh honors for
the men who have died for us. They do not
come for our blessing. The spring has brought
again the greening world, and brought the flowers
with which we decorate their graves. but it does
not bring their manly forms before us. We do
not touch them with our garlands. We can
not reach them In their solemn bvouac where
they halt amid the march Of the eternal years,
nor gladden. their hearts with words OF praise and
gratitude or deeds of memorial honor. We can
not stem the stream OF oblivion with patry words,
nor choke 1t up with flowers. We cannot
dull the tooth of time that eats noiseessly at the
heart of all things earthly. By-and-by these
men, too, will be numbered with the great army
OF the Forgotten. But 1t is good for US, the living
TO testify while we may that we have some
manly sympathy with their heroism, some honor
for their patriotism, some gratitude for their sac
rifices and tenderness of sensibility for all
their priva,i ms and hardships and toll and SUI
ferings on our behalf. 1t is good to testify for
Nations sake, that not yet In the rush Of time,
the shifting OF the actors and the scenes of the
National drama, the rapid changes of political
and moral issues, that not yet, in the midst of
public corruption, are these men wholly forgot
ten. And II is for us TO resolve that the living,
whoever they may be, shall not usurp or dis
place the honors Of the dead. That the privil-
eyed few shall not aggrandize themselves at the
expense Of the unprivileged many. That men OF
dshonor In congress or out OF 1t, North or
South, shall not spoil or mar the work Of the
men Of loyal honor. That here and everywhere,
now and always, in all ways possible and legiti-
mate, we will honor these men, both the dead and
the living; and that 30 far as depends on US, the
generation to come shall honor them, II not In
form, at least In spirit, as we honor them to-
day."
The speaker proceeded to develop such thoughts
Of citizenship Of the present and the future the
occasion suggested and TO associate them with
thoughts OF the past. lie recalled to the minds
OF his hearers the fact that the work OF the soldiers
was necessity. 1t was expedient that men die
and that the whole nation perish not. Three
courses were open to us, compromise, separation
war. Clearly and forciby 1t was shown that we
could not compromise. that the door Of separation
was shut. The government must be defended.
We must fight. He called to remembrance the
glory OF the conflict. Men said we had become a
nation of shop keepers and were given over to
mammon, but there was strong grip from the
elder days and Of first principles. Responsible
men went out to die. We stand to-day because
history and principle and humanity and manhood
went into the conflict.
the possibilities of republican patriotism. But
these men have verified 1t. We have no remote
National history; no far back reaching antique
traditions and customs and honors; we had no
riyla ord ar US souna hat taf-
cient In historic days and mon uments and memo
rails; without great National songs. or a great
National literature; without great standing
army or navy to perpetually bespeak the need Of
defence and sacrifice, or pomp and circumstances
of glorious war; without great splendor Of cere-
mony TO impress the imagination without a
watchfu, hostile foe across our border demanding
preparation for defence, and 30 we might say
there were wanting some OF the vital conditions
OF passionate loyalty. And yet we were not
without the theory that the government that
fosters manhood fosters patriotism too; that soil
| that yields home and sustenance to the hitherto
unblessed should nourish generous and CRATE
| full loyalty. But when the hour OF trial came we
were thrown into confusion, doubt, despair. The
first shot that smote Sumpter precipitated grave
| but simple problem. Has the republic power to
| develop a patriotism adequate TO Its defense?
Can 1t develop the sentiment till 1t becomes
passionate devotion? These men solved that
problem with the first call for defense. They
testified In deeds of imperishable honor that the
government which makes men makes patriots;
| that the race with genius for politics has also
genius for loyalty; that, like the Free Friesans
| OF the Netherand republics and other CONNER
cial peoples, the race that has genius for com
| merce and for personal liberty has also genius
| for sacrifice, that men who know how to live well
| upon and by their country also know well how to
| die for II. And do we not all share the glory of
| this martial demonstration? No grander spectacle
| has this century produced than the struggle OF
this nation for the supremacy OF its authority and
| for the welfare OF men. Other nations have had
4 air hau uUhf hal. f.s,
| greatness and strength But the glory OF this ex-
| cells them all. What wasthe choice honor OF this
conflict? 1t was this-that free people freely
| accepted the stern discipline of suffering, that II
| chose TO stand out among the willy, truculent
monarchles OF the world As the lonely afflicted ma
| tion OF its century, people In the sovereignty
OF its authority No king by the grace OF God,
| no government, no administration, no minority
no privileged class forced 1t upon u.s. We were
not vctimized by bad leaders; we led the
| leaders. 1t was great people In the suprem-
aey OF It's authority, witnessing In oceans OF
tears, In rivers OF blood and mountain masses
| OF treasure against all usurpation OF authority
and all disloyaty the world over. 1t Is only a
free people that can know the < andeur and the
| cody grace OF such heroic self devotion. Freely,
| say, the people did IT, For Providence Is not
| brute necessity. 1t WAS necessary indeed We
were struck first. And the nation that is struck
| must look out for its adversary. There Is no
power behind the nation, ~ there IL behind the
individual, To which to appeal for redress. But It
| was no material necessity. II We had been a
meaner people we might have gone on comprom-
| Using and waxing fat for awhile at least, and
| have left behind the fragments OF broken re-
public for our children and children's children.
But no. 1t was the peoples virtue and honor that
appropriated the profounder Significance OF Prov
| idence. II was this generation that shouldered
| the burden, and We have undone the evil that
mingled with the good work OF our Fathers. We
| have rebuilt the temple In which the devil had a
| niche and many worshipers, and we have conse-
| Grated for posterity u new temple and better
| worship. And we stood alone In our local and
| moral isolation. No nation Of this century has
trodden our rough aud rugged path, And ii Is no
small part OF our honor and strength that we were
set apart-not by manipulating political author.
| ties, but by Providence as the suffering Nation
| and that while we fought alone, we became also
the object OF the grasping greedness and amb-
| ton OF those VINO should have been our support
| ers. 1t was the price Of our Republican, ,m, and
| its honor too, that we did our work alone. II was
| q sublime solitude. Russia must ask Germany
and Austria and England before she can cross the
Balkans or penetrate the passes OF the mountains
| Of Armenia But we asked nation the priy-
lege Of sending Grant into Richmond or SHEER
man down to the gulf We did 1t In the name of
| a free and responsible republic.
| And yet again bring to your remembrance
| the triumph OF that conflict. 10 declare Its great
ness were too great task for any man. Westand
before 1t M before an till the heart heayes
| with its heaving, expands with it's expansion
| nd tasn In In hon la