Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-08

I
children, as well as the teachers, see that GU
people have some pride In what they are do
ing, and the results will be even more salts
factory. As 1t is, the proficiency of ou
schools In vocal music Is the admiration ant
: delight OF oil who visit them.
THE u. $. ARMY AND NAVY,
whes Two Of Their Mos. Di...,.nguish
At the meeting Of the Society of the Army
of the Potomac Gen. W. 7. Sherman, in re
, Spouse to toast to the army said:
: Mr.. President, All neeC
: now say is that and those who hold the
army In our keeping wish nothing but what
is of advantage to our people, or what may
add to the security, glory, and fame of our
, common country. We endeavor to keep our
J pickets on the distant watch towers to give
assurance that all is WELL or notice that dan.
ger is apprehcnded and precautions ought Ia
be taken; we keep our main guards at what
we consider strategic points We cndeavoI
10 teach all we know Of the art Of war, and
impress on the young who must soon replace
us the lessons which we have derived from
books or from actual experience. We take
pride that we have added mite in our day
and generation to the National fame, and
that after life of toll and trouble VIC can
point to domain extending from the Allan
tic to the Pacific, from the lakes to the gulf
an empire of majestic proportions in every
part of which the farmer and mechanic, the
merchant and professional man, may reside
and pursue his legitimate calling with COM
parative safety and ease.
1t may be the time is near, or has actually
come, when the soldier should take back
seat but trust that the men who govern us
will not commit the fatal mistake OF conclud-
ing that the soldier Is thing of the past, be-
cause SO long us man is man, so long will
force enter into the economy OF government,
and no government on earth can be perfect
which can not enforce by physical power its
own laws and DEGREES promptly and thor
oughly; and the army must be that force,
active or passive.
Peace hath her victories as well as war,
and oftcntimes she undermines aud ruins an
army which has wthstood the shock of
battle and triumphed over many bloody
field. Peace is the Delilah which clips the
locks Of the Samson and beguies him of his
strength by her tempting enervating caresses.
The magnificent legions of Napoleon, which
so heroically met the embattled hosts of Eu-
rope at Marengo, Austerlltz jena, Eylau,
and Wagrnm, went down before the harder
and more frugal Germans in 1901, after
the long and enervating peace of the previous
generation. So may It come to us if military
honors are to be given away for intrigue,
political or family influence instead of pre-
vious hard and meritorious service on the
frontier; If clerical duty in comfortable
office is to be exalted in the scale Of military
merit above the knightly serviceo of command
ing armed men, even in an inglorious Indian
campaign and If every possible device is
resorted to 10 tempt the young officer from
his legitimate duty with his company fol
some fancy employment in city. do not
say that such things now exist, but the ten.
dency is in that direction, and Is the usual
method by which the tempter-peace-un-
dermines the harder and it may be rudcI
character on which true soldiership must be
built.
} In this battle between war and peace, We
) desire to make of the army body of mer
J worthy to be styled the Grand High Sheriff
, of the Nation, and for one rejoice that Sc
} many of our old comrades of the armies OF
the Union remain in the councils of the ma
ton, or mingle in assemblages like thi!
} which make up public opinion, to bear test
} mony to the great importance Of keeping
, alive that knowledge of the art of war, and o
J those habits which become essential ant
must be repeated whenever an army is called
, into existence 70 maintain the honor of tn,
country abroad, or its peace and security n
, home.
1t is also matter of vital Importance t.
Republican America that in our free coun
] try, where parties assume such seemingly
angry antagonisms, there should be main
7 tanned one body at least towards which mel
: may turn with safety, as always true ant
e loyal TO the constituted authorities of tn
: nation.
Such has been, is now, and ever must b
: the army of the United States.
n Admiral Rodgers said, in response to eth
: Navy"
c Happy the land that has sue
u traditions, stepped though they be In blood
d for they teach something better than the sol
r did pursuit of gain, they teach us to be faitl
! full to our country, to fight for it, to love il
# and to die for 1t, if it need that sacrifice
n The great rebellion found the navy sma
:: and ill-prepared for war, but the navy depar
d ment had in Its assistant secretary a yer
s able chief of staff, himself sea officer {
y great merit and comprehensive grasp, and
o organized with marvellous celebrity an ctfe'
C tive blockade covering coast of greater c!
n tent than had ever been successfully blockat
d ed before. Year after year our ships rod
is out the Winter gales upon a Ice shore, whcl
&c seamen had always supposed ships could NJ
Is lie at their anchors, and they held to the
task amid wcariness and danger, and exp
G sure, with uudaunted vigilance and infini
ID endurance. Wherever attacks could be mat
Is and strongholds won, the navy was not wan
Il ing, and Farragut, and Dupont, and Porte
II and Foote, and our other flag officers, Il
N their squadrons to battle, and proved thcr
is selvez worthy to take their place among Il
is Paladans of the sea. Rowan, too, and Jol
r. Rodgers, Worden. Gushing, Rhind, and Il
Id gallant men of the kearsarge proved that Il
0, spirit of Paul Jones and Decatur had n
IT passed from the navy and wherever gu
ly boat could find water to float in, the arm
nc was sure to find ut its elbow sturdy and o
in perfume help from its brothers of the sea.
or But, gentlemen, that improvised fleet
SC passenger steamers, and ferry boats, and ca
or tie droghers, and every floating thing tn
he our civil war, would have availed lit
IS; against the well equipped ships Of a no,
nd power. Let us take heed, therefore, VIII
q, we next draw the sword, for we shall fl
Die foes swift to strike our undefended cit
is and shores with powerful fleets and witho
OF hesitation or delay. So far as know, the
u is not one good gun of even moderate ca
to bre in our possession to-day, on shore
ng afloat and what is more, we have not
,r. trained artisans and the FORCES to make OIL
us We have not as yet been successful in mi
~ lup ItldDic stcci guns III thio Couutif,
DIS our old cannon, admirable as they were
nut their day, are now almost as obsolete as
ice flint lock muskets of 1879. We have not {
OF large efficient ship Of war; and our few g.
he sloops of war are not now of the best tYI
OF In addition to its immense fleet, Engla
h is at this moment building twelve gr,
are ironclads France is building sixteen
AN Italians are building the two largest ir'
We, cads in the world with steel armor nea
'ist 10 inches thick. The English ship Inilc
SEES BILE. now in commission, has armor
,,n thn do,