Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-02-16
GEN. sHIER MAN
Gel Iration Of his Sixty-third Birth do y
-lhnrnClerisiiCS pecch.

Spouse 10 a toast Gen. Sherman gave a char
acteristic speech, extracts from which we
subioin:
According to cur family Bible, | was
born on the 9Th OF February, 1920; con
sequcnlly am in my 9th year of life, and If
| survive another year, will pass from the
active command OF the army of the United
States to life OF comparative case AM re-
tlcmCnt. The law for the compulsory re-
tlrcment of all army officers at the age of "a
did was, in my judgment, wise and proper. !
do not ask for or wish an exception in my own
case, and declare that | then, as now, ap-
| proved the measure, and asked my friends
not to intcrpOsc any objections by reason of
It's effect on me think | am duly grateful
that have passed through G3 yeas of varied
life with mind and body sound enough to
promise a reasonable remainder, and am
thankful to Congress that suitable and liberal
provisions have been made for me and those
dependent on me to enable us to live out our
appointed days in comparative case. When
we who are seated at this table tonight look
back over the past half century and compare
it with any other equal period Of which his
| tory treats, we must confess that our lot has
been "A happy one. Steam and electricity
have brought all parts If the human family
into closer and more friendly relations, and
| give just reason for hope that before suoth-
er century passes, Burns prophecy will be
fulfilled.
when man to man the world DER.
| sinai! brothers be for a that
Paradoxical as it may sound. wars in our
country have always Teen made by men who
profess peace, and peace has been made pos
slbe by those who profess war. Our sol
dicrs have been the real pcIcemakers Of our
country and, again, few of the men who
caused these wars ever saw at the time the
real consequences even to their own genera
ton. Many of the elders now present can
recall the battle cry Of 1SiG-"A American
blood has lcen shed on American soil, CON
sequcntly, waI'-when General Taylor him
self had asserted that his army would be an
invader the moment he crossed the Nueces
liver. 1t is reported that General Grant has
recently said that We hadno Just cause Of war
. with Mexico yet who Of US now will ques-
ton the great truth that the fruits of that
war have been most bountlul and benetcent
TO all mankind, 1t has cXtcncd our system
Of government from the Atlantic to the Paci-
iic, and from the Sabine to the Rio Grandc,
converting lands which had remained for cen.
turtles in the possession Of wild beasts and
wilder savages into prosperous States and
Territories in the short period of 81 years
In consequence of that war, the flag Of the
| United States was hOisltd over the old cur.
tom house at Monterey Cal, on the 9th OF
July, 1S4S, by Commodore Sloat L. 5. N,
and was one of that company of artillery
sent around Cape Horn, 23,000 miles in a
sailing ship, consuming 1875 DAYS In the voy.
age, to garrison the place. We found con-
dltiOn of almost arcadian existence.
beautiful in itself, but not in harmony with
the busy world. Gold was discovered in the
Spring Of 1913, when began that most mar
vcllous change which reached the uttcrmost
parts Of earth. But the genius of our people
and Of our peculiar form of Government
proved equal to the event. PandcmOnium
prevailed for Il time. but order came ont OF
chaos, and there arose on our western iirma-
me Mt that bright star, California; which has
exercised positive influence on the destiny
OF mankind ever since. | was sitting one
day in Monterey with Il native lady, still
living and held by us thea and now in great
honor, who was looking over an Illuminated
Bible. Coming to the children of Israel sit
ting by the waysidc, waiting for the mama
to tall from heaven, she remarked "Thcst
are my countrymcn, sitting at ease, wait.
Ing for the cattle to breed that they may
have meat Turning 4 few more pages, she
came to Moses in the desert who had tapped
the rock and water had gushcd forth, and
said This is Yankee no sooner has he
reached California than lie strikes the earth
with his pick and shovel, when gold comes
forth, and with it all the enterprise and
wealth Of the Yankee race
Then came the evil war. olc Of the most
cluseless, foolish wars ever devised by the
BRAIN OF man. We can NOV look back on it
with as much calmuoss aud philosophy as
we can on any other past event. We can
now scan It's causes, the carly confusion and
disasters, the asscmbugc of its vast armies,
the bloody battles, sicgts AMI tumults with
out number, and all the possible complica-
tons of civil war. In my judgment, s'av-
cry was the prcteNt, and political ambition
the real cause. Though 300 900 precious
livH were sacrificed, though thousands OF
millions of dollars were wasted, though de
yastation and ruin marked the land from
| Pennsylvania to the gulf, great and lasting
good has resulted. Slavery has forever dis
appeared from our country, the strength of
our government has been preserved, the
manhood of our peOpl, universally recogniz-
cd, and the minds of oar leading mcE raised
TO a level with the demands of the age. In
the very throcs OF the war, when success
was still IA question Of doubt, the Congress of
the United States. with sublime assurance,
chartered the Union and Central Pacific rail-
ways, granting them lands of no earthly
value loaning a credit far below par and en-
| acting terms OF doubtful wisdom. Men
arose equal to the occasion, and, just as the
war with cannon and muskcts closed, the
older war with nature was resumed. Strong
arms worked with Il will and built these
| roads IN four years, thus uniting by links of
steel the Pacific coast to the Atlantic When,
on the 10th of May 1869, | heard at the war
department in this city the jingle of the
threc.bells which told that the last spikes
had been driven At Pr5monory point which
finished the great Pacific railroad, felt that
Il victory had been gained a' great as any
ever won in bloody war. Peace hath her
victories no less renowned than war
need no, speak to You Of the civil war.
Its history is written and all who now hear
me remember its details. | will venture to
say, however. in this connection, that friend
and foe alike now share its glories and fruits.
No part of the Union has experienced lhrg-
tr measure of profit than the section over
which we seemingly trlumphcd. | believe
that nine out of ten Of the soldiers of the
South would to-day rather lie members of
our present glorious lnion, at peace with the
world, than citizens Of Il sOuthcrn conlcdCra-
cy, with slavery the cornerstone, aud at
constant war with their nrighbOrs.
In all the professions and walks of life into
which the human family naturally divides it.
self, the young replace the old in sensibilty,
by Il law of nature better than we could
fashion. The veterans OF our rcvO-
luton failed in 1872; those of 1872
were unequal to the Mexican war,
and in the civil war new men rose out of alb
soutc obscurity to take the leadership. So
will it be in the next war. But military cX-
peliencc and knowledge, physical strength
and patriotic leli will. in the future rs in the
past, command success Have we ruw in
ha l.s f ~ "a Of