St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-06-01
The Memorial Observance.

The Memorial Observance.
Memorial exercises commenced with
a union service at the South church on
Sunday evening. Chamberlin post as
sembled at their hall and proceeded in
body to the church. The sermon
was by Rev. f. w. Culver, who spoke
from John Is: st. This sermon inau-
gurated an annual series of sermons on
the Sunday preceding MemOrial-day.
On Wednesday the programme of
exercises as arranged and published in
the last CdledOnjan were carried ont.
In the morning detachments from
Chamberlin post visited the outlying
cemeteries, and decorated the graves
of the soldiers therein.
At 40 p. IN. the line formed in
front of G. A. r. hall, under command
of Albert Harris as marshal, the pro-
cessiOn being composed of platoon of
police under chief H. E. Randall, drum
corps, Chamberlin post, disabled com
rades in carriages, and the president,
orator of the day and citizens in car
riages. The line proceeded to the
cemetery, where the graves were dec
grated by detachments detailed for
that purpose.
On their return, the veterans formed
about the Soldiers monument, which
was decorated with flowers. The male
quartette sang, and there were brief
remarks by Comrades n. p. Bowman,
Geo. r. Crosby, A. w. Roberts and E.
L. Hovey and prayer by Rev. E. T.
Sandford.
At the conclusion of these exercises,
the people repaired to the Town hall,
the veterans, clergymen and other in
vited guests occupying seats on the
platform. The hall was filled and
many were compelled to stand. The
meeting was called to order by the
president, Ex-Governor Fairbanks.
Singing by the male quartette followed,
and prayer was offered by Rev. +. T.
Fairbanks.
The Roll of Misunderstanding of the
names of eighty soldiers who went
from st. Johnsbury, died on the field
of battle, and whose names are inscrib
ed on the monument, headed by the
gallant Col. Chamberlin, in memory of
whom this post is named-waS read by
H. c. Bates, Esq, who prefaced its
reading by eulOgistic remarks of the
men whose heroism and loyalty this
occasion commemorated. 1t appears
that st. Johnsbury furnished 42S of her
sons for the suppression of the Rebel
lion, and besides those whose names
are inscribed on the monument. TWEEN
ty-nine are inferred in the cemeteries
who were discharged from service and
died since the war closed.
The president said that in France,
and in other countries. the daughter
of the regiment was ever held in high
esteem and as the daughter of this
regiment he introduced Mrs. Walter p.
Smith, who very finely read VIII
Cartoons poem commencing
Cover them over with beautiful flowers
Deck them with garlands those brothers of ours. 80
The president then introduced Col.
f. V. Randall, as the orator of the day.
He considered the unparalleled growth
and prosperity of our country since the
adoption of the constitution, and its
superior advantages over all other gov
ernments. He accorded to the patriot
ic and able men who first considered
the idea of absolute independence all
honor and praise, not only for such
conception, but for their courage in de-
livering it, This, he said, was only the
PRONUNCIATION of an idea. The indepen-
dence of the American colonies only
became fact when the ability of the
sturdy yeOmanry of the colonial period
maintained it. This was demonstrated
| by our battalions on many a hard
! fought battlefield. and to the men who
| formed those battalions our greater
gratitude should 90 out. He gave
somewhat in detail the events of the
! Revolutionary contest and its termina-
ton, and the animOsity and overbear-
ance manifested by the mother coun-
| try, until, finally, the war of 1872 was
provoked. He gave Il brief review OF
the cause, progress and termination OF
! the war, and then considered the Mex
lean war, beginning with the first cause
of difference with Mexico, abiding to
the cession of the Louisiana territory
to Spain in 1919, and, finally, to MeXi-
co in 1928, the settlement of Texas and
its struggle with Mexico, our part as &
nation in the controversy of the MeXi.
can war, and somewhat of the Ameri-
can army and heroes, as well as the
progress and conclusion of that war
The graves of all the nations heroe:
are decorated unfortunately. He al
luded to the unpOpularity of the MeXi
can war and the cause, but concluded
that we could not give up the vast ter
ritory acquired and confirmed to us il
our Mexican treaty at the close of tina
war, and, further, that the nation
adopted and approved it by each of tn,
great political parties making a lead
ing general of that war their candidate
for the presidency. The people elected
each of them-Gen. Taylor in l645 an,
Gen. Pierce in 1852, and the Wings al
so nominated Gen. Scott, who failed o
an election, but his defeat was due t,
nth.r l., - -.