Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-05-30

voice aud the sentiments OF their hearts in
regard to this evil.
The proximate cause Of tho war was the
election OF Abraham Lincoln not that his
administration threatened interference with
slavery, 5ut because IL was a declaration that
the predominant sentiment Of the North was
opposed to it, The real cause was the dying
out Of the spirit Of republioanism in the
South and the coming in Of the spirit of arts.
tooraoy.
But wa need not elaborately discuss the
causes Of the rebellion, for they have passed
into history and are known 10 all the world.
II was enough for the brave and loyal men Of
the country TO know that the republic was in
danger, that the red hand Of treason was
raised against its life, when there rose up a
citizen sOldiery such Rs the world never saw
before. Farms, shops, Offices, schools and
colleges were abandoned for the battle field.
The pale.faced boy and the hardy man Of
toll donned the uniform Of blue, Hhouldered
the musket and marched side by side TO the
front. Homes. mothers, wives, children,
sweethearts, were left behind All that men
count precious In this life was given up by
them that they might rally to their country 4
rescue.
Friends, there is On unspeakable grandeur
in such love Of country, in such self-surren-
der AS this. When a man in obedience to du.
~ shuts the door OF his home behind him
and takes up the life OF "a soldier with all
that that life implies-the weary march, the
privation, the facing Of death on the battle
held and in the prison-peu, the giving Of
himself and what il dearer to him than life
that his country may live, by his self-sacrifice
he performs an act OF the highest herosm
And this WAS the record Of thousands 1t was
the uprising Of patriots at their country 8
call
We should not omit on this occasion TO pay
tribute to the loyal women Of the land, whose
assistance in the great cause, at home and at
the front, was OF inoalculable value. And it
was hardly less heroic in them to send their
husbands, sons and brothers to the field be
cause their country's need Of them was great.
or than their own, than 1t WAS in the men to
60 to that countrys service.
"Ihe wife who girds her husbands sword,
Mid little ones who weep or wonder,
Aud bravely speaks the cheering word
What though her heart be rent assuudrr-
Doomed nightly IN her dreams to hear
The bolts Of war around him rattle,
Hath shed as sacred blood AZ eer
Was poured upon the held Of battle!
The mother who conceals her grief,
WINE 70 her breast her ron she presses,
Then breathes few brave words, aud brief
Kissing the patriot brow she blesses
With no one but her secret God
To know the pain that weighs upon her,
Sheds holy blood a. e'er the sod
Received on Freedom E nuld Of honor"
When at last the nation came out OF that
deadly struggle the land was sepulchre OF
slain heroes. Hundreds of thousands of the
living were wounded or diseased Nearly ey-
cry house contained disabled soldier. The
people mourned their dead, aud their graft.
tude went out TO the living and the dead.
whose valor had saved the republic.
The first and greatest result Of the war was
the preservation of the Union. The doctrine
of state rights rs paramount TO those Of the
nation the power OF any people to nullify
federal laws and the rights of states TO Sc
eede from the Uuicn-these had all been dis
turbng questions ever since the organization
OF the government 1t Is not remarkable
that even IL New England disunion senti-
ments should have been expressed and that
they should have been formulated into reso.
lutons as they were in the Hartford conven.
ton. But they were unpopular In the North
and their opponents were always under the
ban OF public opinion, while in the South II
was prevailing doctrine, to maintain which
that section Of the country arrayed itself in
open revolt against the government To
have admitted the right OF disunion would
have been to admit that we had no govern D.
ment worth the name that the Union WAS n
mere confederation OF states that might be
broken up at pleasure, rather than confed-
Grafton and organization OF the people of the
United States IN order to establish Justice and
secure the blessings OF liberty to themselves
and their posterity. The people Of the
South fought brsyely to establish tine ripbt of
secession, but they overlooked the fact that
the Confederacy, If established, could. on
their own theory, have no stability.
These questions have been forever set At
rest No one save that infatuated and pitia-
bic old man, who mourns by day for the lost
cause and dreams by night that he is Presi.
dent OF Southern Confectionery whose chief
cornerstone Is slavery survives to question
the integrity Of the republic The union Of
he states and Of the people is inseparaby
cemented in the blood Of patriots.
The next grand result OF the war WAS the
abolition Of slavery, Its primary cause Not
that the army Of the republic was called out
to emAnclpate the slaves, but under the laws
OF war, the slaves were freed as a war meas-
IRE aiopt-d for the suppression OF the rebel
lion, and thus the nations greatest curse. the
foulest blot upon her fair fame was removed
race was set flee, new possibilities were
opened to the South aud America thenoeforth
became In fact, what 1t had before been on
ly in name land Of liberty.
IN times OF long continued peace and pros.
perity We become insensible TO our oblipa.
lions 70 the government under which We live
We pay our taxes, obey the laws. maintain
good citizenship. aud are.iu q sense grateful
for protection and the otner benefits which
We enjoy, without full realization Of the
amount of money and labor and thought it
has cost to establish these free institutions
nor of the full scope and value of the bless.
ings which they confer But when they are
imperilied by foes without or foes within our
h0rOorg the lafpUf fF Al
iy burst into flame the land is filed with
men ready II need be to lay down their lives
for their country. No recollection of the
war Is better worth preserving than that of
the mingled fire of indignation and patriot.
Ism that ran through the land and inspired
every heart upon the firing of the first shot
upon our country's flag, and that increased
in intensity until the browning SUCCESS and
glory of our arms at Appomattox.
Great as was the cost Of the war in treas
ure and in life irrepRrable as was tn pub
lie and private loss, yet the nation is rich to-
day-rieh in the products of her soil, her
forests, her manufactures and in the hidden
treasures OF her mines-but richest of all in
her men-those who rendered her valuable
service IN civil life, and the long line Of her
soldiers, from the great commander who led
her armies to final victory, to whom Lee
handed his sword in token of surrender, and
whom we shall always love and honor, wheth-
er in prosperity or adversely down to the
humblest man in the ranks who did his duty
faithfully. The memory Of these men, liv-
ing and dead and their achievements is a
priceless heritage Of the war for the suppress
sion of the great rebellion.
Republics are called ungrateful but ours
has certainly shown gratitude by the oompen-
satlon 1t has made TO its soldiers and sailors
of the late war.
II has paid them in bountes, Ssss 745 900
IN pehslouh .S62l ,0l3 900
Number Of invalid pensions allowed, .......9I5,2 POI
To widows and dependent relatives, 206 7l6
About eighty million dollars are annually
appropriated for the payment of pensions
and the expenses Of running the Pension Of
nee. In addition 10 all this must be remem.
bered what the Government does for its sol.
dlers by way of land warrants hospitals and
homes.
The following extracts from the report of
the Commissioners of Pensions, made up to
June 30, 1888, the end of the last fiscal year,
will be of interest
PENSION POPULATION.
In my last annual report gave you the results OF
quite extensive investigation into the subject OF the
possibilities Of the pension business 1t was
thought quite important to know as nearly as posi-
bic what 10 expect in the matter Of future apphca-
tons, sought hrst TO ascertain the total number OF
individuals who enlisted and served in the Army and
Navy OF the United States; rejecting the re-enst-
menH ana third aud subsequent services there were
found, actual individual enlistments during the war
Vfnnur he .E.I 81