Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-04-11

ABOUT PRESERVING THE DATTLE FLAGS, ABOUT
JEFF DAVIS AND his FRIENDSHIP" FOR
THE NORTH, AND ABOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Memorial hall, in the Illinois state-house in
Springfield, was dedicated for the preserva
tion of the state battle-hags on Wednesday,
2Gth ult, the ceremonies being witnessed by
hundreds of veterans. Speeches were made
by Gen. Sherman, Gen. Oglesby, Gov. Ham
ilton, Gen. John O. Black, and Gen. I. H. Ell
lott. Gen. Sherman said he had come up
from his homo in st. Louis, where he lived
in quiet and oontentment, and was as happy
as any man in the midst Of his family. He
had retired for good The government had
dealt generously with him, and he was salts
fed. The old adage read, "Old men for
counsel" il the government wanted counsel
ho was ready to give his assistance cheap; but
there was no more fight in him. He was
done. Shortly after the war, he said, he was
at boarding-house in jackson, Tenn, being
delayed by a railroad accident. The neigh
bors dropped in to see the "bandip Sherman.
Finally, a rap came at the door, and he said
Come in !" A big, strapping fellow opened
the door, and said MAY come in Z" Sher-
man said "Who the devil are you" The
fellow said he fought with Forests cavalry.
Sherman and he had n friendly talk, and in
conclusion he said "General, fought you
in 90 battles" and Sherman replied Don't
you want another, and call IL an even hun
dred p But there was, he repeated, no more
fight in Sherman now he was done. He
was highly pleased with the noble example of
Illinois in caring for the flags in such hand
some style. 1t was the finest thing of the
kind he had ever seen. He alluded in feel
ing but respectful manner to Summers prop
osition to destroy the battle-hags, as some
ancient nations had done, and explained the
absurdity Of such proposition on the ground
that the conditions are entirely different.
There never was such government, environ
cd and inwrought with conditions the same as
those of this nation He thought that the
retirement OF the soldiers to the walks and
business Of civil life was the grandost specta-
Gle the world ever saw. Why, a private sol
dier was presiding over this meeting, and here
on this platform sat old Dick Oglesby He
hoped the colors would ever be sacredly pro-
tected, for all time to come.
II the Providence which rules the world had
taken JEFF Davis, the General continued, be
fore he was captured and shot him, it would
have been a great thing. lie remembered
when he was fighting Indians in the West he
made a thousand resolutions that il he ever
got one of them he would skin him alive but
when he got the Indian by the camp. fire he
had not the heart to kill him. And SO it was
with JEFF Davis. He believed it was good
policy to turn him loose. He had boen a
good friend to the North since then, inasmuch
as the southern people would neither permit
him to write nor talk. That was better than
hanging Davis, who was at this time sim
ply plain JEFF Davis cxecrsted and despised
| by every Union man, and hated by his own
people. Gen. Sherman then spoke Of the
rising of the people of the North in 1861 and
Of President Lincoln, who, he said, was Am
erica's greatest type Of manhood-a greater
man than Seward or Chase the hblest and
most learned man in the principles Of human
| liberty the world had ever known. He was
head and shoulders above every other man.
| Gen Sherman said he would sooner be the
dead Lincoln than any living man. not except
ing King William. In conclusion, he said he
wanted to retain place in the hearts of the
people, and particularly the soldiers. When
he rat down an ex-soldier on the floor Of the
house called for Three cheers for Sherman,
such ~ we gave him at Shiloh and Pittsburg
Landing !" and they were given.