The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-06-03
Observation-Disclosures DAY.
4 good turu out, good speaking, and
solemn and pleasing duty
performed.

AAh'tiINi INV VIZ N't'N iAN'' ''INi' 49,
Between s and 9 o'clock the Post,
Woman's Relief Corps and Sons Of
Veterans took up the line of march for
the cemetery at Londonderry. There
they were met by the Londonderry
Cornet Band. Soldiers graves were
decorated and services held according
to the ritual of the 6. a. Il. They
then proceeded to the cemetery at
Thompsonburg where the graves of all
soldiers were appropriately decorated.
The procession reached this place about
noon and proceeded to the grounds in
front of the Baptist church where a
hollow square was formed by the Post,
with mound, previously erected, with
all arch sprung over it, in the center.
The Relief Corps then marched inside
the square forming around this mound,
an appropriate song was sung by tile
johnson Bros, W. w. Pierce snd Miss
Mary Pierce, and poem read by Mrs.
DR.. Wood, when the mound and arch
was strewn and festooned with flowers
in honor of the unknown dead. This
ceremony was very impressive. After
this a bountiful dinner, prepared by the
Relief Corps and citizens, was served
at the town hall.
About O'Clock the procession was
reformed and headed by the London
derry Cornet Band, and under the
guidance of II. A. Dudley, marshal of
the day and &. r. Abbott, Post Com
mander, proceeded to the grove. AT
the grove the exercises were opened by
prayer by Rev. o. p. Fuller, after
which Il song was sung by male quar-
tett, including the Johnson Bros, then
music by the Band.
Col. W. S. b. Hopkins, the orator
of the day was then introduced and re-
ccivcd with applause. Our brief space
will permit us to give but few ex-
tracts, that our readers may judge of
the character Of this scholarly address
that was received with frequent out
burst of applause and to the entire sat
isfaction of the large audience, who lis
tened with unusual quiet attention.
The Col. in opening briefly referred to
the short period of time that had elaps-
cd since the nation had turned from the
worship of Mars to the shrine of Mi
nerva, and said:
Strangely, according to the then set
tied judgement of mankind, the absorp-
ton of this immense army into society
was attended by no unsettling of good
order and good morals, but rather by
the Strengthening of both. The charac.
ter of the men, and the grandeur of
their cause is the ready explanation of
what was phenomenal in this great So
cial and political result, and is to-day
the great reason why their achievements
should be kept ever fresh in the minds
of contemporaries and descendants a.
mong the people they served. Theil
cause was the fundamental principle
upon which this republic is and all sue
cessful republics mast be based-the
permanency and self sustaining strength
of the central government, co-eXistcnt
with the society of the democracies of
which it is composed. The orator PAID
a glowing tribute to the Northern race
that schooled amid hardships carried
with them their controlling ideas and
fixed them upon every territory they
settled, or to the settlement they gave
character, and everywhere recognized
the essential equality of men. Thi
principle in the New England tow
antedates the republic and the state,
and out of which both may be said tc
have grown; for all men were free ano
equal in these little communities Ions
before jefferson wrote the declaration
and Hancock signed it so King Georg
might read it without his spectacles
lie here drew comparison be
tween the Puritan and Hugue
not. The IIuguenots We're pious arts
tocrats. The plume of Navarro wa
their inspiration, while the Puritan