Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-06
A Speech by Gen. Gordon.

When Gen. Gordon appeared before the
great crowd the cheers were almost deaf
ening throughout his speech and was in
terrupted by cries of Good" "Hurrah," ="
and other expressions of pleasure and
approval.
Gen. Gordon said | greet you tonight
with far less trepidation and infinitely
more pleasure than in the early days of
July, 1868, when last met you at Gettys-
burg. | came then as now to meet the
soldiers of the Union army. 1t would be
useless to attempt an utterance of the
thoughts which now thrill my spirit. The
temptation is to draw Il contrast between
the scenes then witnessed and now, to
speak of men with whom then marched
and those whom we met, and those who
survived to meet again 25 years later and
those who fought and fell, of the contrast
made by this mass of manly cordtalty and
good fellowship with the long lines of dusty
uniforms which then stood in battle array
beneath bristling bayonets and spread en-
signs, moving in awful silence with sulen
tread to grapple each other in deadly CON
| tict. ! would speak of all these and of
the motives which impelled each of the
swaying tides of the three days battle, of
the final federal victory and its prepond,
Grating influence in turning the scales of
the war. The nature of the pleasing duty
assigned me forbds this. There is, how
ever, one suggestion which dominates my
| thought at this hour to present which ask
brief indulgence. Ofall the martial virtues,
the one which Is perhaps more character
| istic of the truly brave is the virtue of
magnanimity. my fairest eardom would
| give to bid C an Alpines chieftain llve''
was the noble sentiment attributed to
Scotland's magn inimous monarch as he
stood gazing into the face of his slain an
tagonist That sentiment, immOrtalized
by Scott i'll his musical martial verse, will
associate for all time the name of Scot.
lands king with those of the great spirits
of the past. How grand the exhibitions
of the same generous impulses that char
terlZe the Vlctors upon this memorable
field
My fellow cOuntrvmen of the North, II
| may be permitted to speak for those
whom l represent, let me assure you that
in the profoundest depths Of their ma
ture they reciprocate that generos,,
sincerity of which brave men
are capable. In token, then, of their sin
cerity, they join in consecrating for an
an annual patriotic pilgrimage these his
| toric heights which drank such copious
draughts of American blood, poured 20
| freely in the discharge of duty, rs each
conceived IT, The Mecca for the North
which so grandly defended it, the Mecca
for the South, which so bravely and per
| sistently stOrmed it, we join you in setting
apart this land as an enduring monument
of peace, brotherhood and perpetual Union
| repeat the thought with additional EN-
phasis, with singleness of heart and pur-
pose, in the name of our common country
and of universal human liberty, and by
the blood of our fallen brothers, we unite
| in the solemn conservation of those battle
hallowed hills as a holy and eternal
pledge of fidelity to the life, freedom and
unity of this cherished republic.
| 1, ,,,;l, lit, Ma
soldier and statesman, Gen. Gordon then
introduced Gov Beaver, and when he
hobbled on his crutches to the front he
was received not less enthusiastically than
his predecessor. After Gov. Beavers
speech Gen. ; lckles read d telegram from
| Mrs. Pickett, the widnow of the general
who made the famous charge of the after
noon of the Sd, breathing forth the spirit
of unity and reRretting her inability TO be
present on account of her poor health,
Captain McCabe of Virginia, who was to
have responded to Gov Beaver IN behalf
of the southern men, WAS unable to he
present and Gen. Hooker OF Mississippi
took his place, and although he spoke eX-
temporaneously the effect was a splendid
one. While the applause was still going
on Gen. lonRstreet came quietly on the
stand. After shaking hands with Gen.
Sickles and Gordon he took seat near
the latter.
Gen Sckles then, in few fitting re-
marks, introduced the venerable war gov.
ernor of Pennsylvania, Andrew q. Curtin
and Gov. Curtin walked feebly to the rail.
Ills short talk conyulsed the crowd. Alter
Gov. Curtin Gen. LOngstreet spoke
briefly, then Gen: Slocum Gen. Curtis
commander Of he &. A X, of New York
followed, and Rev D.Nalentine closed the
exercises with tn benedictiou.
Tomorrow the final exercises of the re-
union of the Army of the Potomac will be
held at three o'clock in the natioua
cemetery, where George William Curtis