The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1888-06-01
NUMBER 43.
BRATTLEBORO ORATORS ELSE
WHERE.
ELSE
A Pleasant Reception to j. l.. Marin at
Middlebury-Col. HOIbro0k at RutlaI,
Haskins ut Cambridge, N. Y.

A Pleasant Reception to j. T.. Marlin at
Middlebury-Coi. Holbrook at Rutlam
Haskins at Cambridge, N. Y.
EN-Speaker j. l.. Martin spoke at Middle
bury where he was accorded most rutuusi-
astic reception. The Masonic and other or
ganzatiols of the place, as we'll as The old
Veterans participated in the Observance. Mr..
Martins address is most warmly praised by
Middlebury people. The Rutland Herald
says 1t was "fne oration,' and the Regis
ter at Middlebury describes Mr.. Martin as an
easy and pleasing speaker' He paid
warm and eloquent tribute to Sheridan over
whose deathbcd the country watches anxious
~. The address is thus summarized in the
Register
Human nature is faulty hence the opposition
a. through the ages 10 advancement, religious
clvil and political. War is regarded as a relic
OF barOalism. OF those which are wagcd merely
for conquest and spOils that is true but a con
test for justice, for liberty IS not Justly so class
ed. Inc sword IN the after case is but the
hand of Omnipotence raised to drive sin from
the world. Was the sword relic of barbarism
which was opposed TO those who sought to de
stroy the constitution and perpetuate slavery.
IL was, rather taken up that re ic of bar
barous ages might be botted out A great ma
tion, wrung from tyranny to liberty, vet favor
ed ana maintained an institution founded on
principles exactly the opposite of those Mt the
basis of the republic. The masters OF the slaves
had become arrogant. Murders, riots, and, f.
nally rebellion were but the legitimate result
| Oh tlle save system. SO II came about that the
question, whether the nation should be all slave
or all free, had to be solved. The people of the
| north were by nature peaceful. They venerated
! the constitution and the government, and when
| the nag representing that government was trail.
| Ell in the dust they became men of war, the
grandest soldiers that the world ever saw.
When the contest was over the boys in b ne
came back to their homes and quickly dropped
i into the ranks of citizens. But not a OF them;
| for more than 100000 Of them fell fighting for
tner country. Vermont can boast her green
/ Dp1IltV lp oftl tlai al 1.
gence OF her peop and most of all of her So
! dlers who have record rarely If ever equalled.
Though history gives full credit for their
achieVements, they cannot be too often recalled.
| Those who took part in the conflict are rapidly
| passing away. Mddlebury enlisted 800 men;
but less than 100 of them are%now alive. AS to
soldiers holding office, other things being equal
let them have the places.
COL h. Haskins spoke at Cambridge. n. Y,
! before large assembage. He made the
purity of the ballot and the Sexton bill Just
| passed by the New York Legislature lead
| ing feature. of his remarks.
Col. Hooker spoke at Bellows Falls and our
correspondent there gives a brief account of
the address. which the Colonel declined to
allow the Times TO publish in full because he
| purposes to use it again at veterans re-
union.
Col. w. C. Holbrook at Rutlane on the Yer
mont Troops in the War.
1t would be Interesting, well as instructive,
| could we pause to enter more into details CON
corning the many important battles in which
| our ernl0nt boys took part But time Will not
admit. Suffice it to say, that there was not
considerable battle during the war in which
| Vermont was not well represented, either by
! her own organizations, or in the person of some
one or more of her sons. on the Peninsula, at
| Gettysburgh, throughout Grants overland
paign, throughout Sheridan's brilantcampaign
/ IN the Shenandoah Valley, in the many hard
fought cavary contests in Virginia, at yicks
/ burSh, Baton Rouge, Port Hudson and Mobile
her organizations, as such, were given posts of
the greatest danger and acquitted themselves as
\ might have been expected, with conspicuous
4 valor.
At one time it supposed that Vermont
stood second in her list of casualties: but it lis
now sett ed that the losses sustained by her slate
troops reached higher percentage than those
met with by any other of the Union States, not
excepting Kansas, which unit recently held the
sad honofiof standing first in the list CT casual
tury Magazine, who has evidently given the
subject of losses both sides during the Re-
bellion careful consideration, tells us that the
| heaviest osses by brigades are to be credited TO
| our old Vermont brigade and to the Iron brig
ade OF the lst corps, and he also informs us that
the general losses on our side in such battles as
| Gettysburgh, the Wilderness, Spottsyivania,
stone River and some others of prominence
were relatively gre ter than in any of the prin-
cipa battles of the French and German war, or
of any other war of modern times. This surely
is fact of which we may well fee proud, illus
tratiug as it does, the valor and military powers
of our people. But when in connection with it
we remember the good order and discipline
| which prevailed among our rank and ii e, after
any importan' victory, how much greater should
our admiration be?