The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1888-06-15

COmTddcs ana Friends.
A little more than year ago In company
with Governor Ormsby, General Grout, Ad
iutant-General Peck, Colonel Proctor, Col
other representative Vermont soldiers, ] hat
the pleasure of meeting my old friend anC
cOmrade, your Commander, DIR. Billiard. Oh
the battlefield of Gettysburg, whittier they
had come to mark the location upon which
monuments were to be erected to cOmmemO
rate the valOr of Vermont troops In that
terrible battle.
When he asked me II would come home
and deliver the address upon this occasion
thOughtleSSly answered "yes'' not realiZ
ing that q year hence he would remember
the conversation and claim the fulfillment
of that hasty promise.
When few weeks ago l received the an
nouncement that had been formally inyit-
ed to do so by Chamberlain Post, my inn
pulse was swift and strong to write him
that l could not come. AS often as | at
tempted to do so my hand was staid by q
stronger desire to be with you, and at last
telegraphed him that would come
now almost regret that ! did not obey
my first impulse, for l realize how made
Quate am to satisfactorily perform the du-
ties thus thOughtlessly assumed; at the
same time rejoice that did not, as it gives
me an opportunity of once more greeting my
old comrades, meeting my old friends, and
tribute upon the graves of those who came
not back with us.
During each of the twenty years since the
inauguration of this National Memorable
Anniversary, l have listened to the adj
dresses delivered at Arlington and other
cemeteries, around Washington and have
read scores of similar addresses delivered
elsewhere.
have been struck with the fact that near
ly every orator has claimed for this patri-
otto and beautiful observance remote an
tiquity. Before proceeding desire to en-
ter my protest against this singularly enor-
nous assumption, and to claim it as pecu-
liarly and distinctively American.
1t was an inspired thought. born of the
sentiments of cOmradeship and patiOtism or
iginal with the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie, at once adopted by the American peo-
pie and dignified by the National Govern
ment by making it a legal holiday
All nations, ancient and modern, have
paid obituary and pOsthumOus hOnOrs to
their military chieftains.
The returning cOnquerOr, drenched with
the blood OF an innocent and unOffending
people and bearing the spOils of a nation
whose land he had left deluged with blood
and tears, has always been received with
loud acclaim and his pathway strewn with
flowers
Pyramids have been built to serve as the
tombs of kings who Subjugated surround
ing nations, and held their own subjects in
worse than serylle bondage; temples have
been erected in honor OF delfied heroes trl-
umphal arches have been reared to perpet-
uate the fame of emperOrs pillars and ODE
lisks have pierced the sky, and monumental
mounds have been piled to mark the sites
of victorious battles.
The tribute of a nations honor has always
been expended upon the chieftain. What
other nation in all history has ever cared
ypn a MOI
material of war, and was no more thought
of than his broken weapon.
To the Grand Army OF the Republic, then,
and to the American people, belongs the
credit of hOnOring the memory, preserving
the names and relating the deeds of the
Scarcely had peace resumed her sway,
when a grateful government, from every
battlefield, hospital, burying ground, prison
pen and wherever a soldier grave couid De
found, tenderly ana careIulay gatnered tne
remains OF tnose VINO mad IaiIen IN its de-
a tare anu Which tSe arts az tba AMI
eterles, upon Which eie arts vi IIe iahu-
ScaRe Saiuonca naso Toon oAnauSteu.
HGse tn,1s S,int N"oo 4eoh MAUI ZIG
ihoS! peautjui SPo.o vi oatIu iioIo ~ III
truslve Weeu WIZ eyer ,; ne atiowen W Slows
no coll1ulis iiooe ~ ulii io Mn.o ti ~
Ihe marble anu ~ tSnt on Ks ~ uss
the verdant mantle t t c0ye q, the sacred
dust Deneath. mere Tree anu snruD anu vine
and flower unite TO make make on eartn para,
dlSe, ana Sohg.oi!us carol uilolsluroed anu
build their nests IN peace.
This sympatny WIN na ana honof 10 me prl-
vate soldier, Is tne predominant sentlment
expressed In every way IN tnese cemeteries.
In the centre OF inc cemetery at Antletam
stands colossal ana herolc statue, carved
in white granite, OF private soldier stand,
ing at ''parad rest, keeping watch ana
ward over the sleepers Deheath. IN the
battleheld OF GettysDurg, Wnlch mas ALREADY
become the American metropolis, nave al
ready been erected hundreds OF Deautlful,
expensive and artlstic monuments, and 9th
er hundreds are 70 follow, erected by the
various States. On almost every one the
ornamentatlon speaks OF the common sol,
der; prlvates, transformedto granite, stand
as they stOOd on those memoraoie Gays,
sharpshooterS lie behind rocks with their
eager eye, sighting the rifle pointed to the
enemy the musket, the cartrldge-Dox,, the
knapsack and the canteen, everywhere
carved upon the stone is seen the form or
the accoutrement OF the private soldier.
The most lnSplrltlng, heroic aud Wlthal
the most artistic piece OF monumental scu!p-
ture that have ever seen is that erected by
the 18th MASSACHUSETTS, regiment, TO mark