Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-06-05
MEMORIAL DAY IN MIDDLEBURY.


morning, and during the greater part of
the forenoon the storm kept up. But the
band, members of the Sons of Veterans
and the Grand Army went out to East
Middlebury through the rain to assist
Needham post in its observance of the
day. What was done there is told by
our East Middlebury correspondent.
THE GRAFTON AND POEM.
The exercises began here at o'clock,
by which time the rain had ceased. The
town hall was crowded. The Grand
Army men, the Sons of Veterans and
members of the Ladies' Aid society aux
ilary to the Sons of Veterans occupied
seats in the body of the house. All the
rest of the seats were filled with citizens,
many of whom could not be accommoda-
ted with sittings, the attendance was so
large. The stage was handsomely deco
rated with flags. Commander K. p.
Russell of Russell post presided. Seated
with him on the stage were the speaker,
Hon. Frank Plumey of Northfield; Rev.
DR.. Weber, Rev. 5. II. Barnum Of Corn
wall, the "a young ladies, all dressed in
white, representing the various Vermont
organizations Hon. w. Ii. Bingham of
Cornwall, the marshal, and the college
quartette, composed of Messrs. Tolman,
Hesselgrave, Hasseltine and Thomas.
Mr.. Sawyer presided at the piano.
The opening prayer was made by Rev.
Mr.. Barnum, and the college quartette
rendered "Rally round the flag Com
mander Russell then introduced MIR.
Plumley, who spoke for about 30 min
utes in very pleasing, instructive and
eloquent manner. This day, he said, is
written in the statute book of the State
and in our hearts as sacred to the heroic
dead. 1t should be made to retain its
significance as the nations Sabbath; let
it ever remain the nations holy day. Each
return of the day marks the addition to
the ranks of the dead of some veteran.
Their graves are rapidly thickening in
our cemeteries. To these some enduring
memorial hall or monument should he
erected, and you may be sure his glory is
not mean or small whose name is en-
rolled thereon. Put the memorial, what
ever it may be, in some public place, and
let its prominence show the honor you
have paid to your heroic sons; let it be a
sign of the peoples affection for them and
a striking object-lesson to the young,
planting within their minds hatred of
wrong and oppression as well as loye of
country. The conflict in which they
bore part was immense and their sac
rifice great. When the war began we
had no large standing army, few tried
leaders and an empty treasury. On the
union side there were enlisted during
the war 2,560,053 men and at its close
more than one million were mustered
out. The cost of the struggle in money
was rot less than the cost in men. Dur
ing the years 1863 and GA the expense
was larger than all previous expenditures
of the government from its foundation.
In such a crisis in the nations history as
the war marked there could be no ques-
ton as to Nermont's attitude. Her an
swers to President Lincolns calls for
men and money were prompt and full.
She enlisted, in all. 35,6S0 men, 81, 23S of
whom were sent to the front, and her
expenditures on account of the war
reached the enormous sum of S9.0S7 1903.
Vermont soldiers were in the first and in
the last battles of the war, and nobly
did they sustain the reputation of the
Green Mountain boys of the early days.
Statistics show that. taking the army
"a a whole, about one in nine men per-
ished; of the Vermont troops about one
in seven never returned. Middlebury
mounds now cover the remains of her
honored dead. The speaker here quoted
at some length from the reports of Gen.
l.. \. Grant, now assistant secretary of
war, and Adutant General Washburne,
who highly complimented the Vermont
troops for the parts they took in some OF
the hardest-fought battles of the war
Continuing he said: Those who survive
and are here today were among those
thus strongly commended. But finally
the mighty struggle for supremacy be-
tween the North and the South came tC
an end the old flag once more floateG
over our vast domain. and the Mississirp
rolled unchecked to the gulf. Then oul
people started with a fresh impetus tC
build an empire. How astonishing hat
been the growth of that structure we al
know, yet it is but prophecy of wha
is to be. But the future has its dangers
which all good citizens will do their par
to guard against.
Such were some of the points of a