The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-06-05
MEMORIAL DAY.
Remington FitIIngly Pays Her TrIb-
ME "a the NatfOnsa Defenders.

t. ute 20 the Nations Defenders.
/, So few, but ahl the golden-fruited years
Have scattered memory blossoms on their way
, And glad nation comes with thankful heart
y To tellits love on Decoration Day.
Memorial day services in Bennington
commenced at a. m, Saturday, whei
S Custer Post, No. ~, G. A. r., CAM
> Ray, No. 4, S. of ", and Bennington
Rifles, headed by the band and accom-
f panied by number of citizens, marched
S to the Bennington Centre cemetery ant
around the grave of Capt. Frank Ray tn
Z usual services were observed and mill
: tary salute fired.
Shortly after p. m, the procession
was again formed, Increased by the ad
dition of number of bright-faced young
misses dressed in white and bedeckeo
: with the National cOlOrs, also half
dozen aged veterans from the Soldiers
Home, and the orator, president OF the
day and clergymen in carriages, besides
= large number of On-lookers. They
first marched to the cemetery, and per
formed the following memorial service
Prayer by Post Chaplain b. G. Barber;
= address by Commander Jas. u. McNa'
mar; address by officer of the day, Seth
Lawrence; address by George Nj. Marsh
firing salute; decorating graves by young
ladies, under escort of S. ", Comman-
der rs. Spear; dirge by band; calling
roll of honor by post adjutant, j. l.
LOOMS; salute to dead comrades by the
Rifles; benediction by the Rev. NJ. l..
Severance.
At the close of these exercises the
company adjourned to Free Library
Hall, where, after prayer by the Rev. G..
r. Seymour, Z. d. yelling, president OF
the day, introduced the speaker, Hon.
Asaph p. Childs of Bennington. The
following abstract will serve to give an
idea of the Grafton, which held the at
tention of an interested audience
throughout: ...
1.-The Grand Army of the dead
far outnumbers the muster-rOll OF
the living. Memorial Day is the glorious
tribute of liberty-lovers to vanishing
army of men whose fame is craven upon
the hearts of agrateful people.
"Since our last Memorial day the
flags of a nations pride have often been
at half-mast. Grant the silent, Sherman
the impetuous, Sheridan the genius,
Hancock the superb, Custer the daring,
Stannard the stubborn, all have joined
the other encampment. The records of
the War Department show a total of
2,77S,3 04 men furnished for the Union
forces during the war, of which the
army had 2,672, 34l; total of desertiOns,
l2l ,S96; total of deaths, 1874, 116; total
of re-enlistments, 504, 939; total number
in service, 2,213, 1856; number of surviv-
ors at termination of service, 1,727, 1853;
probable number of survivors in 1891,
,261, 232; in 1900, 900, $3.50; in 1910, &c.,
23l; IN 1920, 251, 727; in 1880, 1893; in
1910, $40; and by 1915 all will be gone,
after lapse of years from the close of
the war. May the thought of the his
tOric past and the duties and dangers of
the future Cypress our minds to-day
while we summon recognition of the
grave problems solved and the living
issues awaiting solution.
standing near the hallowed and his
toric spot where gallant John Stark and
his followers fought we should have pO-
tent influences to refresh our patriotism
in recalling the hardships, the self denial,
the deeds, of the sturdy patriots of 1777.
In the words of Lincoln at Gettysburg,
The world will little note nor long re-
member what we say here, but it never
can forget what they did here
The sons of Vermont never achieved
secondary place in the struggle for ma
tional independence and perpetuity.
They never dishOnOred the flag of their
country. The same daring spirit that
led brave John Stark and his band of
homo spun heroes to heroic deeds for
liberty has put the Vermonters at the
front whenever danger threatened the
Republic.
Let us highly resolve to-day to imi-
tate the simple, frugal, manly ways of
the fathers, whose wisdom, courage and
fidelity to every trust inspired their
sons, the later heroes, to deeds of free
men,and made and preserved us anation.
Our country, however, can abide no Ion
ger than the integrity of her people; no
more secure than the fidelity of her citi-
zenship or the justice of her laws.
This country can never safely forget
the admOnitiOns of Washington, Jeffer-
son and Lincoln; nor that the majesty
and enduring prosperity of nations con-
sists not in standing armies, titles,
crowns, nor in the unchecked DEGREES of
its rulers-but in promoting the welfare,
contentment and happiness of its people,
who are the true rulers. Only depart
ure from the teachings of the fathers can
overthrow this government.
"Wbat shall the harvest of succeeding
centuries be? Science, invention, edu-
cation, all are reckoning the dawn of a
new century that 1000 years since Peace
on earth and good will toward men was
proclaimed, shall eclipse all previous
achievements. But the sublimity of the
future must not obscure the memory of
Lexington, Bennington, Yorktown or
Gettysburg, nor of Washington and
Lincoln. This degeneracy would signify
the loss of honor, virtue and reverence
for liberty which could eliminate only
in degradation and disaster.
april 10, 1775, Paul Rev ere sum
moned at midnight the freemen to arms.
April Is, 1861, Abraham Lincoln called
for the first volunteers. April 10, 1861,
the first blood was shed for the Union in
the streets of Baltimore. To-day Balti-
more honOrs the united nations presi-
dent by Ovations in the streets.
'If we would forever preserve the
grandest trust ever bequeathed to men,
the noblest heritage ever obtained, may
we, 'unmoved by terror, unbribed by
gain ever hold aloft the unstaincd scep-
tire of manhood and duty. Men should
not be selected for official trusts, pri-
marily, because they bear the par isan
inscriptions, but because of worth and
fitness for the trusts imposed. Close
the avenues to unworthy aspirations;
uphold only the selection and retention
of worthy public servantsl Pensions
and awards for the disabled defenders of
the Union was the natural sequence of
the war. But would it not have been
better and wiser and more economical
had the government at the outset al
lowed a service pension to all honorably
discharged soldiers, with additional al
lowance for the badly maimed? Then
criticism could have been made that the
degree of a soldiers disability was in
anywise dependent upon his political in
fluence.
''In camp, prison, field and hospital
the ministrations of wOmankind were
the sweet solace of the suffering and the
dying. Without her aid liberty would
have persisted and rebellion would have
nurtured amid the ashes of destroyed
republic. God bless that noble, patient,
sacrificing womanhood which restored
the grandeur of an imperishable country.
| "a colossal task cOnfronts us TO keep
the ballot untainted. There is no room
in our dear land to plant the red flag.
The ballot is the weapon Of the freeman;
the bomb should destroy only the assas-
sin. America has a home for the OPP
pressed but no abode for the oppressor.
FINALLY as the shadows lengthen, as
the faltering steps slacken, the pulses
cease to thrill, may your mantles fall up
on sons and daughters of veterans who
must guard well the gateways of liberty
and defend the citadel of popular gov
eminent. The traitor to our cherished
principles will be overcome when in
that last battle, borne down by the flying
where mingles wars rattle with the
groans of the dying; her proud wing the
eagle shall flap over the false
hearted; his warm blood the wolf shall