Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-06-24

nope OF happy ana prosperous future was
opened to mankind in new and free country.
/ Washington whose early life and home
/ training combined with the imperative demands
upon HIM Of the times in which he lived made
nun the one man fit and able to lead the strug-
CLING states to victory in their strife for independ
ence, and afterward to rule wisely as their head
and president was the theme Of harlps Cox s
grafton, and our first president was by the young
speaker given the lofty place among the nation S
great men which is his right
/ Inc constitution was the subject upon which
/ Miss EStella G. Cooper spoke The object of a
constitution, and the needs which call for it, were
alluded to, and then was given the sketch of our
/ constitution the events which preceded the first
/ drafting of it, the changes and improvements
/ made until today il is the most complete in the
/ world, and tts excellence In the past has become
| the groun of strongest hopes for the future
One of the finest orations of the evening was
| that of A. Leslie Brasor, upon webster" and at
| his hands the great lawyer, orator and statesman
| lost no one of the laurels which was his due
! His private life and glorious public career were
| set forth IN glowing language and extracts from
! some OF his celebrated speeches were given with
| fine effect.
Frank e Haskins Grafton on "Gettysburg'
was well received, and the deadly struggle, whose
outcome meant so much TO the country threaten
ed with dismemberment, was wildly pictured
and its influence on the final result Of the Civil
| war clearly shown.
John w. Howe touched upon the history of
slavery as Introductory to his subject Enamel.
patton, one of the greatest and most weighty in
its effects OF any act of modern times Issued as
war measure, but made permanent by the
adoption by Congress of the 18th amendment its
results have been such as the great hearted
emancipation would not have regretted
An essay upon Lincoln by Miss Bessie
Read, showed how from the most lowly origin. by
his own innate greatness and his own unaided
efforts Abraham Lincoln rose to high honor, re-
ceiving finally the highest Office in the gift of his
countrymen This best loved and most trusted
of American presidents was a characteristic
American product, and his life is an inspiration
to every true American citizen.
Ralph W tudworth spoke Of "Grant " His
life was briefly sketched his early years of hard
ship, his West Point training, his gallant service
in the Mexican war, and again in the Civil war
and finally his elevation to the presidency No
one is entitled to more honor in this country than
he whose name and fame belong to the whole
world
The fourteenth state" interested the hearers
who do not often weary of hearing the praise Of
their own state sung and Hugh W. Guild
again described the sturdy. upright integrity of
its men, its unbouuded resources the conspicuous
and influential place occupied 10y It's representa-
tives, the high rank of its schools and press they
were proud of the fact that they were Vermont
ers.
Leon VI. Lambs Grafton was exceptionally well
delivered, and his subject. THE Green Mountain
boys was also one which rouSed the SympathieS
ana enthusiasm of the audience, and pride and
admiration fo those heroes. who, while not
members of the union, yet gave freely of their
strength and manhood for its independence. and
to break the bonds of their brothers.
j. Benjamin Harmon rehearSed the noble rec
ord of vermont in the Civil war lie spoke of
Gen. John W. Phelps, our own towusman, who
commanded the first regiment of troops raised
in the state and went ON to tell Of the bravery
and stanchness Of the Vermont boys, from the
time they acre first under fire at Bull Run, till
the great struggle ended. To the Vermont
troops was ascribed the honor of being the first
to enter the streets of the fallen rebel capital,
and while the proportion Of men lost was greater
than that of any other state, 1t due rather to
bravery than poor generalship or needless expo
sure to the enemy.
An InterniSsiOn was afforded at tins point hy a
selection by the orchestra, and at its close Edgar
ID. Sanders considered The nations wards d" the
much abused Indians. The government was
he nod In fla laf
OF agreement after agreement made with them.
for refusing to the Indian alone Of all the sub
jects under its sway the right of citizenship and
Tor allowing the outrages and abuses which are
inflicted in the name of the government and il
was shown that the helpful and civiZing influ.
enceS, which are working, and that effectively,
among the Indians, are due to missionary rather
than state efforts. Education and industrial
training are the only hope of this race, aud the
nation should rouse and save herself from anoth-
er century of diShonor by giving to these oppress
ed people the privileges Of which they alone are
deprived. The vexed question was well present
ed.
In The South of today" another matter of
great lntere I was considered by Geo. l.. " Hard
The new South, he said, is ola theme and
formerly when we talked of il co sidered the
condition of the colored man; but now we turn
our attention To the white man rather. The pres
ent ana increasing state Of prosperity IN the
South, the uplift in education aud business the
growing thrift, manufacturing and commercial
awakening, and the encouraging outlook were
laid before the hearers And all this activity
and progress Is due to what was first consider
ed fatal blow to Southern prosperity the abo-
lltion of slavery.
Miss Marion C. Adams wrote of Iongf-llow e"
and her essay was "a beautiful tribute to the rep
resentatiVe poet of our land, the best loved. the
most widely known and hOnored. who came close
70 the people because he touched their hearts,
his sweetest, most enduring verses being written
for them His beautiful life lived for his friends
/ makes MIN doubly reVered and though other great
tames rise about him, his place is never filled
In his Grafton on American inventive genius
W. Verne Eason spoke of the wonderful produc-
fla tf,r..
age the world has ever seen, of the immense val
Tie to the world of those inventions which have
come from the brain of Americas noted inven-
tors, of the high rank in which country stands
IN this respect, and predicted for the future won.
ders which shall surpass anything yet evolved
from the brain of the greatest genius
j. Harry Estey looked the matter of "Immigra
ton squarely in the face, and his Grafton was a
strong handling of the important question. deliv-
cred with dignity and force. The great dangers
VI Tue present system were recognized and deplor
ed, and the pressing need of legislative action in
the matter was urged Statistics show the vast
] ness OF the lndscriminate mass of human beings
/ many OF them from the lowest ranks of life in
! other countries constantly being brought to us,
/ and some method should be devised by which
/ this mass may be sfted, and only such as will
! make profitable citizens be admitted An increase
OF the TAX on immigrants and the demanding of
certificates OF some degree Of education in their
own language from those who come here were
suggested as remedies
That sublime emotion which strs the hearts
| OF men and makes heroes OF common men,
! love OF country, which is second only to love
OF God, was treated by ISIS Jennie T Edwards
IN her essay on Patriotism She stouty up
/ held the patriotism of men of the present day
who, though they have not the same call for sac
| rittce OF self that men Of former years have had
would Ike no less ready to offer themselves should
| need be, for their cOuntry's service than were
| they True heroism does not need TO show itself
! in deeds of war
| The inspiring theme of American citizenship"
| was discussed by James c. Austin, and he rose to
! the demands OF his subject. The advantages of a
! system which teaches men to rely on their own
| eXertions and makes them independent and self
| reliant were recognized, and true citizenship was
| defined. The dangers which threaten the Coun-
! try were shown to be within rather than without
and the safeguard against them is the rearing of
men who shall understand the value of their citi-
zenshp in such republic and be- filled with true
and devoted love of liberty and truth
The public schools found a stanch ally in
/ Miss Florence A. Fits. The wisdom of the early
/ fathers Ia laying as foundation for the future
/ the firm establishment of public schools was
| greater than they realized. Through one educator
and another the standard and methods have been
/ raised until advantages for progress now offered
/ suipass any thing the past has known. The in
! tluencts OF the public school helm mould the
! character, and prepare one for life's struggle.
] Since the rank of countries according to wealth,
prosperity and Intelligence is Identical it'll their
| order regards education, the rich Inheritance
of our country should be carefully guarded
The coming event OF the country, The Colum-
| bian exposition" Miss Mary Il. Wilson's
subject, and the eight great worlds fairs of the
! past were briefly reviewed, with a glance at the
! vast proportions and surprising magni1cence of
/ next years exposition, which It is intended shall
Guido any similar event the world has seen.
/ The honor of the valediCtOry address fell to
! Miss Marion Adams, The essay was chaimngy
written, and the unaffected, simple manner Of its
! delivery was very pleasing.
At the conclusion of the exercises by
the class they were presented their diplo-
mas by Rev. Mr.. Phalen, of the school
board, who expressed briefly his gratifica-