Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-06-02


score of others, were stained by some of
Vermonts best blood The gallant Stan
nard with his Vermonters at Fort Harrison |
in the Shenandoah, fighting after his arm |
was shot away, showed the metal of which |
our men were made. AT the final assault |
on the lines at Petersburg Gen. Wright |
selected the Vermont brigade to lead the |
column at a time when officers and men
Wed with ca h other Good bye, boys, this
means DEATH Yet on and on they went,
amidst grape and canister shot and shell,
filling the air and sweeping the ground,
until they mounted the parapets of the
enemy's intrenchments and there unfurled
the stars and stripes in the triumph Of vie
sory.
Though history rscc-ls The deeds Of Lar.
! ing and good soldiery, yet they cannot be
toe often repeated. Veterans, | do not
fear being accused of want of originality
in commenting further upon your record
! in battle. To some of the most brilliant
of your achievements | have not alluded,
and it is better that | should not than to
tire you in talking about them
No voice was ever heard criticising the
repetition of the virtues of our fathers
who baptized this nation at its birth in the
blood of the Revolution; yet we are some
times reminded that a recital OF those deeds
of courage and valor that subdued treason
and rebellion is liable to create barrier to
a more perfect reconciliation between the
two sections of our common country,
which is essential to its peace, security and
prosperity. Veterans, in this there is
error We do not boast of your soldiery
because you conquered a people or killed
men, but because you subdued treason, es
tabished universal freedom, and main
tanned the supremacy of the constitution
and law of the only nation on earth of
which every citizen was part of the gov
eminent and participated in the selection
of those who should govern. Besides this,
the banners of rebellion have nO place by
the side of that old national emblem which
you and your comrades bore in the perpe
tuity of the government.
While the spirit of Memorial should ex-
tend forgiveness and charity to a defeated
foe, it should reflect accurately the great
principles involved in the contest, and
there should be no timidity in reviewing
the achievements wrought by true and
brave men. The peace that followed war
, is equally worthy of the glory and honor Of
those who today constitute the Grand Ar
my CT the Republic. The conquered and
the conqueror broke bread together; they
returned to their homes OF peace and read
lily became adjusted to the arts of peace
they returned TO citizenship in perfect or
= der. In both war and peace our soldiers
f are entitled to the highest tribute of honor
= by grateful people.
5 Soldiers are we all; every life has its
battles, its victories and its defeats Vic
: tories won for spois and for power are
heeting and transitory, while defeats there
e in work ruin. Victories won in contests
- 4 l.
e be carried forward upon the pages of his
e tory to immortalize the dead; and defeat
= in such a contest is but momentary, for
f "truth crushed to earth will rise again.
e When we gather around the little mounds
j or hillocks which contain the ashes of the
e dead soldiers, and strew them with flowers
5 we fully realize that the grave is empty, fol
o the soul has gone to God who gave IL.
e Yet these acts of decoration immortalize
y patriotism, foster spirit of love AMI re-
! spect for law and for the best institutions
of our government; it gives strength and
S dignity to us as nation and kindles atresi
= in the hearts of the living desire and de-
: termination to forever maintain this gov
;, eminent of liberty handed down TO us by
n those whose lives were cOnsecrated to it.
e great nation has been established and
/ has been maintained. A great representa-
/ tive form of government, so established and
d so preserved, has passed into our care, oul
= protection and our custody. In this there
i is a sacred trust.
!, With such government as this placed
j, in the hands of the people, it will prosper
n and grow stronger so long as all its institu
+ tions are carefully maintained and pre-
e served. These institutions are peculiar tC
n our people and to this form of government
e they were established by calm, considerate
brave, candid and able men, but their fam
: lilies, though well worthy of their paren
d tage, are exceedingly small and growing
# smaller We must therefore look to those
: who become Americans by adoption-thC
e industrial classes who flock to our shores
in the hope that they will become property
l. owners and lovers of our institutions, and
g thus ardent supporters of this form of gov
e eminent.
e We cannot shut our eyes to the fact thai
l. the tide of immigration is pouring into oul
;, large cities and coast townships a popula
,r ton who have among them public agitator:
h who are hostile to our institutions, anC
i some of them seem to foster a spirit of op
rs position with such clannish persistencN
If that by and by demagogues and vote tisher
must 90 to the rear that we may have
l. craftsmanship to preserve unalterably thes'
1t sacred institutions which are our sacreC
Is trust. As to this form of government tn,
lie hopes of mankind rest with us. Should
1t we fail, the knell of popular government
m will be sounded throughout the earth. The
Of danger of sectional controversy is past; NJ
Is north, no south, no east, no west, if no
ID now will soon be spoken by every tongue
the hands of friendship will be firml,
s. grasped henceforth in continued and last
ic ing unity across the waters of the Ohio anC
IL the Potomac.
4 Our danger lies in our failure to maintain
ut these institutions of ours peculiar to thi
er nation, and of which we are the heirs an,
III legatees. Our safety lies in that class o
S industrial and honest men, born and bre'
L. here, and of like class who come from
re foreign lands to adopt ours, who, whel
er they perceive that there is a personal dut
st resting upon Them that they are part o
lr the government as well as the governed
IS, will join hands in the fostering care of al
our institutions that continue us in learn
s. ing, freedom, independence and prosperity
- apprehend that when danger become
- apparent, if that time comes at all, tn
trua sDiTit Of Amarica nism will arise liz