Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-06-07

here the scenes of bright plans and high
purposes yet unfulflled, here the hopes
and loves of youth, and yet our young
men-'the rose and fair expectancy of
state-at the call of duty and in defense
of great principle forsook all and fol-
lowed the call, willingly, without fear
and without hesitation. to whatever eX-
t-emty it might lead, ready to do, and,
If need be, to die for the right"
The speakers then recalled the scenes
iof wartime. at home and in the field
The result of all the suffering and loss
of life and property was the preservation
of the government, of which he SAID:
sour government is founded upon ac-
knowledged principles of right. 1t is
wholly beneficient in its ends and aims
1t proclams freedom and equal right to
all without distinction. 1t guarantees
security in person and property. 1t says
to men: Think your own thoughts,
believe your own beliefs, give your
thoughts wing if you like, go where you
will, get land, get money, yet gain, ac-
ICulluldlt DlOBtliNs 81 NOu w ~ W lliiCub
violating the rights of others; aim as
high as you will, and in all you shall not
be hindered, and you shall be protected
against any the slightest infraction of
any right 1t Is able to keep its pledge,
for it has the sanction behind it of the
consent of seventy millions of people.
1t secures to us what we term citizen
ship. What is American citizenship?
1t is panoply of defense against wrong
and outrage, at home and abroad, in
every land and on every sea; wherever
you wander its ever wakeful guardian
ship still enfolds you like the atm )s-
phere, and there is not a crowned mon
arch on earth who would venture to
treat it with disrespect.
''Soldiers of the Grand Army, to you,
the living and the dead, to your heroic
valor sustained by patriotic people we
+ are indebted for the integrity of this
, great republic which guarantees to us
, the citizenship which have described,
r with its priceless advantages. Upon all
, of us rests the vast responsibility of its
f preservation. We live in Il time of great
social unrest. The air is thick with
! rumors of threatened so-called reforms
and social revolutions. So we have
socialism, communism, agrarianism,
nihilism, anarchism, all of them old
y world products of European oppression
, and despotsm. The problem of the
self-government OF large cities is yet
n unsolved, and yet not less than one
fourth of the entire population of the
q country dwell in our cities. | venture
o to emphasize as appropriate to this day
q and occasion what seem to me the press
p ing duties of this time upon us.
V 1--WE need to cultivate and to teach our
s children clear ideas as to the nature and
l. function of our republican government
f There should be a textbook in every
e common school giving in clear, simple
# and precise terms a definite idea of the
5 fundamental principles upon which and
5 for which it was established. If this
l. were done, and we'll and thoroughly
S done, there would be less confusion OF
IS ideas. less unwise attempts at Legislation
l. and fewer self-seeking demagogues il
l. this country. 1t is not the function OF
IS government to make men moral anC
religious. No man ever was or ever vii
% be good otherwise than by self-determi
N nation. This is the Almighty plan, anC
, is irreversible. The fundamental prin
oin1o IN ic m nh mr.,
,s equality of all citizens before the law il
q. the free exercise of every natural right
+ and to uphold this principle is the grea
Sc function of government. The browning
ID glory of our system is the imitless op
r. portunties and the brilliant inducement
t; it offers to every man, however humble
Id to come up higher. The prizes whc
lie men covet, wealth, power, position
~ competence, are open to free competition
AS The security of the freedom of the ind
of vidual citizen accomplished, the prmar
m function Of the government ceases. BE
n yond this lies the domain of morals. I'll
ne morals of individuals and cOmmunite
d. must be promoted and upheld by mora
no methods. The work of tn
nd people of this great country is intinitel
m diversified; but all, whether they us
brain or muscle, or both, are co-worker
re in a common country, for a common de'
o. tiny. There is here no royal road t
ed high success or preferment. We a
IT. travel alike in the broad highway c
he equal rights. inequalities of natural eI
he dowment exist. They are gifts of tn
es common father. Inequalities of cond
ID. ton appear, but only such as are inc
re dental to humanity under the most FAY
- orable auspices ever enjoyed by any pee
EN- pie. Abuses and wrongs exist. 1t
,e them be corrected by the natural, healtl
he full cure which the moral sense of an il
ma telligent, lIberty-loving, law-abidin
Christian people can and should bring I