Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-06-07
MEMORIAL DAY IN MIODLEBURY.
AN EMlNeNTLY SUCCESSFUL oELeBRA


The rXprCl>ps of Memorial day. rs
hrit fly lao ed lat weeN. were carried out
here in highly successful manner. The
Grand Army post assembled at their nall
at 80 o'clock p. M, and, preceded by
the Middlebury band, and followed by
the Sons of Veterans, Immediately pro-
ceeded to the town hall, where the ex-
ercises were to take place. The stage
was tastefully trimmed with bunting
and was occupied by the officers of the
post, the speaker of the day and the
members of the clergy and singers.
William L. Cady, adjutant of the post.
read the department. orders Tor the day,
after which followed the prescribed ritu-
alistic work by Commander YOutt and
Adjutant Cady. Rev. Charles F. Noble,
pastor of the local Methodist church, Of
fered prayer, and there was singing by
quartette composed of DR.. VIM. III.
Sheldon, Harry +. Wells, II. Parker
Williamson and Earl Cushman, the mu-
sic being III charge of Mr.. NJ. A. Mum
roe aid of the fine kind that was to be
expected from these well-known sing
ers.
Hon. John w. Stewart of Middlebury
made the address. 1t was one of the
best, if not the best, ever given here.
The following abstract will serve to
show something of its quality, although
we should have preferred, in Justice to
the speaker, to have printed the whole
had space permitted:
"There is danger that any ceremonial
of regular recurrence may in some meas
ure lose its significance and degenerate
into unmeaning form. a story loses
freshness when oft repeated; and yet in
the course of human history eventful
crises have occurred, of such vital and
thrilling interest to the race, so related
to its welfare and progress and to the
eternal principles Of truth and justice
and liberty, upon the maintenance of
which the peace and happiness and pro-
gress of the race must ever depend, that
the lapse of time serves only to enchanCe
their historic interest Not at this time
to 90 outside our own history, the great
declaration of our independence, the
emancipation proclamation and the great
uprising of the patriotic North in 1861
in defence of the Union, their long and
bloody struggle and final triumph at
AppomatOX-all these are events of i'm
perishable interest to us and will be to
all people of all time. And so say, my
friends, the beautiful ceremony which
will conclude these exercises is not
therefore, and must never become al
idle, unmeauing one.
"We engage in these ceremonies, We
make this annual pilgrimage to the
graves of our honored dead because Sc
prompted by the best instincts of oui
nature. We willingly lay aside today
our cares and business, our selfish plans
and schemes, and, standing upon high
! err level, above the dust and turmoil o
light of sober and earnest thought, lie
J us look around and above for the lessons
which the occasion may afford. Let u
take retrospective glance. 1t is won
/ dertul story, that of these men. 1t ha
been often and eloquently told. 1t lie
, wrought into immortal verse and it is EN-
2 balmed in history. Yet trite and famil
y lar as is the story, the occasion iustitie
- more specific reference thereto.
"On pleasant spring day a little NOR
= than "a years ago some misguided me
fired cannon upon the national flag
y That flag was simply strip of cotto
K bunting bearing on its folds red stripe
and a cluster of stars in field of blue
In itself this mad act would seem a ma
d ter of small moment to a dweller in thes
t. peaceful valleys. 1t was a thousan
| miles distant from our borders. II
/. authors had no designs upon Vermont
!, they only claimed that the flag shOul
! no longer fly over not very yaluab
j structure in Charleston harbor. The
: failed to understand that the flag wa
the sacred emblem of the sovereignty
n the United States, cOnsecrated to freedo
u by the blood our fathers shed on hui
bred battle-fieds. They forgot til
n record of its triumphs over sea and lanC
=, and how it had become endeared to Il
hearts of the liberty-loving of this AT
other lands as the symbol of freedo
and Justice.
"You remember how, almost befo
they died away along the shores of Car
lima, the echoes of that shot were carrie
on the wings of lightning to the reno
!, est hamlet in the land. You recall II
i' patriotic thrill that was awakened in Il
- northern heart. The strife of tongue
ceased. All minor differences Yanishe
Old party lines were obiterated. The
was but one thought and one purpose
the country, the government, it had bee
purchased at a great cost; it was ben
ficient; it should not perish. And so Il
curtain, was rung up and the awful dram
began.