The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-06-18
SONS OF THE REVOLUTION
TABLET TO THEIR MEMORY DEDI- GATED 1T LEBANON YESTERDIY.

Address by General $. F, Merwin-Exer-
 cisos at the Home of the Old War Gov
 crnor, Jonathan Trumbull-An Grafton
 by Rev. Richard II. Nelson of Norwioh-
 Features of the Memorial Tablet.
 Lebanon, Conn, June l7.-The mem bers oe the Connecticut Sons of the Revolution to-day met here and dedi- cated the bronze tablet to be placed in the War office.
 At ll;30 o'clock the exercises began with the memorial exercises at the Trumbull tomb. It included prayer by the chaplain, decoration of the graves of Revolutionary patriots and the ad- dress by General $. E. Merwin of New Haven. General Merwn in his address said he was impelled to decide to accept the invitation rendered him to deliver the address despite pressing engage ments, from seeing the Grand Army veterans pass by in their parade on Memorial day, and his recalling the heroic and glorious deeds of the Union soldiers in their defence of the Union. And he recalled also the thrilling scenes when battle worn and battle scared Connecticut veterans came home from the war to New Haven, the speaker having been deputed by Governor Buckingham to welcome home the re- turning regiments with military honors.
 We are here to-day to commemorate the deeds of those who lived more than a century ago. No matter how grand may be the achievements of man, his lot is to die, put his good works and achievements live for ages. Five years ago the Sons of the American ReVolu- tton met in this town to celebrate the restoration of the old War office, which was occupied by Governor Trumbull in the dark days of the Revolutionary war. To-day we come again to place upon it's walls in letters of bronze q suitable inscription. This is a pleasing feature of our society's work which was inaugurated at Hartford when the | famous Washington elm was marked | and continued last year at New Haven where, under the auspices of General | David Humphreys branch, upon the oc- casion of the one hundred and six l teenth anniversary of the invasion of New Haven, Beacon Hill received a proper and fitting memorial. These acts will teach those who come after us how we priZed this structure and other historic spots in our day and gen. eration. Here it was that Trumbull, | Connecticut's first and foremost patriot l the true friend of Washington, the only 1 governor of the colonies who espoused | the peoples cause, was born, lived, died and was buried, and we, after lapse l of more than a century since he was 1 laid to rest, gather about his tomb with devout thanks to Almighty God that He gave Connecticut one so worthy to be the bosom friend of the father of our country. The name of TrumbulI stands out in bold relief in the history of our com 1 monwealth, and so long as the name Of Washington is remembered that of 1 Brother Jonathan will not be forgotten.
 General Merwin further said:
 "In these days, I regret to say the oath of allegiance, in many instances, 1 has become an empty form This land has become the dumping ground for the outcasts of many nations. They bring With them their ideas of anarchy and are sowing the seeds of disrespect for our government, and are breeding com munistic discomfort among many of 1 our people. More than 5,0G0000 came among us between 1880 and 1890, and the present decade will show another large influx. Many of them come, not for the love of our country or our in stitutions, but for mercenary purposes only. Some come with the idea that liberty means license. They must be taught that liberty without law is not Americanism, and that this country is not broad enough for such to occupy. There was time when our boundless prairies were tempting, and a good class of foreigners sought these shores to occupy them, but with 4,500,000 farms under cultivation in the United States, and the consequent sharp competition, the farm has no such chance to-day, and will no longer absorb such a large percentage of our immigrants The tendency is therefore to congregate in large numbers in our cities and manu- featuring villages, thereby displacing our own native labor to a greater or less degree. How long our government can stand this is an unsolved prob- lem."
 General Merwin then paid a gallant and fine tribute to the important part that women have taken in everything pertaining to patriotic work, and in conclusion said;
 "The best political mission for the true woman is to inspire men to be- lieve in one God, one flag, one destiny
 and that the education and elevation of the people for higher and nober works, until patriotism shall be sub stituted for jingoism in the halls of leg islation, and arbitration for war be- tween all enlightenment and Christian nations"
 At one o'clock a collation was held in the town hall, by invitation of the people of Lebanon, and at 2:30 o'clock Judge Gillett of Lebanon delivered an address on the green. The tablet was then unveiled. It is a fine production from the foundry of the Henry-Bounard company of New York The form is para1lelogram and the size 36 inches by 22. The main inscription recites the uses of the office during the War of Revolution, while at the right and left are suspended scrolls giving the names of the first council of safety and those of the general officers of the Continent