Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-12-25
Edward j. Phelps.
His Notable Utteronccs in New York on
"FOretathers' Day"

"FOreTathers' Day"
At the regular annual dinner of the
New England society of New York city on
"forefathers day." December %, the first
toast was responded to by Edward j.
Phelps of Burlington. After some intro
ductory words, Mr.. Phelps said:
We have passed through crisis that, IN
my belief, is the greatest this country has
encountered. 1t went through the revolu-
tionary war; If the revolution had failed,
some other would have succeeded. 1t went
through the terrors of civil war; but the
conclusion of that war was foregone
from the beginning, and we still remain
the greatest and most powerful nation on
the face of the earth.
No party could have won the great con-
test of this year, no section could have
won it, and whatever else may be said, it
never could have been won but for New
England. The first lead came from New
England, In those early September days
when the minds of men we're agltated,
when many were frightened and many
were skulklng TO find cover. 1t was one
of the smallest of the states--certainly,
the least assuming of the states-the state
| of Vermont, whose voice was first called
| for, and the response was with no uncer
tain sound; the largest majority and the
largest vote ever given in that state-a
great turnout of one party, reinforced by
about half Of the other. "Well," it was
said, vermont stands by itsef we shall
hear from Maine directly" Maine, the
resid NE Of one Of the adverse candidates,
a man who in that great battle enjoyed
the extraordinary advantage of being on
both sides; mistrusted by his party for the
very qualities that made him trustworthy
as a man.
Well, after a while the country heard
| from Maine, and the voice of Vermont
was forgotten. 1t was not by the electoral
vote of New England, unanimous as it
was. That was but small contribution
to the great majority. 1t was not by the
lead, which was little more than a repeti-
tion of Nelson's signal at Trafalgar: New
England expects every son of hers to do
his dutym The great battle ground was
further west. II was in Ohio and Indiana
and Illinois, and all those middle western
states. A friend Of mine in Milwaukee, a
calm man, not given to vainglory or boast
ing, was saying early in the season that
Wisconsin was safe beyond all question.
| Said a friend: "lIow dare you undertake
to assert that, in the face of all that is go
| ing on, Wisconsin Is safe?h "Sir," said
| he, "do you know that in the state of Wis
consin there are more than 10000 men
that were born in Vermont? Do you be
/ lieve that they are going to allow this state
to go for reputation and dishonor?'
/ Well, they didn't, and when on the night
of that election day and the following
morning the great response came back and
! a L. Ifar a lfpr
and Wisconsin and Iowa and Michigan
and Minnesota, each answered unto each
in morning salutation that all was well,
whoever was surprised. New England
was not surprised, because high and clear
and strong above the tumult she heard the
unforgotten voice Of her children.
Well, the victory is won, and now what
shall we do with II? What nse is 10 be
made of il? What good is to come of II at
last-the memorable question that time
asks of all the work and workmanship OF
men. What are we to do with 1t? The
war is not over. We have placed a man
in the presidential chair, and not because
he was a Republcan-some of us in spite
of his being Republican-we have plant
ed him on the constitution and put into
his hand the American flag. The integri-
ty of his intentions no man doubts that
know OF. His utterances in the campaign
have commanded our respect. And now
what have we all to do for him-to afford
him, irrespective of party? We have to
give him an ample, generous and an ade-
quate support Not, / repeat, because he
is the president of the Republican party,
but because he Is the president of the
United States. We have got TO subordi.
nate the controversies of parties and the
differences of opinion about policies
Those are all very we'll The first ques-
ton is whether we shall have a country
Af,erward We can settle these questions OF
policy, these differences of opinion. We
have got to put them aside for the time
What this country demands is prosperity
a return of prosperity, | mean to say,
That comes from the revival of industry
when the wheels turn and hammers beat
and business goes forward, and the earth
under the providence of God, produces IL:
bounty. Then we have what we need. II
that returns this contest that we have been
through will not be renewed. II il does
not return ii will be renewed, and God
only knows what will be the result of II
under those circumstances.
|