Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-01-11
A PATRIOTIC SPEECH.

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, Vt.
After some Introductory words, Mr..
Phelps said:
We have passed through a crisis
that, in my belief, is the greatest this
country has encountered. It went
through the revolutionary 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 fore
gone from the beginning, and we still
remain the greatest and most power
full nation on the face of the earth.
No party could have won the great
est contest Of this year, no section
could have won it, and whatever else
may be said, it never could have won
but for New England. The first lead
came from New England, in those
early September days when the minds
Of men were agitated, when many
were frightened and many were
skulking to find cover. 1t was one of
the least assuming of the states-the
state Of Vermont, whose voice was
first called for, and the response was
with no uncertain sound; the largest
mr. hn TO
given in that state-a great turnout of
one party, reinforced by about half
the other. "Well," it was said, ''Ver-
mont stands by itself; we shall hear
from Maine directly" Maine, the re-
sidence of one of the adverse candi-
dates, a man who in that great battle
enjoyed the extradinary advantage of
being on both sides; mistrusted by his
party for the very qualities that made
him trustworthy as a man.
Well, after while, the country
heard from Maine, and the voice of
Vermont was forgotten. 1t was not
by the electoral vote of New England,
as it was. That was but
a small contribution to the great
majority. 1t was not by the lead,
which was a little more than a repe
tition Of Nelson's signal at Trafalgar:
New England expects every son of
hers to do his duty!" The great bat
tie ground was further west. 1t 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: ssHow dare
you undertake to assert that, in the
face of all that is going on, Wisconsin
8 safe?' "Sir," said he, ssdo you
know that, in the state of Wisconsin,
here are more than 15O,OO men that
we're born in Vermont? Do you be- |
ieve that they are going to allow this
state to go for reputation and dishon-
>r?" Well, they didn't and when on |
he night Of that election day and the |
ollowing morning the great response
md Indiana and Illinois and Wiscon
in and Iowa and Michigan and Mimi
'sota, each answered unto each in
morning salutation that all was we'll
and was not surprised, because high
md clear and strong above the tum-
lit she heard the unforgotten voice
# her children.
Well, the victory is won, and now
What shall we do with it? What use
s to be made of it? What good is to
ONE of it at last-the inexonerable
question that time asks of all the
york and workmanship of men. What
re we to do with it? The war is not
yer. We have placed a man in the
residential chair, and not because
70 was republican-some of us in
pite of his being a republican-we
ave planted him on the constitution
nd put into his hand the American
lag. The integrity of his Intentions
70 man doubts, that know of. His
tterances in the campaign have
Commanded our respect. And now
What have we all to do him-to afford
i'm, irrespective of party? We have
0 give him an ample, generous and
n adequate support. Not, repeat,
ecause he is the president of the re-
ublican party, but because he is the
resident of the United States. The
rst question is whether we shall
ave a country. Afterward we can
ettle these questions of policy, these
of opinion. What this