New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-18
HONOR TO RUFUS PUTNAM.
SONS OF THE REVOLUTION UNvEIL A
TABLET.

Tablet.
An ELOQUENT GRAFTON DELIVERED BY SENATOR
HOAR.
Rutland Mass Sept IA perfect September
dav marked the pilgrimage Of the Massachusetts,
Society Sons Of the Revolution. 10 this place TO-
day to unveu a tablet in honor Of General Rufus
Putnam IN the house the Revolutionary hero once
occupied.
The tablet which was given by the Sons Of the
Revolution. was presented by Frank H. Briggs OF
Boston president OF the society. and was accepted
by Senator George + IIoar. The Grafton was de-
lvercd by Senator Hoar in the Congregational
Church lie spoke in par follows
This society does well TO mark with visible and
enduring tablets the spots where great deeqS MAJ
dwct Whatever Massachusetts mas done: Whal-
ever she IS dqins Whaever sne rs 20 20 han sbe
ha- kept ubroken the electric current howins
from soul - soul forever and forever as 1t was
generated now nearly three hundred years ago AZ
Plymouth. Her generations nave takeh no!u %
hands We guard with an affectionate reverence
even the ronbs and buriai-places where the dust
Of ancestors has been laid. 4,
ali generations, perhaps more rare than formerly,
who TO be almost absolutely without care
fame. lie had little use FOR the first personal pro
nGGn IN MS 5gf4 9F RlS rens d was intent
upon the goal, not upon The prize II ne Cog eoI
aceompish useful results ne TaTSG ho'E
Among the chief elements OF his greatness was ms
the duty Of posteri,v to guard his fame and pay
him his que need 81 credit and honor 10 ne
genius Of Rufus Putnam was due the faVorabie
rfsuI 81 tnree sTea m g i1l,iir m that COM
rellcd the evacuation % Boston. II vas his SKIN
as an engineer that fortified West FONT 10 nun
The adoption o. the ordinance OF rs which dcd-
cated ne Northwest forevor 10 freedom. education
states from becoming great slave-hoiing empire
STORY oF'PUTNAMs LIFE.
NJ. Hoar related these great transactions and
gave a brief sketch Of The Nfe or Rufus Putnam,
who was born In sutton IN this county. on April
told s,ye). l72,. lie cousin. single re-
move Of General Israel Putnam. the man VINO
dared 20 lead whore any man dared 10 follow.
The difficulties under which Rufus Putnam OBJ
tained an education were detailed His father
died when he was seven years old, and his mother
married again. Captain Sadier his st"Piaih"r,
kcpt a tavern. Rufus got a fc~ pennies hy waiting
on guests and backing their boots, with which Dee
bought powder and with the help Of an ola gun
killed some partrdeos. which no sold. and with
the proceeds bought spelling book and an arith-
rrciic From these he learned what he could. ana
got as f.r as the rule Of three in arithmetic But
the misery sfopfather would not allow him The
light OF a tallow candle in the long winter even
lrcs and riiiculed his aspirations for learning MI
FIoar continued:
In March 1864 Putnam apprentced 20 Daniel
Mathews OF Brookheld he was then nearly six
teen years Old Mathews WIS miIwright Putnam
nine years ola Ills empi"ycr. more generous than
had been the stepfaih"r. gave him use 90 'aha.rs
FOR m" long winter ercnings IT, 'iIqra "r't ~,
netic sc'ft4P nS tIn ..r,'' d nreincerire for
which he had natural "rtncs. tir rhy%ic'l
g;co s''W Ves a.. I'D ne haG Inc full vror and
stature II man -iN feet nigh lie was r'huWh'H
FOR his great strength ana activity ~ alt "fh'euc
!, VA. 20 those winter evenings IN North BROOK
candle MS country owed Tie ahles' engineer ON,
cor ~ fhe Revolution. ant -" Wis. iaf-7ls"'''
aii. decided
EVACUATION OF BOSTON.
Referring TO tho evacuation Of Boston Mr Hoar
said:
We take no leaf from the pure ehlrs' - Wash,
ipg9n. ame When we sry ION ma u, ~. nc cyetion
| was due 10 Rufus Putnam The Americans under
and coiors Aging The veteran British Army aided
| oy strong naNal fore soidisr ana r''11 l,'s
! snt oat OF Rosion nofore tho strategy u washing
| r,u the engineering % Putnam and 20" courage
leaders they withheld 'h" usual titles 81 military
Washington said - Rufus Putnam that be wss
tho hesi engine"r in ihc Army Nh"tAfI ,rh' b. 81
nam 20 report compTchensiyr Plan LOT i25,i'y 1ns
| elaborate scheme think among "lH P1l't5 a
Marietta College. or in the archives 40 washing
! Ton 10 was never executed in spite % earnest
appeals Of some of our aoiest statesmen III every
To be- great engineer IS 70 be n great soldier
| To be great engineer win only such advantages
Of education Rufus Putnam enjoyed Is 20 be a
man cd "a f1n5 ~ Was1nrtoh 10 have conceived
az by q fash OF inspiration The works which with
| an Inferior force compelled England TO "Nacuate
fortified town and 70 qIii MassachhS"tts i'.'Nt'
| 20 have constructed ne very fortress and citadel
! Of our strength ana defence IN tho War Of the
| P.vOluflOn 10 have been in Lord Bacon's front
rank Of sovereign honor. 10 have founded q mighty
State herself the mother ~ mighty states 70 nave
| planned. constructed ana made impregnabie the
| very citadel and fortress Of liberty on THIS con-
| tlnenI. 90 have turned the mighty stream % cur
| rent and empire from the channel ~ slavery ln'9
he channel Of freedom. there 20 no" forever ana
| Nh friends ! do not know what YOU think about
| Il. Pat for myself a son 81 MASSACHUSETTS,. ]
| ments this simple dwelling Of mis- Rutland farmer.
when mink OF what {, stands for. ali IT mas con
tanned all the mernori"s mat cluster AROUND II.
than 10 have the palace of the Tuileri"s
Three days school after he was nine years old
| h0otblack and blacksmith's assistant AZ sutton,
| rillWrights apprentice Of BruOkield, town con-
| stable ~ Rutard friend Of Washington deiverer
| under Washington OF Massachusetts from the for
| eier invader builder Of our stronshold ana cit
uonal fortress Of American liberty. faithful over
| Jew things ruler over many things, We come to-
| day 90 your dwelling az 10 shrine.
II r. not 70 be forgotten II must not be forgot
ten unless Mount Vernon Is 20 be forgotten. There
| Is nothing lcn but {. fcw stones ~ The cellar was
| 81 Putna;n's birthplace. as There IS nothing LETT
But This house Is STU 20 be seen. AS Mount Vernon
| &c stil 10 be- seen j. can be preserved AT slight
ancctionaie task Is well worthy the picty and pa
| ;riOtism 81 our generation.
| The Putnam house s now held BY Senator IIoar.
| Colonel T.. Il Stoddard and Burton W. Potter Of
| Worcester trustees. who will turn IT over I" he
| tiassa, 1ileefte society for Holding Reservations
| a. coon yl.5Gd has been raised by subscription
uONTWENT TO BAY STiTE MEN