The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1899-06-08
MEMORIAL DAY address.
Delivered In haschsstsr. VT lsSS' By
David. q. fsit Of Bestes hsss,.

Ahtt occe*iOu Nhicn csiN " iukt'urfs
the nos, tsrs,ias Of cur National Ce
bus,ioDs. wtile Others msy appeal 10 OF
pride. o. recall the events OF . historic
past. The events Of today form . psrl ,
our experience, revive memories OF tue &C
ross and snGriass We each srd ell be,
Individually iel,, snd recall ihose sho.
loss hsvs touched snd stirred the dsepe,
sad tendtrest emotions OF the heart.
But, sbile the associations OF the Ds
are 90 sacred and psrsoosl, vecsnnot eiv
oil iis hours 10 the luIury Of siiti, or su
reader ourselves entirely TO The wants
sentiment The lime has CONF, add As th
years roll By. IL will be more and more ia
portspt. thai. minslins with ont recolis
tons sud our eulogies. we should be toll
the story Of the cause Of the great contest
the issues which II decided and the result
II has achieved.
Bat before enter 1pon my sddrfss. a
los me 10 express my appreciation OF u,
Kindness, by uhicb | an permitted .c
speak to Jon t-.dsy. make this scsnos
ledsemeut here and nos. for iesr thst. .
vhen ! raise my voice | should tiod coul
age Tor DO mora thsn the opening senter
oes. II would be well ,ths, II iotbat sentence,
had met. 10 sense my Obligation, &C
to speak, With courtesy upon my lips aud
grace 10 my heart
Durps the run OF the vItsscope, that
wooderiul machine With moving life siza
pictures. st one OF Boston's many thea
'ras. there was one presented, which was
remarkable for it's nstufslness and Of the
story it portrayed. II was the battle OF
Monmouth. An aged 6ier. his grey locks
streaming in ibe wind. with eager lips was
leading bis company on to the trays drum
mer boy by bis side was looking anxious
ly into the old mans eyes, snd catching
from him the step aud tune OF the music
Of l. 'berty. 30 upon this day from the
lives and deeds OF the men who fell in tie
Civil War, from the cause for which they
died and the results which they hsve no
hieved. We may take our step and learn
our lesson Of how TO I reserve and perpgtu
ate tbs union Of these States.
Years have passed since tie first gun
was fred at Sumter, since Lee surrender
cd at Appomstoy, yet so rapid has been
the stride OF Opinion, and the march Of
evsnts. that this great struggle seems al
ready rslesstsd to the din and historic
past. Bu. the children Of to-day, the
elders OF to. morrow. who ere 10 be the citI
zens aud defenders OF this Rspublic sre
sskiog: :"Whs. is the meaning Of these Ger
emoniesf Why ere flowers strewn upon
these grsves7 Why the gathering OF these
people' For What did these men fight ard
diei"
The snswers TO these luettions are nec
esstry now, and will become more neces
ssry every yesr. to keep them 10 the Na
tional mind and $50 the value and cost OF
our Institutions. Oar forefsihers, grott
snd wise IS they we're. committed fatal
srrer 10 the foundation OF the Republic,
when they crippled Ftee'om by CON
promise with slavery, II vas the cancer
10 the body polite. which until II was co.
,ut BY the Civil War, constantly threat
,ned to destroy the National Life. To pro
ect, extend and preserve Il, men most 10
,erested, taught three generations Of the
people OF the States where ii existed. the
,tr.sy Of secession. the idea Of extreme
tate riehts, the opinion that the state vas
uperior TO the General Government. and
hat the alleei Of the people belonged
irst TO the State. his country afterwards,
nd thst The sovereign State, st any time
4 it's own volition. could destroy the com
,act and set up Tor itself.
This i1es, eLiorced by the logic and el l,
uence Of the ableet men, buttressei and
or,itsd BY necessity csme TO be thorough
: believed by large portion OF the Amer
can people.
In 1860. the people Of the United States
iected Abraham Lincoln the President Of
heir choice. ytt by residence, association
nd opinion, he was distssieful to the men
pholding slavery. and they plunged the
into the most tremendous and de
ssting war OF modern times.
The contest wss not one Of ambition. sg
ression or territorial sgerandizsment "
,ss conflict Of ideas. On the one side.
ad been cultivated q belisf in the right
ousuess and rishtfulness OF human slsv
~, on the other. deAotion 10 human lib
r,y On nstionsli.y. These two ideas. with
len OF the same race and Of kindred blood
let in deadly cobHict upon the battlefield.
'ur country stood upon the verge Of ruin
, the perils OF slavery snd death, and rails
4 her white hands and prayed for deliver
nee. The prayer was hesrd down 10 the
alley where the little village re ted in
esce, upon the mountsin-side where The
srdy xoodsmsn bent bis sine~s 10 honest
,il, OFT on the plains whore the pioneer
| civilization hoped TO dwell contentedly, I
the great city 10 which The busy arms (
! industry had scarcely room TO move.
/ the call came patriots, tureiug along
Re the coun' less waves Of the sea. inspir ,
to action by the warning words Of the /
D morlsi Washington, TO Indignantly {
own upon tie fret OF every sltenp. 10
ieu ate any portion Of our country from I
,e rest, or TO enfeeble the sscred ties,
hich lick together its nrious psrts." c
Yomeu xspi, children cried. bat the mon .
ocous roll q the drum ven. on: I
"Hhls O 6lng the cry TO hills around. .
lna pcesn N art replied TO nytt. 4