Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-06-08
MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
Delivered before the Grand Army of
the Republic, at Wevbridge, VT, May
30, 1900. bv Rev Il Waldo Thompson.

30, 1900, by Rev Il Waldo Thompson.
Mr.. Chairman, Veterans of Grand Army
and Friends, feel 1t an honor to stand in this
place to day for two reasons; first, bccau So
the sneakers who have addressed You on
former occasions have been men of expert
ence and ability. | follow to day in n path
trod hv hOnorcd-and honorable men. In
the second place, because near friends and
knsfolk have fought shoulder to shoulder
perhaps with many of you. whose spirit
have tmbued until IL seems us IL had part
IN the eatest struggle this nation has ever
seen. The greatest sirugg g because of the
vast arena IL which we contended-l1O0 miles
long and 1910 miles broad, "while Il coast and
river line of not less than 10 % miles swarmed
with fleets trei GIFTED with artillcrv;" because
in skirmish fight and battle it included more
than thousand conflicts; because it engaged
more than two millions of men; because rs n
nation we had not to contend with Il foreign
foe but with Americans.
We meet to day, on this National Memorial
Day, to thank God for the preservation OF
our lives to see its return, join in s'rp to mar
tial music, and place tribute of remem-
hrance upon the grave of each departed hero.
What does ii al mean; oar fathers landed
on Plymouth Rock, or nj jamestown, and
lad the foundation of II new government
conceived in liberty, planted in free soil, de
velopcd and matured ia liberty, preserved
by the Goa of Freedom. What does it mean;
IN answering this question we come rs far
short of It's conception H. the small boy who
was ask It, "A he appeared on the wit
ness stand. If he knew the nature of an
oath, ana answered, with hOnestness perhaps
born of the environment, "Nes, sir; its to tell
the TRUTH the whole truth, nothing but the
truth, AMI stick to the truth if YOU have to lie
about it." VINO has the power to conceive of
the OutgrOwth of Il little seed; Much more n
tree already bearing fruit, Yet with our
incomplete powers to grasp, it means much
to Us. II means that while you rs Post ct
the Grand Army in Weybridge are directing
these movements, YOU are cooperating with
72l2 other posts of the Grand Army; that
while each of YOU rs members of tins post
keep step 70 the air OF the cOrnet and the
heat Of the drum. 3nJ.GU2 are keeping step
with You; yea, that 70,ooi 00l of people feel the
throb and join in singing "My country, It's
of thee"
II means more trui than any previous
Memorial Day that while we are II nation of
fighters we are also one of feelings ~ we
pass through the cen ctclies to day not only
are the graves of the Union soldier decorated,
but also those of the Confederate. A many
southern man drop tear upon Union
grave we Join with Riley As he siugs
$50 let our heroes rest,
Upon your sunny breast,
Keep them, q south, our tender hearts and
true,
Keep them, . South, ana learn to hold them
dear,
From year to year
Never forget,
Dying for us, they died for YOU.
This hallOWed dust shall knit
u closer vet"
If maans that ,vbilo we are a nation of husf
ness men. and very busy TOO, we are n nation
of piefv andconscouenf mower Unon pvorv
piece of MONEY save the minor ones is the
nhraso .In g. "a yvo tr,st I'm Tho q 4 r.
ritual IN tho rftupls pf all tcrpot ,rtrn nj
tons Is the reverence of Altnirhtv cod II
could not he otherwise and he strong for
pictv. patriot sn and mower are links IN fhe
Same 'aIofn Soid Cborin- Su,nrer "a .tot a
must he Pc, lions In ordn, to he freo
If mems mar nver,, Tina thn paole bo
been forced OH the most of pence sornpbodv
has gotten nrcked a Charles Fowler s,id
in connection with the "Mainr" cata4tronhc
"The Snaniarls mn 81 tornedo under ono of
our boats ana ble,y NJ mn and W.. came do Yn
ali ovrr1hefn."
turv il means. with ali The triumphs of the
past ana nll the glory of nrrsrnt achiev.
ments some crave Observation-Disclosures
The race question has not been solved. Its
solutiou f. n dificuIt one in thai If re0uire-
time. II took 25n veors 10 redure thn Mack
{ man 10 where he ivas found i'm 1,Gi MANY a
g. ind mai In. moi ali The Guoitirntions of
dinlomacv and statcsmnnshin fails to see
why orr colOred u other, en- masse arc no,
ideal citizens am ulnd that the mob vio
lence has not the sanction or even the tolera.
zion of our rnnuhIfc Tba race nroble,,, /.
NOT to no solvnd nv. fnrca morris II to he -oiveJ
bv insult and neglect but If is TO be solved
fslnce -nlvrd If - honnd to he1 nv the ever
else Of snnprior novrr. and history sbow.
no instance where .uporior rowrTs exist
cXccnf where ou1 when the world feels thri,
influence The race question liRc fine. nrob
lens OF tcrnnnrance AMI of morais must he
solved by education Under The auspices of
n single society i'm the last 30 wears POO O0(
colOlcd students have heen rducnt.d OF
this number there Is not one record of the
educated negro exciting a quarrel with hi-
80
society only. the race Question has hrrn SET
tied tor 900 o6l free men and settled forever.
Another problem that confronts the Amer
lean people Is the pr IDlem OF the Foreign.
err" This problem mas always bern a vrxinu
one II j. ne. han. due to me fact mat we J0
things 20 very Inherently. we refer TO the
Anglo saxon bond ana the close relations of
friendship existing between America and
Great Britain. Yeti think it j. Dir .Cadmau
serves that even VEN. in me- rnrrtine IN the . 3
creed we differ. The English sav,"As it was
b t'ie t% Is now HnH ever 1 ", oe re-
ginning, /. now ANA here IT has got to stop
wit T hi o 1f i"pIHer CONES no 3nn 'R"rTs
what to do with him Hes a problem on our
hands; what do we 90: Why we stand
oack IN Ioy horror hhu say, "I0uch NOT
l"9.r ipl' niuuIc iol me uIlc 'cih sllIS > Oh
a. ttic IlShiitl 9lpelha ol thtih "ltei ne M
peth mere I'VE years anu mas Soltcl M
Iln'ill"s Iatloh papers uucly Hll'e OUT - nc
PS,hN lclchtIS
W ulIc iltiy eloquent hllresses are inaue
ulon I'M iopic, IL 9cch9 10 me we hScu 10
Stop rcpl"it!S pre9ch' cohlltlols an, lil'th.
NV one, II tney are necessary IN ISIS IN,