St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-08-01
THE DAUGHTERS OF LIBERTY.
Its Principles Stated by one of its M EN-
hers

The following paper was prepared by
Mrs. Nettie S. Burbank and read at an
entertainment given at North Danvillt
on May 80, 1900;
The objects of our order are to pro-
mote social intercourse and mutual i'm
provement, visit the sick and distressed,
perpetuate American principles in har.
mony and conjunction with the Jr. Order
of United American Mechanics, maintain
the public school system of the United
States of America, prevent sectarian in
reference, uphold the reading of the holy
Bible therein, and promote the happi-
ness and prosperity of the order in gen.
eral.
The leading principles of our order are :
The protection Of the American flag, and
to hinder the landing upon our shores of
| ignorant and lawless criminals of the
old world. We extend hearty welcome
| to all who desire to better their condi.
ton and become part of our national
ity, but we have no room for those who
are not willing to bow allegiance to the
American flag, which is powerful enough
to shield them as well as us. We would
place flag upon and a Bible within
every public school.house of our land,
that all might learn there to be beacon
|
light in every storm which may threaten
our destruction. In all the foregoing we
ask the cordial and hearty cooperation
OF every American citizen. In the work
which we have undertaken we need the
assistance of all organizations holding
similar views or protesting similar prin-
ciples. There is no time or place for
ealousies and chickering's as between
such organizations, but with a united
front we may march forward. shoulder
to shoulder, ever remembering that
United we stand divided we fall"
We are cognizant of the presence
among us Of great and powerful enemies
to our institutions, and against
these we seek to array ourselves and are
ready to this end to unite with all who
are at heart, in deed, and in word,
Americans.
In our order we are taught lessons in
fidelity, integrity, and patriotism. Fl
deity, which is loyalty to our order, to
each other to our God, and to all that is
right Integrity, truthfulness in all our
words and actions Patriotism, an
earnest desire TO do all we can to make
our country better.
We now have nearly $4,000 members
distributed through 81 states. Our tu-
neral benefit department has $4,000
members. Last wear we paid SAL 400 in
death benefits and none of us can meas
ure the beneficial effect of this work. At
present the number of members in our
council is 40.
wish to establish one fact: Woman
has been and can be a blessing to her
country. Let us study the past, as well
as the present history of our country, to
see If we cannot find on the pages a
record OF the deeds of women which have
added glory to our country.
lust before the battle OF Bennington,
during the war of independence, as a
large body of English soldiers was seen
advancing, a Continental soldier ex-
claimed, I'VE must whip the red coats
today or Molly Stark will be widow
tonight" Many may say that Molly
Stark had nothing to do with the result
of the battle. But say that thousands
of Molly Srarks at home, by their sacri-
fees, prayers and devotions, urged those
men to fight as only American soldiers
can. During the battle OF Mammoth
Court House, as the Continental soldiers
were hard pressed by the British troops,
Molly Pitcher, as she was carrying
water to the men, saw her husband fall
by the gun he was firing. She at once
took his place and kept it until the battle
was over. 1t was the action Of only one
woman, but vet today we point to it as
an example of patriotism and devotion
to ones country.
Sitting in her quiet little home in
Phiadel phia, and filled with the desire to
do something for her country, Betsey
Ross stitched, stitched, stitched as she
sewed, first stripe of red, and stripe
of white, until she had 13 stripes, and
then in corner she sewed field of blue
in which she had sewed 10 stars. and 10,
before her lay the stars and stripes, the
glorious flag of our country, the oldest
national flag, the flag that has never
been changed except as new stars are be-
ing added to its field Of blue. If there is
any one here tonight who is supersti-
tious or afraid OF the number 49, let him
lose his fears in the history of our flag
10 stars and IS stripes, now 40 stars,
with more to come.
In the midst OF the terrific fight on the
wheat field, during the battle of Gettys
burg, boy fell, mortally wounded, and
as he was carried to the rear by his COM
rades he asked for his mother. This
mother came only to find him cold in
DEATH and at his grave she expressed not
only the devotion to her country that
filled her own heart, but the devotion of
million mothers, wives, and sisters. Il
yield him to his country and his God"
But dropping the past and taking up
the present, do we not find any examples
of a woman blessing our country! Will
not the name of Clara Barton cause not
only the soldiers of our country, but the
whole civilized world, to call her blessed?
Helen Gould, while blessed with many
riches, is also blessed with heart that
is touched with the sufferings of her
fellow countrymen. You may say we
can never rise to these great heights, and
therefore cannot be a blessing to our