Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-09-20

BRATTLEBORO'S MEMORIAL
OVER THE NATIONS DEAD.
STAFFORD, MARTIN. HASKINs
AND EsTEY THE ORATORS.

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Judge s'afford's Addrsssa Gem OF IT
Touching Music and Song, Prayer and
Invocation, Decoration and POrtratur'
In Keeping with the Solemn Occas Ion
Touching and beautiful, worthy the
occasion by the very dignity of its
simplicity and the reverent bush with
which the exercises were followed,
was Brattleboro's memorial service
for President Mckinley yesterday.
Nowhere in all the land, it is safe to
say, was there finer, q better meas
ured eulogy, or Is better finished bit
OF oratory, than that Of judge w 2
Stafford. 1t was worthy of Wendell
Philips himself. after whom the Judge
was named. District Attorney Martin,
too, speaking from the warm depths
of friendship for the murdered Presi.
deut, whose greatness he well out
lined, struck note of healthy Aneri
canism 10 the division lire which he
drew between tn, rights and duties
of citizenship ard what this crime
represents, while Congressman Has.
kius wgs eloquent and flrceful and at
points magniticently co.
The opera house never had such q
crowd as gathered at 3 O'Clock. The
porch Of the town hall was effectively
draped about the pillars aud in
festoons between with streamers of
black and white, while on the stage
than heroic size, by Artist w r
Stuart, also draped with flags and
mourning color. with bust representa-
90 I ~.
side. Col g w Hooker presided,
invocation was made by Rev r +
Lowe and President Roosevelt's
proclamation of mourning and prayer
read by Rev DR. Marble Then the
choir. Gilbert, Brssor, Maynard and
Stearns, Gang the late President S
favorite hymn, Lead Kindly Light. :"
The scripture reading, beginning with
" A good man has goue, was by Rev
K X Marvin, and the prayer by Prof
Williston Walker. Judge Staford's
address was;
The President seems TO have been one OF
those whose lives are completely dominated
by the sentiment of patriotism. II was his
passion There are born patriots, just as there
are born musicians. orators, poets. To such
their country Is not SO much land, SO many
people, but an idea. or likelier still. an ideal
being, glorious in beauty as In power. to
whom their earliest and their latest deyotions
are paid. From the boy OF 49, shouldering a
private's mu.ket at the first news Iof Sumpter
to the stricken President. murmuring, 1T is
Gods way, His will be done" as be passes
within the shadow this is the motive that
gives unity to his life, making all he did con-
sistent and easy TO understand. / know how
common the sentiment Is. There are multi
tudes OF patriots. so millions hang upon the
lips OF music. but the tran scendent voice /.
not bestowed on all. The galleries OF art are
thronged with pictures. but the masters touch
Is only here aud there.i Many are called.
but few are chosen. This man had
genius for patriotism, and fate, conspir-
ing with his genius brought him step
by step along hi- ascending path TO the
seat of august power, and finally placed on
his head the priceless blood-marked crown.
His whole life was devoted to the public veal.
His one ambition was to serve the state; 20
that the noble old Latin motto, .SerCdre Rel
Pnbiicds, might well have been inscribed
upon each arch he passed through in his |
steadily Triumphant career. Forgetting the |
grief and indignation of the moment, and |
looking upon him rs history will behold him, |
what a fortunate life 1t was. The pure, |
light hearted boyhood, the youth OF gallant |
and quick promotion, the early |
successes at the bar, and one still more pros
porous suit in the court of love- the happy |
home, Frightened and sanctified by the faces |
Of little children just shown and then with
drawn, the call to public life, the seat in Con- |
yress, fifteen years of steady work and |
growth, yielding him mastery OF the hardest |
and gravest problems that perpleXe1 states
men, making his name synonymous with the
tariff itself in the most important financial
measure Of our time. and sending him forth |
Is its champion before the nation, his party's
Inevitable leader his triumph at the polls and
% at last his hand upon the helm of state.
roops of friends, q stronger personal follow
NJ, rs even his critic. confessed. than any
president before him ever drew, then the eX-
.rcise of all his full-grown powers in great
ltirirs, the return OF confidence and plenty,
he gathering clouds of International trouble,
lis long, patient. conscientious labor to make
1eace possible with honor, at last war and the
udden end of war In uneNainpled victory. |
LIQUIDS clearing away, and the sun Of the new
century rising upon enlarged dominions, with
problems and responsibilities undreamt of in
he past courage, tact, persistence, gradually
overcoming all obstacles, the submission of
lis work 10 the Judgment of the people In a
econd candidacy. and their tremendous ver-
lict of approval: then. after few brief
months. crowned with swift fuhlments and
plendid prophecies Cuba sitting clothed and
n her right mind at the feet of Freedom, the
ar off Philippines settling themselves to learn
t last the first rude elements of liberty uu.
Ter law, in the midst of PaB-America's high
estSal. amid the love and acclaims of the
eope. martyrdom. the days work done. the |
olume closed and the seal set beyond the
over Of change,
To call him dead is only an abuse of
L., - |