Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-11-20
meeting. l am,
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
In enoakino oho,, tho eocsnd toae, Gov,

John q. mccullough, the right man in the
right place and ono who we are conf
dent, will look carefully after the welfare
of our Green Mountain State. We had
hoped to have had Governor Mccullough
with us this evening, but his official du
ties prevent He has. however, sent us
letter to which we will now listen.
Recorder Greenleaf then read the fol
lowing letter:
Dear General. Mrs Mccullough and
myself regret that we are unable to ac-
cert the kind inv itation of the Vermont
Commandery, Loyal Legion, to attend
their banquet owing to engagements dur
ing that week at Montpelier.
The toast to Vermont, to which you
intimate I might be called upon to re-
spond well be better left to some one
else. / am sure some of the numerous
ex-governors present. or some of the
more numerous next governors at your
table. Will be more competent to say all
the good things about our State / en-
dorsc In advance everything any Of them
may say rejecting honor and credit on tho
Green Mountain commonwealth: for
whether In civil or in military life she has
always borne her full share in every
noble and praiscvorthy undertaking. and
has never failed to furnish in every crisis
men and women equal to any emergency.
FOR her size and her population she ranks
second to none o: the A. States in every
thing that goes to make a free, indeprn-
dent and happy community.
Trusting you will have a pleasant and
successful occasion, ! am.
Yours very truly.
]. &. MCCULLOUGH.
Capt John f. Mcmahon responded to
the toast, The United States Army" In
introducing him the POSTMASTER said:
The members of the Old Vermont Brig
AIDE and of all the Vermont regiments
who served in the Sixth and Eighth corps
l L.,
Vermont soldier will always remember
the name of Martin T. Mcmahon, brevet-
major Eencral l.. $ A., the faithful and
able adjutant-gcneral serving upon the
staff OF Major General John q. Scdgwick
commanding the Sixth Army Corps. Army
of the Potomac. The Vermont soldiers
will never forget that famous order issued
in 1854. when the Army of the Potomac
started on the Wilderness campaign:
Put the Nermontcrs ahead, and keep the
column well closed up" We also remcm-
her the article written by General McMa-
hon with regard to the soldiers of the
Old Vermont Brigade, which by request
has been published every few years in the
burlington Free Press since the war, and
commencing They were honest farmers
| turned vagahonds They were simple
| countrymen changed into heroes. They
were strangely proud. not of themselves
/ individually, but Of the brigade Collcc-
/ lively, LOT lll'N knew perfectly well lneN
| were the best fighters in the known
world" etc, etc The gentleman who will
answer to this toast is the nephew OF Mar
| tin Y. McMahon, a West Point graduate,
! who served with great credit as major of
! the 31st Regiment Of volunteer infantry
| in the Philippines. and is to-day captain
! commanding the 9TH L. S. Field Battery.
and stationed at Fort Ethan Allen. VT.
II gives me great pleasure to present to
you Capt John f.. Mcmahon OF the Uni
ted States Artillery corps.
CAPT. MMAHON'S RESPONSE.
| Captain Mcmahon said that as a
| dcsCendent OF member of the Vermont
| brigade he felt that he was speaking to
friends. He spoke of the attacks upon
| tho army because of the conduct OF the
| campaign in the Philippines and paid A
| tribute to the stand that Vermont vet
Grams had taken in support Of the army,
| saying that no protest had been stronger
| than that Of the Vermont Commandery
| through the commander, General Peck.
| He spoke of the results for good govern
ment accomplished by the army in Cuba
and other new possessions. In closing the
! speaker paid a tribute TO the conduct OF
the American soldier by saying that even
when the flag had been lowered in tenn
porarv deefat it had been by those at
! homeand that no foreigner had ever had
a hand in It,
Tie fourth toast was entitled "The
United States Navy In introducing the
speaker General Peck said:
Tho little State of Vermont, without
| any sen coast, has sons serving in the
| United states navy. whose reputation is
worldwide, and the commandery of the
! State Of Vermont. although small in num-
hers has the honor of having some of
the most distinguished officers in the
army and navy upon its rolls | refer to