The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-12-24

celVeu nara KNOCKS in working his
way along the thorny path could not
fail to sympathize with the struggling
men contending with unpropitious
fate about him. This partly explains
his love for his "boys" He loved
his boys and they loved him, for they
were knit together by thousand com.
mon. interests and Experiences. He
was one Of the common people, though
possessed of uncommon endowments,
not handled in the lap of luxury, nor
educated out of sympathy with the
farmers and mechanics about him.
He was in command over them indeed,
but it was as one in kindly touch with
them, and whatever the exigencies of
the hour might require him to order
them to do, whatever seventies of dis.
oipiine might be demanded, his heart
was toward them as fathers.
when am gone" said one of form
or century, look, and you will find
the name of the city of my love in
scribed upon my heart" so on his
heart we might find today indelibly
written, first, my country"
Another characteristic was his fdel-
ity to conviction. lie only needed to
see the right to pursue it with unde-
waiting resolution. What he believed
in, that he advocated with an ardent
soul In religion, in politics, it was
not question of majorities with him.
where does the truth lie?" he asked,
and obeyed the inward answer, though
it brought him among the few, and if
conditions changed he was no slave to
an exacting alleged consistency, but
still followed the directions, whatever
the outward clamor.
And this leads naturally to the men,
tion of another characteristic, his
courage. That was something more
than physical prowess. They tell us
of his sitting calmly on his horse in
an exposed position, the bullets flying
all about him, immovable, though en-.
treated not to invite DEATH But be-
yond this there was moral courage
that dared to stand alone. dared to be
singular, if assured that he was in
the path of duty.
Another characteristic was broad
beuevolence. | do not refer to aims.
giving, though l could tell you a story
of his care for the needy III time of
distress, which would max re your hearts
glow with flesh emotion. But refer
to more general considerations He
pitied the weak, and was friend to
the slave. The first active service of
colored troops on the field took place
under him. He was mindful of the
inroads upon our national welfare
made by intemperance, and was a
Jealous advocate of the most stringent
legislation against dram shops, and he
followed to the last week of his long
life the daily records of national prog
ress, keenly alive to all that concerned
the general welfare. This was a con-
tinued manifestation of that absorbing
love of country, which was quite out
ciNS VI phO HOdi III pdltlodn suCCtss
and interest in the adoption of po-
litical theory.
His heart was large, and its faithful
pulsations for period rarely equalled
have recorded broad benevolence
He was patriot indeed; he was
patriot through and through Let
no one of us ever forget, let no child
in our schools, entering the door for
his daily tasks and looking at the folds
of the starry flag above him, ever for
get the impassioned emphasis with
which the venerable man has from
time to time, every fibre of his being
quivering with earnestness. exhorted
young and old to honor that flag, to
love it, to cherish it and protect it
with the hearts best blood.