The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-06-08

AfrbTft of Skinner Pof', u. A. h - =
Blscsrer Camp ; OF v, Ladies ap'
Gentlemen
The great thoughts that direct all bnmai
activity are these ihs, are unut'eratle
Thoughu that have col ciqaered nations
overcome tyrspt,std changed the whol'
moral and soclsl tore of civilization fav'
been 10 dssp rooted q, 10 render them i'm
possible Of expression.
TIE central thousbt Of every social Ant
poll lcal uult 10 like~ise uri'. The real,
.rsAt sni abiding sentiments thAt dwell u
the great American heart are shared BY
eyeri obe in whose breast spark Of patriot
ism burns. The form Of government may
change, society NAV be divided into D n
ept castles, tomc may rule and others serve
but within the bounds Of the nation there
I. central thought that perysdes all.
To thrill with patriotism 10 to feel th'
force Of that thought, and TO die in defer CO
Of thelna,ion 10 TO realize 10 the fullest meal
ure 10 sacred Impulse.
The central thought Of the U0i,ed stateI
has evolved from the original germ Implspt
ed in the Constitution toward the ideal Of
a great and UNIFIED state. 0ie generation
after smother has carefully guarded and
nurtured II, now saving II from d,prtciS
tion at the hands OF Great Britian, and now
from a division whose )nstquei ces We
shrink from contemplating.
II 10 this heritage Of mine that enables
me to speak today without feeling Of ur'
warranted presumption. That i, young
mar, who has never seen the smoke OF bat.
tie may spesk to you, who on the field Of
battle have discharged your highest and
noblest duty to your country, Ia because
am sctuated by the same principles OF pat
,iotism and loyalty, and II my way OF ex-
pressing them 10 small 1t 10 because TO your
generation and not to mine WAS given the
opportunity to prove by supreme test the
fullness Of your devotion.
Some thoughts are so sacred and so uni
versal, so great and yet so common that
they rule the lives Of all, but beat as in q
sir gle pulse. Such thoughts are those that
uuderle our patriotism a. d find expression
only 10 cur deeds.
Some hours are so full Of patriotic remln-
iscence that men by common consent level
the grades Of society and stand 10 one great
homoee eeneous body, face to face with their
better selves, - such an hour is this, when
we have assembled to pay tribute to the
soldiers and sailors who saved the nation in
the time Of Its greatest peril.
There 10 no other secular day 30 sacred
10 us as this, for TO those who laid down
their lives that our nations unity might be
to those, who, in four years Of
the mightiest struggle 10 war that ever
shook the world, made US all that we are
snd all that we tver hope to be as q nation,
a debt Of gratitude /, due which can never
bo repaid.
That is why this day has been set spart by
.ht Law OF the land and the orders Of great
brg.piza ion. That is why today we shower
upon the ,bousaLds Of graves, throughe ut
be length and breadth Of our land our fair.
tst H)wers. That is why we pay our re-
'pects to the brave men who left home and
'ortuue TO face the perils Of war, who gave
heir lives for sacred principles prlrci.
pie born With the nation itself a principle
ngrained In the life Of every true Ameri-
,sn, the principle which formed the corner
Itone of our whole system Of government,
md which fods expression In the wordf,
All men are created free and equal and en-.
lowed BY their Creator with certsi1 Ina
Iensble rights," among those rights being
'llfe, liberty and the pursuit. Of happiness"
For this principle have all our wars been
vsged, and with those golden words upon
heir lips the vsl'ant champions OF liberty
nd free Republic pressed forward to pre-
eve the nation. From the hills and valleys
i the North, from the halls OF echool and
ollege, from the tiiice and the store, the
hop and the farm they hastened to the
ed Of battle, some to find their graves 10
be soil for which they fought, Others to
ome back to their homes, war.worn and
vesry, but crowned with success.
The Victory WAS iheirs,-but at what
ost The nation bad been saved. The
urse Of slavery had been forever externin-
ted, but 1t cost US million lives, million
I the pations very best.
The shot fired at Lexington WAS hi ard
rouud the world, bu. the first gun fred
Don Sumter awoke all the glorious trAdi.
ons II our past history, and when the
lood Of the sons of Massachusetts was shed
y traitors In the streets Of Baltimore, there
'ss not perion in the North but felt the
-ound. TIE Whole North was shocked
18th the sesse OF tutrsaed right, ard II
,robbed With the fervor Of devotion to the
suse OF hun an freedom.
The cla.h came. The struggle went on
trough vary K succt sses and defeats from
he swsmps Of Louisans TO the Battle
boye the cloud,n, from the plains OF Viz
Inls to the "MHcn through Georgia, and
lie blood which cemen.ed the unioD was
he'd at ever step. ,
Time forbida q mention Of the battles OF
le war, but after forty years they are ~
,id 10 the minds Of the old soldiers ~ II
icy were but Yesterday. The 2nd Vermont
rieade at Gettysburg, whore the high tide
the Rebellion broke ,gainst the Wall Of
uen, Cedar Creek, where Sheri
N turned great disss,er into brillisu,
ctory The heroic stand Of the Fifth =
simop, ., savsseb Station, where the com. !
dts Of many 10 wtom ] AN speshltg TO- u
u dyeo their deeds with blood ip the an. Q
10 ci mar,yidom For hours they fought y
the fsce ola storm Of death that In 90
lru,es s~ept cut Of existence half = regi- .
ent and they made n possible for Nc 5
elan to charge bis base Of operations, b
A aa.ti, Anpnnsffr the dscfsive sfyuv. II