Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-06-01
CLEAR SKY FOR VETERANS
MEMORIAL DAY EXERCISES HELD
UNDER FAVORABLE CONDITIONS.
Large Delegation from Sedgwick Post
Attended Service in Festival Hall
and Marched to Cemeteries Where
Graves of Comrades Were Decorated.

Cerulean skies, bright sunshine ant
seasonable temperature greeted the vet
Grams of the Grand Army of the Repub
lie on Wednesday, the day set apart as
an occasion ON which TO pay tribut,
TO their fallen comrades. Everything
conspired to make the observance sue
cessful, and the program planned by
Sedgwick post was carried out without
a break. The exercises here in Brat
tleboro differed little from those of for
mer years, although their solemnity
was perhaps emphasized by vacancies
in the gradually diminishing ranks of
the preservers of the Union.
At $50 Wednesday morning a dele
CATION from Sedgwick post went 10y
trolley to West Brattleboro to assist
in the simple memorial services which
took place at West Brattleboro Gene
terry. At clock the post members
met in G.. 4. X. hall and at l.30 were
escorted by the First Regiment band
and Company |, V. \. g., TO Festival
hall where the exercises began at 2
o clock with music by the band, fol-
lowed by a prayer by Rev. II. X. Miles.
The Brattleboro male quartet then sang
selection, and L. II. Putnam, post ad.
iutant, read the memorable address
given by Lincoln at Gettysburg, Nov.
10. 1863. After another selection by
the quartet Rev. Frank l.. Masseck of
the Universalist church gave the ad-
dress of the afternoon.
Mr.. Masseck said in part:
| cannot refrain from expressing my
pleasure at the hearty and sympathetic
manner in which this community cele-
brates this occasion. Experience in
other communities, and reports from
many places show that Brattleboro is
exceptional, if not unique, in this re-
spect. This is due in large measure to
| the character of the men who went out
from this place to wear the Blue. A
very large proportion of the able.bodied
members of the town went forth. Some
| of these men have been among the
most prominent citizens during the
past two score years. In addition TO
these were Others equally patriotic, but
not eligible for enlistment. Others,
| like our most honOred townsman, Gov
ernor Holbrook, whose presence we
miss upon this occasion, were invalu-
able guides and counselors in all civic
matters, and served faithfully and well
in positions of great responsibility.
| Nor may we forget the women. those
mothers and wives who sent forth their
husbands and sons, while they re-
l1nained at home 10 bear trials and hard-
ships. anxieties and terrors. All these
helped create the strong spirit of pa
| triotism which marks this community
| today.
| We are proud of the record made in
| the war by the wearers of the Blue
and proud of the spirit that animated
| them. Mr.. Masseck then contrasted
this spirit with those of other great
military exploits, especially referring to
Hannibal and Napoleon. We have no
| holiday to commemorate the Mexican
war, and ii does not seem probable that
we shall have one to mark the acquisl-
ton of the Philippines OF these rec
ords we are not proud. But far differ
ent are our feelings concerning the
war of lS6l-65. We gather here to rec.
ognize and commemorate the heroic
services of our soldiers of that period.
We would have perpetuated in the
hearts of the present and rising genera
tions the same spirit that moved the
| bows of 1861. We would quicken the
| love for the Union. which shall make
all men ready and willing to sacrifice
all for its maintenance in future years.
1t is far more worth preserving to-
day than ever before. Not to mention
the growth in merely material things,
which may or may not be worth con-
4 l,, l.n IA ~.
development in intellectual and spirit
ual qualities, that has made the nation
power in the world, not dependent
upon a great standing army or eolos-
| sal navy. Other nations respect us for
our integrity. revealed in our deeds, and
| in our relations to others. We have
made mistakes. and in some respects
we have failed most miserably, but
generally our spirit and purpose have
been high and noble.
1t is right and proper that we should
show the honor and respect we feel
| for YOU who preserved this Union for
us. Glad are we to have the privilege
of assisting you in the decoration of
the graves of the dead. Next year
some of you will be missed at roll-call,
but you will not be forgotten. In a
few years all Of you will have passed
into the great hereafter, and will have
Joined the Grand Army of those who
live forever. But the fruits of your
| llabor-the Union you saved-wlll per-
sist. And as long as it does the SER
vices YOU rendered will be commemo-
rated.
At the close of Mr.. Masseck s ad-
dress the quartet gave third selection
and the exercises were brought to a
close by singing one verse of America.
The procession then formed on Main
street with the right of the line rest
ing in front of the Brooks library. 1t
was made up as follows: Policemen W.
B. Warren, E. R. Thayer and j. I'll.
Evans, Chief Marshal H. G.. Streeter
and the following aids: Patrick Fenton,
G.. D. Odell, R. f. Gordon and E. b.
Fisher; Company I, V. N. g., with Cap
tain E. w. Gibson in command, dele
CATION of about 70 from Sedgwick post,
90 Spanish American war veterans car
rying wreaths, Canton Palestine, No. ),
in command of Captain L. H. Slater,
speakers, invited guests and disabled
veterans in carriages.
The line marched first to the Sol
diers' monument on the Common where
brief services took place, and then
back through Main street to Prospect
Hill cemetery where the usual cere-
mony of decorating graves of fallen
comrades took place. Delegations from
the post went to Morningside and the
Catholic cemetery for the same pur-
pose. When they returned ranks were
reformed and the procession returned