Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-06-04


ming rcprsa which would surely ensuc
| from an unwarranted attack upon or tenn
! porary victory over any portion of terri
try shielded by our flag? Modern war
| fare, whether in trade or with guns, Is
the battle of gold. So long rs we have
money and keep our cause Just. SO long
will we have peace. We need no great
fleets no mighty armies FOR or against
| foreign cntcrpriscs-only schools ana
churches as of old, for the uplifting OK
oppressed human beings gathered from all
! corners of the earth. Such, the fathers or
| the republic and our fathers believed.
was the true and holy mission of this
new people under the protection of the
Pilgrims God, Let us not now be led as
tray In Worship OF idols which demand
for their sacrifice the lifc-blood Ut ma
| tons. Rather let us continue stcadfast
in the purposes, the ideals the faith of
our ancestors and to ourselves at least
be true
THE CALI. FOR VOLUNTEERS.
| My friends. We have placed the wreaths
Of spring upon the graves Of our heroic
dead, it is now our privilege to pay hon-
age to thoS" who vet live on--survvors
Of the great war for unity. for fcedom,
/ for stability OF government, for peace
among men.
! Incredible it seems. us we look into
the faces of SO many scons OF hardy
stock still active in mind body and pa
trlotic impulse. that nearly half a cen
fury has glidcI by since they and their
comrades in yonlcr cemctary gave to
| their country not only themselves. but
tho peace and happiness Of those whom,
left in sorrow and solicitude at home,
/ they loved better than themselves
| Through the mist Of years we behold the
vision of that dread time. We feel the
tense apprehension that preceded the
bolt. We breathe the atmosphere of fore
boding that diminod the light of eyes
and yelled with gloom the countcnances
which so long had shone with the happi-
ness of personal liberty and common
prosperity. From the enveloping clouds.
We sec tn" lightning flash. and hear the
thunder echo from Sumter to every nook
and corner of the land. No need to in
tcrprct the shock In this peaceful COM
mutiny, no less clearly than in the cap
I itais and cities the message was under
stood II was death for the individual or
death for the nation. And how splendid
the response. We see the grim determine
alton stamped upon the faces of those
who awaited impatiently the word Of
| their great chief We note the eaGerness
I in their eyes, the Clcnching of their
hands. rejecting not the lust Of battle
but the love of country. And then the
call for volunteers, Could We have but
stood on this spot on that quiet evening
we could have heard no blare of triumpts,
no beating Of drums. no fervid oratory;
not a sound louder than would have reach
ed our ears last night or Will again to-
night; but we would have seen men, first
one. then another, emerge from their
homes and pass silently along or across
the familiar street to the room where
they might pledge their lives and sacred
| honor to the maintenance of the union
and the glory of civilization.
AMERICAS NOBLE WOMEN.
Before our retrospective vision picture
after picture appears TO complete the
panorama. We are cognizant of the
! hustle Of preparation: the hasty group
| ing of individuals into tentative organiza-
| tion; we now hear the drum and bugle;
excitement and confusion are welcomed
ing is inevitable and comes all too soon
| How many of you veterans here, how
many of those there, recall that saddest
moment in life when. with choking
threats. you tried In vain to say good-by
| and, turning. took a last lingering look
| at the weeping wives anC daughters. and
the dry-eycd. hravely smiling mothers
striving with all the courage Of re-
ticcnt race to I'll your hearts with
strength and hope and conceal the bleed
ing of their own. What knew you. or
| what can men know. OF hcro.sm? Deeds
are but natural consequences of circum-
| stance environment. necessity. Suffering
springs from helpless waiting. All that
YOU did. that they yonder did. that all
| the great armies % men did In that
awful war would weigh but as feather
| III the balance against the anguish of
those left behind to hope and fear and
| constant dread. Could the graves OF all
who gave their lives or happiness to
| their nation be- decorated this day, how
many more would be those OF Americas
noble women. But no. The wife's sac
rince IL too great to find requittal: the
| mothers love Is sacred to her own. The
freshest OF flowers betokcning our most
! grateful recognition would wither and
die beneath tho smiles of heaven be
| slowed as rays Of sunshine upon those
| tender memories.
All honor, then, to you veterans OF the
great war who still live; and to those
who have died, peace everlasting.
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