The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-06-09
Mr.. FOSTERS ADDRESS
Commanders Retiring Message to
the Vermont Veterans

In his address to the veterans at
yesterday mornings session. Com
mander E. ]. Foster said in part:
Comrades: We have assembled
for the transaction of the business OF
the 44th annual Encampment Of the
Department of Vermont, Grand Army
of the Republic, in this beautiful, his
toric village of Bennington. Here and
in the near vicinity occurred many
stirring scenes and thrilling events
that could not help but excite the
most sluggish pulse or awaken the
most dormant mind Here were en-
acted lessons of yalor heroism, fidel-
ity and loyalty that should be as en-
during as the stars Of heaven, and
from which men for all time may
draw inspiration and to which they
NAV ever point with pride.
The glorious seed that was sown
here fell upon good ground, sprang up
and bore fruit an hundred fold as
was evinced In camp, on the march,
on picket, or on the many bloody
battlefelds in the South Land"
from 1861 to 1865.
AS Burgoyne paid our early Yer
mont comrades the greatest Of com
pliments by saying they were the
most active race of the continent
and hangs like a gathering storm on
my left" so eighty-six years later
could Lee, Picket and Early have
used the same words appropriately
of our own comrades. Any good and
ennobllng thing that can be said OF
our comrades who consecrated this
portion of country with~their bitter
suffering, even to the last drop of
blood that flowed in their veins there
by releasing the pure spirits from
these earthly tabernacles can be
equally applied TO our comrades, who
gave up all for their country in the
war of the Rebellion, without dimin-
ishing one iota their intensity and
truthfulness in word, thought or
deed.
No one like the comrades of 1861
to 1865 can appreciate the valorous
deeds and sufferings of the comrades
of 1777, and the sympathetic tie that
binds them to us is indissoluble in
all time. Their paean of praise
should be on our lips, and may a
grateful people ever remember the
stupendous task our own comrades
accomplished in purifying and eleva-
ting the nation our early comrades
founded. But my comrades. our
work is not yet completed, neither,
indeed, can it be until glaring dishon-
esty and base, selfish intriguing in
high places shall be swept away and
the people rule in justice and equity.
One hundred and twenty years ago
it was voted by convention OF Yer
monters held in this village that Yer
mont should join the American I'm
| ion. She thereby humbled her proud
Independent spirit, ceased fighting all
the world. and became one with the
original thirteen states. we, my
comrades, can take pride in the
knowledge that we did our duty in
maintaining the integrity and solidity
of that Union.
One hundred and thirty years ago
when the representatives of Bur
goyne under command of Colonies
Baum and Breyman were sent to this
town for forage they were most en-
Enthusiastically and earnestly received
with cold lead and dubbed muskets.
How very different our reception at
this later date when we are given the
best the town affords and are wei
coined with the open arms of kind
illness, comradeship and appreciation
which we gratefully acknowledge.
Retrospection
The year has been pleasant one
to me. Intercourse with the com
rades has been inspiring and ] trust
profitable. / have received nothing
but kindness and courtesy from the
official comrades of the department
or those outside of them. have
visited all the county reunions in the
state that | had knowledge of except
one and that was because OF prev
ious engagement on the same date
For the same reason | was obliged tC
decline invitations to a regimenta
and a company reunion. In fact
have responded to all invitations un
LESS a previous engagement has pre-
vented. We made 1t rule at the
beginning of the year to accept the
first invitation from comrades Of