The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-01
Secretary of War Garrison
Welcomed Them Jointly
to Gettysburg
FOR ANNIVERSARY
OF GREAT BATTLE
Touching Scenes as the Vet
erans Come Together
in Reunion

Gettysburg, Pa, July Veterans Of
the Civil war, Union and Confederate
gathered together here to-day to com.
memorate the mighty battle fought on
Gettysburg field fifty years ago, were
welcomed by Lindley NJ. Garrison, sec
retary of war. Mr.. Garrison said:
I'm the name of the nation, bid
you welcome. In the name of the whole
people of a united country, | bid you
twice welcome. In the name OF it's peo-
pie who recognize the high import OF
this fraternal gathering, you are thrice
welcome.
Once again is Gettysburg the center
Of the worlds attention. Once again
does this field tremble under the tread
Of mighty host-not now in fear,
however, but IN joy. The field of en-
nifty has become the field of amity.
You have trodden under your feet the
bitter weeds of hate and anger; and in
their places have sprung up the pure
flowers OF friendship and love.
Gettysburg seems destined to be the
stage upon which shall be unfold I the
scenes of great historic drama. Within
the short span of fifty years, its gentle
slopes and placid plains have witnessed
three scenes of great historic import,
running the whole gamut of mans three
fold nature Each scene has been unique
and typical OF its kind: first the battle,
with its almost unexampled display of
the physical powers of man; then the
great heart and mind of Abraham Lin
coin, bodied forth in his wonderful adj
dress delivered here; and last, this as
semblage, the deep spiritual significance
of which can scarcely be exaggerated
So we have body, mind, and spirit, each
displaying its distinctive characteristics
to their fullest extent upon this small
stage of the worlds great theatre.
Fifty years ago to-day, there began
| here one of those conflicts between man
and man, marked by such exhibitions of
:alor, courage and almost superhuman
endurance as to engraye itself upon the
tablet of history. there to remain ever
memorable. Equal met equal, and in
the domain of physical prowess all were
worthy of medals of honor. The. superb
ority was that of resources, not OF indi-
yidual strength or courage. So long as
men love valor and worship heroes, the
name of Gettysburg, and of those who
fought there, will be ever on their lips.
-Four months afterwards, the field of
Gettysburg inspired in the great mind
and heart of Abraham Lincoln the most
wonderful prose poem ever written, It's
music literally rang round the world
and sang in the hearts of men, and win
continue to sing in the blood of the sons
of men until time itself shall be no
more.
And last, but by no means least
this gathering here upon the field of
Gettysburg to-day. Thousands and
tens OF thousands of former foes are
here gathered together in brotherly m-
ion. You who first met upon this field
to vie with each other in doing hnrt
the one TO the other, now meet ltre
to outvie each other in deeds of kindness
and friendship and love. History holds
no parallel. This meeting is the final
demonstration that the last embers of
the former time have been stamped out |
and the great cpnfagration, which it |
was feared would consume our country, |
merely served to weld the different parts |
of it so firmly together and into such |
perfect whole that no power can ever
break it. The Civil war was a battle !
for ideals; and if our beloved country
could withstand war waged for ideals,
one waged for any lower, baser purpose
can never overthrow it.
"A Truer Perspective"
"Time has enabled us to attain truer
perspective than was possible while
nearness to the conflict obscured the
fact Looking back with an unbiased
eye, we can see the truth; we can see 7
that in the very nature of things some
such conflict was necessary to settle
great questions for which there was no
peaceful tribunal; we can see that the
war of 81 was fought by men upon each
side for the right as each saw it; we
can acclaim, without abandoning any
view which we may hold, that the men
on each side were actuated by high, pure
purposes, and were compelled by their
consciences to do what they did. Before
the war we were a loosely connected
band of communities we emerged from
it firmly welded together nation
"At the time of the Civil war this
great, wonderful experiment in self-gov.
ernment was only seventy-two years old, /,
and up to that time each community had
busted itself with great energy to devel-
op its own resources and increase its
own strength and means. So busy was
each community in those pioneering days
that, whatever, the inclination might
have been, there was little time or op- I,
portunity for mutual consultation and
effort. /
"And then the time for the inevitable
arrived. Those who honestly believed |
that the United States was voluntary b
association OF independent sovereign :
states, met in irrepressible conflict those :
who honestly believed that the United i
States was an indissolube union of 9th c
arwise independent states. Each side, !
with all the earnestness of those whose
hearts. minds and consciences are COM
mitted to an ideal, sought to mould
he government to their respective views. ]
There was no earthly tribunal before
which this great issue could be tried and
determined The arbitrament of arms
alone remained.
left a Great, Study Oak"
"The war that followed had no ele- u
nent of wantonness, or sggrandizement, !
Jr lust OF gain; and no men Of purer /