oceans, and our constantly increasing commercial interests in all lands, we must maintain two separate naval fleets, or, with the Nicaragua canal, a smaller navy that can readily pass through it from ocean to ocean, will be amply sufficient to protect our entire interests. Beyond all this, and as a matter of infinite importance which cannot well be ignored, we should settle in a peaceful way all our present difficulties with Great Britain and its dependencies on our north, and establish with that powerful empire such reciprocal relations as will tend to make our interests and theirs one and the same. With such an alliance, which need not be expressed by treaty stipulations, but understood and sacredly observed, the United States and Great Britain could dictate terms, whether in peace or war, to all the other combined nations of the earth, hastening the time, foretold more than eighteen hundred years ago, "when swords. shall be beaten into plough-shares and spears into pruning hooks." It is for the men of each century to do their own thinking, for new occasions teach new duties. With that superior intelligence which pervades our whole land, with our countless schools and colleges instructing each successive generation of men and women in the principles of free government, with our many churches teaching unto all "the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man," we can look forward with courage and cheerfulness to the future of our country. **** That we shall be fully equal to our opportunities in the future as in the past no candid man can well doubt. For myself, I have an unwavering faith in the intelligence, patriotism and undying loyalty of the people of our grand imperial republic. Imperial only in that it is the greatest and the best, having a form of government the most beneficent the sun ever shone upon, and under which the people are the masters—all kings and queens. That the blessings of peace, civilization, education, Christian evangelization, liberty, and all that pertains to the happiness of mankind, will continue to overshadow us, and walk hand. in hand with all over whom our flag may wave, I cannot question. Oh, my country! How great and glorious thou art, and destined, under the Providence of God, to become still greater, when "Barbarous nations will at our gates attend, The address was received with applause and at its close, on motion of Capt. Fred E. Smith, the thanks of the society were tendered to the speaker and a copy of his address solicited for publication by a rising vote. The president extended an invitation to the society to take a steamboat ride on Lake Memphremagog on the following morning. Returning to the Memphremagog House, about seventyfive members of the society with their ladies and guests, sat down to the annual banquet. The entertainment was enlivened by vocal music from the Priscilla quartette. After full justice had been done to the menu, Col. F. G. Butterfield took charge of the proceedings. The sentiment, "The President of the United States," was ably responded to by Col. P. H. Dale of Island Pond. Following the sentiment "Vermont," a telegram of regret was read from Governor E. C. Smith and the toast was drunk standing. The "Congress of the United States" was omitted, as there were no candidates for Congress present. "Our New Possessions" was responded to by United States Senator Redfield Proctor. The toastmaster read a letter from ex-Secretary of War R. A. Alger. To the sentiment "The Private Soldier," response was made by Col. F. G. Butterfield. That to "Our Fallen Comrades" was received in silence, standing. "The Ladies" was responded to by ex-Gov. Grout, and the festivities ended at 11:30. A goodly number of officers were in attendance and the occasion was in all respects enjoyable and successful. THIRTY-SEVENTH REUNION. MONTPELIER, OCTOBER 25, 1900. The Society held its thirty-seventh reunion at the State Capital. The business meeting was called to order at 3 p. m. in the General Committee room in the State House, by President Fred E. Smith. The Nominating Committee, constituted as usual, presented the following list of officers, who were duly elected: don. OFFICERS FOR 1900-01. President, Captain and ex-Gov. E. J. Ormsbee of Bran Vice-presidents, Col. E. B. Sawyer of Hyde Park and Capt. Horace French of Hartford. Secretary and Treasurer, Capt. L. W. Shedd of Mont pelier. Executive Committee, Major J. L. Barstow of Shelburne, Lieut. B. J. Derby and Sergeant Cassius Peck of Burlington. Capt. Moses McFarland of Waterville, 8th Vermont Regiment; Ira H. Evans of Austin, Tex., 10th Vermont Regiment; W. Livingston of Wentworth, N. H., 8th Vermont Regiment; B. F. Bowman of Ipswich, S. D., 8th Vermont Regiment; W. H. Humphrey of Essex Junction, United States Sharpshooters; and Perry Porter of West Burke, 8th Vermont Regiment, were elected members of the society. At the close of the business session a recess was taken until 7:30 p. m., when, led by the Montpelier Military band and marshalled by Gen. W. W. Henry, the society formed at the Pavilion and marched to the State House. THE PUBLIC EXERCISES. The exercises opened with a selection by the band. Prayer was offered by Chaplain E. M. Haynes of Rutland, President Smith introduced Lieut. Joel C. Baker, of the 9th Vermont Regiment as the orator of the occasion. LIEUT. J. C. BAKER'S ADDRESS. Mr. President, Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen: In accepting the invitation of the executive committee of the Vermont Officers' Reunion Society to-night, I am embarrassed by the consciousness that I am thrown into comparison with the eloquent and able men who have preceded me in this service. The kind words of introduction by your president, and the warm greeting extended by all assure me, however, that I am among friends, whose criticisms will be kind, and whose disposition is to cover with the mantle of charity the faults and shortcomings of a comrade who has responded with promptness to the call to duty. This society has become one of the venerable institutions of our State. It not only grew out of the war of 1861, but it had its birth while that war was flagrant. On the 17th day of November, 1864, which was nearly five months before the surrender of Gen. Lee at Appomattox, and the collapse of the great rebellion, a half hundred men, many of whom had done service in Vermont regiments during the then pending war, met at the Pavilion Hotel in this city, to pay their respects to Major General George J. Stannard, and to sit down together to a supper in the evening. This meeting was the nucleus from which sprang the Vermont Officers' Reunion Society, and to-night for the 37th time, the surviving officers and non-commissioned officers of Vermont in that war, assemble to perpetuate the acquaintance and the cordial affection existing among them; and to keep in mind the duty of preserving inviolate the rights, liberties and national honor, for which the army of the Union fought and bled, and on which depend the future happiness and dignity of the American republic and the American. people. The memory of that first meeting is replete with sadness. At that time there gathered around the tables men who had honored Vermont in civil life, as well as in the field, and who have since gone down into the silent grave. Their names, sculptured in the cold marble and granite of our own green hills, endure no more firmly than their deeds and sacrifices for State and Nation, in the memory and hearts of the survivors. Stannard is remembered by the Vermont soldiery as the incarnation of battle. Hundreds of the sons of Vermont saw him stand beating back the waves of rebellion as they reached high water mark at Gettysburg, and held their breath as he went down to sanctify with his blood the soil of that historic field. We watched with weary care his slow recovery from his wounds. Many of us cheered with delight as he led his division over the outer defences of Richmond at Chapin's Farm, and admired the bull dog pertinacity with which he beat back the hordes of Pickett, who came to wrest his victory from him at Fort Harrison. In this last affair his right arm was shattered and had to be amputated, and he was just commencing to wear his empty sleeve, when he visited Montpelier in November, 1864. That brave heart is forever still, but there is a living reverence for the peerless soldier, and his name will ever stand high on the roll of our nation's defenders and patriots. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Gen. Stannard was Col. Wheelock G. Veazey, a son of New Hampshire, but a gallant soldier and leading citizen of Vermont. At that first meeting he paid a glowing and eloquent tribute to the second Vermont brigade, while under command of the honored guest of the occasion. Col. Veazey had a right to speak for the second brigade, for his dashing charges upon the flanks of Pickett and Wilcox did more than any other act to place that brigade high upon the roll of fame, and extend the already wide reputation of the Vermont soldiery. Since that day he has completed an honored judicial career, and now sleeps beneath the sacred soil of old Virginia, the mother of Presidents, and the decisive battlefield of secession, and by the irony of fate is one of the noble dead who hold in perpetual tenure the historic estate of Gen. Robert E. Lee at Arlington. |