The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-12-27
have ever since remained, the object OF
reverence 10 all visitors of the Island.
An Essay.
Reod before the Cioridoa Soldiers aud so
ciety Oct. 23d by Hs PresideHt Pub.
Hshed Ju rcq0rsi Of the Socirlv.

Reod Jcfore the Cioridoa Soldiers aud 50
cietg Oct 23d by Hs President. Pub.
Hsted by request Of The Socirty
LADIES Al :hough, for ono, am greatly
| pleased with :he success our efforts have
thus far mot, yet fear some Of us do not
toel the interest wo should in this import.
ant subject, which should 90 so near the
heart of every lover of our hitherto peaceful
country. Who does DOT lOyo his native
land and where can we find ono oveior
than ours ? II is not moro selfish TO love
our "Mother Country above all others than
1t is to iovo our parents better than stran.
gers: and have ever been thankful that
my eyes first boheld tho light Of day on
Americas free soil. She has Justly boon
called Tho land of the FREQ aud :he home
of the brave" She has afforded an asylum
for tho oppressed of other lands; and the
wanderor of foreign climes has here found
"A home. been hailed brother, and wei.
coined to our shore. where no might enjoy
freedom of opinion without fear of king or
despot. Our forofathrrs suffered priva ion
toied Fought, and dved tho soil with their
hearts blood, to leave US this great inherit.
ancc, and we cannot prize it too highly.
when it was purchased at so great a sacri-
fco.
But oh, how sadly tho truth flashes upon
our minds, and falls like a death .knell to
our stricken hearts. that this beauteous land.
our boosted prdo is in peril Aud, Ladies.
it is not for us 10 discuss tho cause of this
civil war, which SO threatens the destruc.
ton of tho liberties our brave ancestors
bcquoathed to us; for. whotever might have
bcen tho remote or immediate cause, it
cannot be averted now aud it is enough
to know that our Nation is in arms against
itsolf, and many dear husbands, fathers and
sons must he sacrificed upon tho altar of
Freedom, Gre 80 can again be "a happy,
prosperous nation and, even then. "a stigma
will rest upon Us, which no time can etfaceS
This deplorabIe state of affairs is deeply.
sadly TO be- regretted. But sighs and vain
regrets will avail nothing The limo for
action has como, and soon the great crisis
will have past, and the result bring min,
gled joy and sorrow to our hearts.
Ladies, few OF us could endure the
horrors of the battle fold and army hospi.
tai. Our hearts would sink within us at
the sight. And yct We foar that before tho
bright and genial summer sun shall again
wake the flowers to life and beauty, many
of our brave couutrymen's eyes will be
forever closed upon tho battlefield, and the
pusations of many loyal hearts be stilled
forever, in the army hospital. We who
have watched by the bedside of our darlngs
wheu the fell hand of disease was upon
them, have felt a consolation in admins
toring the cooling drlght to their parched
lips ard fevercd brows; and when, at last,
their eyes were closed forever upon us. and
their cold innniinsse forms wore locked in
tho icy embrace of that dreamless slum ber
which "kmows no waking" although we
al bar in mn hpI hno I,,,I,
say, "rhy will, not nine, be DONE" vet we
had the choerlng consciousness that all that
affection could desire, and kind. low ing
friends Direct had been done for them. and
that t was the will of an all wise Providence.
whose purposes we cannot fathom, and who
doeth all things we'll. But the mother,
when she takes last, fond. lingering look
of her brave bov, as he loavos his dearly.
loved homo to fight the Rebel foe, although
she bids him God speed, yet her heart goes
after him in deep, unalterabe yearnings,
which zone but a loving mother can feel
And oh. how fervently hor prayers ascend
10 tho God of Bo;tles, to watch over and
protect her son. and return him safely to
her arms What uvaileth her soft pillow
and warm bed Every rudo blast which
sweeps by her window, every drop of rain
as it falls noisily on tho roof, reminds her of
that loved ono who has perhaps. never
known want or caro-, and now has nothing
but blanket between hun and the cold
damp earth. ..... ......
And who can picture the anguish of that
mother, when, after MANY long, weary davs
of suspense. and anxious. sleepless nights.
tho sad Intelligence reaches her that her
son has fallen victim to tho traitors ball
or steel. with no kindred near to sooth his
.I | nF nj IN Iict
chance, his mangled form is returned to his
broken. hearted parents, it bears no re-
semblance to the bravo boy thcy kissed at
parting; ell tho consolation mo bereaved
ones may have in those hours of anguish, is
the sweet and thrilling words of immortality,
81 am the resurrection and the iife;" and the
cheering hope OF u reunion beyOnd this
world of sorrow will serve to reconcile them
to tho brief separation, knowing that he
died in q just cause. and his life was noble
sacrifice to his country. And what tongue
can portray the feelings of the wife who mas
taken leave of her husband, the sharer of
her joys aud Sorrows who has gone to fight
our country's battles, while the thought
that she may never 500 him again saddens
overy moment of her existence. And with
what anxiety and suspense che awaits the
tardy mail which may bring intelligence OF
! him. And when, at last, she receives the
welcome missiVe. telling her ho is well. and
has not for one momant forgotten the loved
ones at home, and bidding her be of good
cheer, her heart takes courage. Tor one mo
ment, and hoats lightly with hope Bat too
soon, alas the fond dream is past, and she
is sensible that, although at the date of the
letter, he was we'll. perhaps. ere it reached
her, he was a mangied bleeding corpse.
! Ladies, lot US not be solGsh in this matte
Let us keep in mind that, although we havo no
soEs, husbands or brothers in the army.
many wives, mothers aud sisters are sor-
rowing for loved ones far away in camp
and field and if by a little time and labor,
We can assist in alleViating the distressed.
let US do so with enorgy and cheerfu!ness
working in unison with the same noble end
in view, and We shall be rewarded with the
consciousness of having done our duty.
H.
- r. .