The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-10-08

Are but the beings OF n summers day,
Have held the scale Of empire, ruled the storms
OF mighty war; then, with unweary'd hand,
Disdaining little delicscies, seized the plow
And greatly Independent lived.
This sentiment is confirmed by the his
torical fact that universally the absorption
of rights and public liberty springs from
the centers of trade and capital The
extent and fertility of lands constitute
the only security against tyranny-,he
offspring Of excessive mercantile, CONNER
cial or other departments of industry, by
which immensely concentrated capital
tends to tho oppression of The laboring
classes of community.
Our country is now involved in the
most stupendous struggle known in tho
annals of the world. 1t is fed by tho
lmpacable spirits of few hotspurs, who
have resolved 10 make the discovered
States Of the Union the monument of their
high handed purpose TO establish the su-
premacy Of capital over labor. You havo
not come here to-day 10 idly witness tho
annual improvements Of culture, stock
and implements, to feel the inspiration of
each others presence, 10 catch fresh tokens
of the dignity Of your calling without
pledging anew upon this occasion the un-
ion of patriotic hearts, in the defense of
that country, the great responsibility of
which has stamped you the conservators
of its liberty. Whenever material OBJ
jects shall no longer stimulate you to pa
trlotic endeavor-when from your memo
rics shall have passed the proud conscious
ness that this government holds no sec
ond rank in tho family of nations, that
the flag of her Union, emblazoned with
its stars Of untarnished lustre, and stripes,
significant with heroic energy, no longer
shields the citizen from the dismal dun
geon and iron grasp of an Austrian ty-
rant, and fails to quell by the light of its
folds pillaging Mexican riot-when her
ships cease to find ready access to every
port, decking with snowy fecks the sur
face Of every sea-when from unexplored
wilds and inexhaustble mines the hand
of welcome is extended to the poor and
hCmeleSs Of the earth-when the strains
of independence and notes of freedom ring
their symphonies around the globe, heal
ing broken hearts with the melody of
their good cheer, until sea and land, of
every cline, witness their toling millions
pointing to this land rs tho last great
hope for the oppressed of mankind-wben
these all fail 10 rouse you to our national
emergency, then heed the graves of our
first martyrs. From their heroic tombs
come the hollow sounds of fallen patriots
cleaving the mournful air with frenzied
utterance, save! save! your country and
the honor of its early dead, or let your
memories perish amid the ruin.
If more than this must move you, 90,
linger around the hearthstones of our
struggling land. In the charms of
quiet and happy home you'll find pow
er to energize apathetic hearts. Does the
woodbne twinc in vain the tendris about
your dwellings, clasping with vernal arms
the sacred spot on earth you call your
homcl Must doorways, trcllised arbors,
embelished walks, fragrant with tinted
bloom, implead in vain? Must you
still further stretch your vision over fields
of golden sbeaves, bending beneath their
wealth, your widespread gardens studded
with every fruitful luxury, and hear the
air of home ringing with the merry peals
Of happy children, and all be powerless
to stir reluctant hearts or kindle with pa
triotic fire the souls of loyal citizens Then
turn away from all such bliss to yonder
homestead, once the peaceful, joyous home
Of many lithesome heart-but now its
fields, its ornamental trees, its fruits and
flowers are silent mo life is seen or heard
"A deep, mournful stiffness pervades the
whole. Pass the Threshold and the
shadows Of death are hung around the
walls, the gloom of horror takes possess
ion Of you, as the sad truth flashes upon
your soul-war has entered there! Wild
ow and fatherless children are pouring out
tears of anguish, and clasping their brok-
en- hearts with wild despair, around the
couch that bears the noble sacrifice, whose
heroic fall before his country's foe sweet
ened the embrace of death, but cloudod
forever with lamentation the memories Of
the patriots home.
The demon of American voc is trea-
son! He is brandishing his sword of Sc
cession over the face of our once happy,
united and peaceful land. In murderous
strokes he is cutting down the brave
hearts who, valuing the glorious heritage
of freedom, fly to the battlefield and dare
maintain it. Ye, then, whose sons have
so nobly won their fame in this dire ago
ny of the nation, and inscribed Michigan
gallantry and bravery high upon tho mar
tial column Of American freedom, against
American tyranny, hold fas: to your coun-
try and your soil. Plant the standard Of
the Union at every homestead, in the
presence Of your children, and at each
daily return from your noble calling of
"diggirg the wealth out Of the eartb,"
your souls expanding with sacred convic-
tion that you are "entitled to it against
the world,"-bring with the evening
shadows your households around that im-