Weekly Trinity journal., 1864-02-13
The Slain In the War.


Tho following extract from the Thanksgiving
discourse of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher sets forth
in striking contrast the different estimate posteri
ty viii make of the iriemery Of those who have
fallen in seeking TO destroy democratic institu-
tions, and those who have given their lives that
their countrys fame might remain undimmcd
and that her honor might stand forth unsulicd :
Let us pause upon the theshold of dis
course to pay a tribute to our heroes. On either
side has been manifested the noblest courage
and patience, and endurance Ten thousand
youth have dropped the blossom OF their lives
Alas that for so many it should be death, ut
teriy dead. More aud more will years reveal
that Young Southern heroes died for evil
cause. Would that so much bravery had had Il
better cause Time will bring no venerableness
and no affection to defeated tyranny. Man 5 en-
thusiasms 90 backward to search for the
deeds of oppressors, to garland them with ever
green honor They die indeed, who die for
slavery And lapse Of years. and growing JUS
tce, and nobler humanities will only make I d.
mistake more dreadful, and their oblivion more
certain. tits indeed sad future for those who
mourn for sons slain under the dark banner of
slavery. No future historian will feel sacred en-
thpsiasm in recovering their names. No re
joicing millions will teach their children to lisp
their names with gladness The best that can
be done for them By patriotism, is to draw veil
over their life, and to let them be forgotten
Over their battle-ground the hand of charity can
write only this Let their and their mis-
takes be forgotten.
But how bright the honors which await
those who with sacred fortitude and patriotic
patience have endured all things that they might
their native land from division and from
the power of corruption The honored dead
They that die for a good cause are redeemed from
1aaf Thpi rnhr tltara md rad
Their memory.is precious Each place grows
proud for them who were born there. There is
to be- ere long, in every village and in every
neighborhood, glowing pride iii its martvIcd
heroes. Tablets shall preserve their names.
Pious love shall renew their inscriptions is time
and the unfeeing elements decay them. And
the national festivals shall give multitudes of
precious names to the orators lips. Children
shall grow up under more sacred inspirations
whose elder brothers, dying molly for their coun-
try, left name that honored and inspired all
who bore it. Orphan children shall ina thou
sands of fathers and mothers to love and help
those whom dying heroes left as legacy to the
gratitude of the public.
Oh tell not that they dead-that gen
erous host, that airy army of invisible Eeroes.
They hover as cloud of witnesses above this
nation Are they dead that yet speak louder
than we can speax and more universal Ian
guage Are they dead that yet act? Are TREY
dead that yet move Upon society and inspire the
people with nobler motives and more heroic
patriotism?
Y e thrt mourn, let gladness E.ingle with your
tears. 1t wGS your son: but now he is the ma
tons. He made your household bright now
his example inspires thousand households.
Dear to his brothers and sisters he is now
brother to every generous youth in the land.
Before, he narrowed, appropriated. shut Up
to you. Now he is augmented set free, and
nvn 10 ha he je
ours. He has died from the family that he night
live to the nation. Not one name shall be for
gotten or neglected and it shall by and by be
confessed, of an ancient hero of modern times,
that he did more for his country by his death
than by his whole life. i{l
Neither are they less honorcd who shall bear
through life the marks of wounds and sulfcrings
Neither epaulette nor badge is SO honorable as
wounds received in good cause. Many man
shall envy him who henceforth limps. SO
strange is the Transforming power of patriotic
ardor that men shall almost covet Disagreement
Crowds will give way to hobbling cripples, and
uncover in the presence of tcebleness. And
buoyant children shall pause in their noisy
games, and with loving reverence honor them
whose hands can work no more, and whose feet
are no longer able to march except upon that
Journey which brings good men to honor and
Immortality. Oh, mother of lost children sit
not in darkness nor sorrow whom nation hon
ors. oh mohrners OF the early dead, they shall
Live again. and live for ever. Your sorrows are
our gladncss. The nation lives because YOU gave
it men that love it better than their own lives
And when few more days shall have cleared the
pcrils from around the nation 5 brow and she
shall sit in unsullicd garments of liberty. with
justice upon her forehead love in her eyes, and
truth on her lips. she shall not forget those whose
blood gave vital currents to her heart. and whose
life, given her, shall live with her life till time
shall be no more.
Every mountain and hill shall have its treas
ured name every river shall keep some solemn
title, every valley and every lake shall cherish its
honored register and till the mountains are
worn out. and the rivers Forget to flow, till the
clouds are weary of rePieniShing springs. and
tn springs forget to gush, and the rills to sing,
shall their names be kept fresh with reverent
honor which arc inscribed upon the book OF
National RENE nj branoe+-~ ---f