Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-07-20

rise no more. But, the Book is closed and
in His holy keeping-Who, shifting, heals
nation free and braye-Who careth for the
down cast and lonely and weeping, and re-
Dukes the traitor and redeems the slave.
The short time which has elapsed since
we--or many of US at least-met In this
place to celebrate the 4th of july In honor
of that immortal document which you have
Just heard read, has been mingled with sor-
row and joy The glorious victories which
our soldiers in arms have achieved, renders
it conspicuous as a year of joy and gladness
to the lovers of the Union. On the other
hand, the grief occasioned by the loss OF ilte
and limb on the fields of carnage, cOnstl-
tutes it year of sorrow. But although
hostile armies are yet marshalled on the
plains of America, and the ravages OF clvIs
war-hideous in characteristic continues
to curse our once united and peaceful land,
vet there is great reason for reloicIng, and
we can celebrate this day with the glorious
hope we'll founded, that ere the sun Of heav-
en- shall gild the eastern horizon on the 4th
of July 1850 the rebellion will be played out
dead and buried, to rise no more and
government pure in principle and Just and
holy will be established upon the grave OF
treason, and the founders OF this accurseq
system be forgotten, save tor the evil WHICH
they have done.
But, as we said before, we must not for
get to whom we owe the peaceful enjoyment
of these liberties Had it not been that the
northern portion of this now distracted
union possessed thousands Of as brave men
as ever faced the cannon or braved the clash
Of steel, where would we have been to-day?
Echo answers, where? God alone knows.
For more than three years many OF our
brothers have stood between us and our en-
+ IInr1
and society for the pleasures (if pleasures
you call them. of camp Efe-performed
marches not excelled by the armies of Ma
poleon, Alexander, or Washington-passed
the fiery ordeal of some OF the severest con-
tested battles ever fought by any Nation
and to-day hundreds, yes thousands Of them
sleep where they fell, far from friends and
loved ones, in an enemys land, while the
winds of the South sing Il mournful requi-
um to their silent forms, and the pilgrim
and stranger bedews their graves with tears
of gratitude. Well may America be proud
of her heroic defenders. Well may she
style them her heroes, for heroes they GER
tainly are. We owe the enjoyment of this
day. under God entirely to the soldier. We
can claim none of the glory and honor of
the world-renowned victories which they
have won-none of the laurelS of fame
which should ever wreath their brows. To
attempt to do so, would be robbing them
of honor due to them alone, and would not
be unlike the story of the cowardly soldier
who, it is said, hid during the battle, but
when the enemy gave way, rushed into the
crowd OF victorious veterans and shouted
''didn TIVE make EN- skedaddle hurrah for
the union, &c. But we gladly render the
honor to whom it is due-our heroes We |
saw them go. Brave self-sacrificing men |
Va .aIV tbal,1 at
prompt and steady No manlier, braver
men IL all our proud land. They are our
soldiers ours our country TO stand |
up for us, TO fight for us, to die for us. |
v hat soldiery like them? Freemen, going |
forth in their might for freedoms sake
each man a ruler and sovereign in his bear |
ing. Going forth so unselfshly to hardship, |
to suffering, mGyhap to imprisonment, to |
manning, to death. The drums beat gaily, |
the banners wave triumphantly, and they |
pass on, away from us, until the last line is
beyond our straining gaze And to-day we
may look whittier they went and inquire,
will they come back again as they went p
The answer is definite. No! never more
will those same strong unthinned ranks |
march with waving banners before us. A
gallant company bearing their gallant name
may long hence return for our welcome,
cheer. and blessing, but we will miss among
them very many. We viii know the new
ranks only by the valor and spirit bequeath-
ed to them from those who have passed
away.
But not one will come back as he went.
Some viii return, bronZed, wan, and SCARED,
yet handsomer Ill our eyes for all this 9th
ers will come back the cold, still dead
They left us III such pride and glory, how
could they die ? But they are gone. Wind
the banner under which they fell around
their coffins, and let the funeral drum sound
IN our midst as they are borne along for a
solemn hush will thereby be brought down
on men souls, making them more conse-
Grated for these new witnesses of self con-
secration Let their ashes make more sa-
cred our burial grounds We would gladly
sleep our last weetsleep beside them. And
many will never come back, In life or death.
The hearts that wait for them shall wait in
vain. The eyes that watch for them shall
never meet the object for which they so ar
IDENTIFY gaze Mourn not for those who come
not back-if you cannot do otherwise since
the noble are gone, the beautiful departed,
the excellent laid low-rejoice as you mourn,
since they fell for country and for freedom
a sacred, priceless heritage They sleep
where they fell Fit resting place Their
tomb battlefield You may not guard
their dust, but a nation guardsit. You may I
not shed tear upon their graves, but mil !
lions of those for whom they died will be-
dew them with grateful tears. Generations
yet unborn will visit them with reverent {
spirit, as they recall their deeds of glory and J
Of might Who, indeed, is there that does {
not esteem the soldier-who that does not '
honor the name Of an American patriot !;
When we reflect what they have endured {
for us, we cannot do otherwise. This very {
lay, while we celebrate the S9th anniversa-
y of our Independence, many brave son &