The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-03-11


summer lite, with no electric shock to striko
through their souls and make them think
great thoughts, do great deeds, and become
truly noble men Tho present timo is q
glorious one, and nobly bavo many takon
advantage Of it, and been led up to glory.
Boys with pale, almost girlish faces have bo.
como heroes. Many youths passed and rc.
passed you daily, and you never dreamed
that behind that pule faco thero was hero.
ism doiying comparison in tho annals of the
world. But tho call came and awoke a
sumberiDg spirit in our youth. Pale, frap-
lilo, and scarcely able to hold his muskot.
tho boy went out and 10 tho camp. amid
the shock, and fury, and carnage of tho bat.
tle and germ of boroism developed aud OK.
panGed, aud the delicate boy lowered up as
a man and hero.
How tho war, too, has unmaskod hum.
bugs and hypocrtos. You can bo a noble
man, but you cannot pretend to be ONE
Protenders got no mercy amid these storm
realities. All stimulated virtues will melt
Ike dross in the ferco blast ct battle. and
only the pure gold stands tho test. Noisy
tloquenco and boasted courage arc of no
use tliore. The war is making people find
their proper level. All through tho ranks
OF tho army there has been re.adiustment
oil tho scale Of estimation IN which people
are held
The old catalogue has been torn up. aud
new ono made. with an entirely different
classification of the index But this has not
been dono until the masks have been torn
OF in the fray, until thero has boen a sitting
OF characters in tho hurtling o: battle. Ii
Tor TINS alone, the war, dreadful as it is, has
| been of use.
n anil in lts, L.. 4
has been re adjustment in the scale. The
virtues and tho Gofishness of men have been
brought to the surface. Here and there n
case has beon of u man who has said. II will
mako my fortune out of this war" Those
men are like those whom we soc on tho bat
tlc-ield robbing the slain. They arc Ike
sharks which follow the ship to catch the
bodies of the dead.
But. as people. how havo we developed
IN everything. .--in every kind of industry z
How many have said, awhile this war lasts
1 wi iop of my business, and plant more.
SOW more, and do more than before z" Such
man fights the battlea of his country, in
another part OF the army, but not as well as
the soldier in the field. Those who control
the money interests o. tho country have
stood behind with ho purse. and they have
done 1t nobly. Going further back. the
women at home have done their work They
said, I'VE too, will find a way 10 stand in
tho ranks and do our share OF tho work. =
80 ihero has sprung up among US this won
deiiul AiG Society. which has increased
among US to It's present magnificent scope
and proportions.
No one knows tho good done by all this
bet,or than the soldiers. From my own cx.
perieuces L can testify to .he blessed in.
iluences of these pre- cious gifts. After the
battle OF PittsbuEg Landing. when lying for
night alter night on that t'oOdy field. one
OF tho frat things brought me was a coun.
tcrpano from Cuyahoga County, worked
perhaps by some aged mother, with min.
gled smiles and tears (which had hor chill
dren warmed, ,-aDd now was comforting a
weary soldier. And assure Won i. was Il
luxury to me. IL gave me cheer and spirit
Everywhere, whore our soldiers arc, lust
such presents follow them. Do YOU know
how much courage you impart to men by
such things: 1t makes men brave to know
that some one is looking at and caring for
them. There is no man, however brave,
who in the first of the battle docs rot wish
TO get away-to seek safer place. But
then he thinks of those back of him, trust.
ing In him, and he dares not be q coward.
nation stands behind him, their ewes upon
him. He will stand to the fight and dio be.
fore be will disappoint the expectations of
the people. Ii tho soldier did not know
that they were looking at him, waiting
watching, hoping for him, it would take
away much OF the motive for duty. We all
rejoice to know that such organizations as
these exist, and II we knew the good they
were doing, We would put forth greater of. |
nj n do 81.
contemplate the condition of tho country.
For tho last few months it has been said re-
poatodly that We were looking at the bo
ginning Of tho end. But tho people must
not be deceived. A brave people are not
afraid to know the truth. II we look upop
this war as well nigh ended we make fatal
mistake Let us not slacken our efforts for
moment under the apprehension that the
monster is dying: 1t is within our power 10
end it by tremendous effort if we will nut
1t forth. have never for moment doubted
but we should put down the rebellion, and
do not row. But it is necessary for us TO
know that we have arrived at point where
success trembles in tho balance. TDe crisis
is at band. We have cut the bridges. burned
the shipping in the rear and abandoned our
selves to tho coDtiict to perish or succeed.
There is no course but onward. The strug-
gle Is now for life or death, and il will no,
cease until one or the other of the combat.
ants lies dead in tho arena.
Our past successes have boon great and
have cheered our armies The enemy is
pushed back from tho great river and from
tho Cumberland Mountains tofthe great
plain beyond, where no will make his last
and deadiest struggle. We have passed |
the hubicon, have gone over the river and
tho mountains to the great plains between
the Cumberland aud the Gulf. Here the
enemy stand for tho last and terrible con-
ilics. On that battle depends the result.
We havo not man too many. Let us not
relax single effort until the enemy is com
pletly crushed, and we cry "Habet, Habet,"
as tho wild cry was wont to ring through |
the Roman amphitheatre when the van
quished gladiator fell.
In this crisis it is wicked ard cruel to sit |
down to our own schemes. The stake is |
too largo to risk for man or a thousand |
men. IL is wicked now to forget our coun. |
try and give ourselves up to little side is.
sues.
But it is cheering to know that the mass
OF tho people arc not going to sleep over
this question. The armies are filling up. |
Since the first of January, lO7 900 new men
and 10000 veterans bad enlisted. Zap |
plauSe,l / WOuid nultinly tho last snm nv |