Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-07-27

N~N NOO- ~ AAOutu.
Those who have fallen in tn,
lgreat contest, and those whom Prov
idence has spared to survive and re
turn TO their. condition as peaceful
citizens, win never be forgotten
Soldiers! generations will rise up anG
tcall you blessed. And you will
place upon the heads of your chill
dren, a crown of glory won by theil
fathers in the great battlefield Of
freedom,
The theme which this anniversary
OF our National Independence ftIr-
nishes for our meditation-is So grand
and magni6cently great, i shall not
make the attempt to grasp-it. / shall
be content to refer to things which
are near to us all, which we can all
see, and understand, and appreciate.
/ refer to some things which you
soldiers have achieved for us. And
really; we possess nothing now worth
having, which, in the providence OF
the great Ruler of nations, you have
not shared in the labors, struggles,
and sufferings, by which it bas been
secured to us. And first of all,
TINS DAY is oURsl
The fourth of July, is permanent
institution. Had the rebellion sue
ceeded and our country been severed
in twain, this day would have been
lost and to all the lovers of the Uni
ted States, it would have been a day
of humiliation, mourning and woe
forever.
But you, soldiers, have saved it for
us. We shall glorify and honor it,
more than we have ever done, and it
will be worthily celebrated ''as long
as sun and moon shall endure,
throughout all generations You
doubtless remember the Irish girl,
asking her American Mistress, if
Saint Patrick was not as good as
Fourth of July. 1 don't know what
answer | should have given at that
time, but now l would say, no. and
he won't live as long. Again.
THAT FLAG Is OuRsl Its enemies,
trailed it in the dust. In mock coun-
ell they condemned it. But it could
not die, because it is immortal. 1t
would not remain in the dark grave
because the world needed the only
National escutcheon which is the
emblem of liberty and justice, to
wave over land redeemed and puri-
fed by the blood of Patriots who
gave themselves for their country.
On every battle field the Union Sol
diers rallied around that Flag; it was
light TO his eye, strength to his arm,
and hope and joy to his heart. You
have brought it out of the conflict,
as stainless as the light of Heaven,
To day it valves over all the Terri
tory of our beloved and united coun-
try, dispensing influences, pure as
the sunlight, and rich as the dew
which drops from Heaven upon the
needy earth below. And there it Isl
more pure, more bright, more glori-
GUS than ever, the emblem of liberty
in the Gland of the free and the home
of the brave"
Eguin-through your instrumental
ity we retain our National melodies,
Yankee Doodle, Star Spangled Ban
nner, Hail Columbia, Red, White, and
Blue; Battle cry of Freedom; and a
host of others which have been adj
ded to the family circle since the
breaking out of the rebellion, all
dispensing sweet emusic of the
Union," to which the people will
''keep step" forever more.
All these we cherish as sacred
treasures, belonging to remotest pos
terity.
But "Dixie" the child of the Con-
federacy, is now a wandering or
phan, without parents country, or
home. Uncle Jonathan, may after a
tinre, c6,opt the little one, and give it
a home with its cousins. So we may
occas,onally receive 8, visit from her
after she becomes reconciled to her
new home and family. She is a
spirited creature, and we confess to
a great partia1Tty for her.
These our National melodies are
among the finest in the world, and
they have exercised a'neble ministry
among our people No one even in'l
the darkest period of the war, could |
listen to the music of the Star Span
gled Banner or Hail Columbia, with
out being thrilled by its inspiration,
giving the conviction that our gov
ernment must sustain ITSELF and live
for ever. Such was my own expert
ence many times, and l know
many others whose experience was
similar to mine. "
Again-you have saved for us
our Country. and all her glorious
You have given her
to us freely purged from the dark
stain which made US byword
and a reproach to all the Nations
on earth, which made the decla-
ration of Independence q lie, our
republican institutions a mockery,
and the name American" the synon-
inn for hypocrite and knave For
under the guise of liberty and free
dom, there grew up an odious despo-
tism, which very nearly became our
ruin, our destruction. 1t made all
the war; it has destroyed tens of
of lives, spilled rivers of
blood; made unnumbered desolate
homes; scattered and ruined thou
sands of once happy and prosperous
families; spread blight and desolation
over a vast territory, where once