Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-05-12

public ;nor paint the glories that rose
from its sounding shores. We need not
dilate upon its present varied and sun
Lit scenery, its craggy mountains, and
its verdant wales, but pass to ask of you
in the third place, shall the lessons of
the past be lost to us in this our hour of
peril? Shall those lessons learned Of
our fcrcfathcrs in the stirring times of
the American Revolution, be unre-
garded 10y us ut this time?
The hand of Him who weighed the
hills, has fashioned for us beautiful
habitat!on, and sprinkied it with sunlit
mountains and noble rivers with proud
lakes, and Towering prairie; with slop-
ing hill and green valleys, fresh with the
dews of morning, rs the chosen abode
of our favored and peculiar race. We
had hoped that its granite rocks might
make our children everlasting altars,--
It's forests their broad, froe temples, and
its hillstdes their quiet homes, where,
unmolcsted, in peaceful avocations, they
might for ages yet to come, pluck the
golden fruit, and bind the golden sheaf,
and sing the patriotic SONG.
But Il change hus passed over the spir-
it of our dream. In an evil hour the
reason of deluded people has been
darkened, and their passions aroused,
while sorrow and misery fills the land.
The hand OF rcelling Rebellion has
been stretched forth, and the power of
this Government has been defed. The
proud pillars Of Nations greatness
have been shaken; its altars dcmolish-
ed. and levelcd 20 the dust And can
any just and sufficient reason be assign
cl why course Of this character has
been pursued? Has our Government
thrown Il single obstacle in the way OF
the liberty, or the happiness Of such
people? Have they not been permitted
to enjoy the rights of frocmen guuran-
tCcd by that Constitution founded by
our torvIathCTs, and COnsCCratcd by their
blood? Have unjust and oppressive
taxes been Laid upon them? or unl0w-
ful burdens OF which they could COM
plain? Nothing Of t:!ia; and the cause,
il cause there is, may be found in that
unhOiy determinations to succeed in
their purpose, "a desire for pOrCr, with
out reference to the sacrifice, or the
amount Of blood to secure such triumph.
Against this ambitious and uuhallcwcd
crusade upon the rights and liberties of
~. l,, 4
remain not idle or inactive spectators
lis true that We hoped deluded poo-
pie, seeing the folly Of their course,
would cease their thrcateninrs, and,
upon reflection, would return to their
allegiance, and that the threatened
storm would pass by. But when on
-Sumter's towering heights our national
ensign was disnlantlcd, and our nation
al dignity iUsultcd, then We're the peo-
pie startled as By tho. penliug thunder
to sense OF their duty.
The country called The tocsin sound
ed the brave knelt at their fircsidc al
tars, then brushed away their tears, and
flew to arms. Like Cinciunatus Of old,
or Putnam Of revolutionary time, they
left the plOw in the furrow, or the tools
in the workshop, and bidding farewell
to home and kindred, marched forward
in solid column TO defend the Uuion.-
Tho rolling drum had been sounded
ErOh the Atlantic TO the Pacific, and
men with hearts full OF patriotism went
t,r4 !, "a, 1,, Ia .
aye, and Spartan valOr, in the tremcn-
dous struggle for the preservation of
their country. With measured tread
and brave hearts, the mighty hosts pres
sed on, until from Mississippi's rolling
wave TO Potomac's quiet flow, their
white tents were pitched; and the
shouts Of defiance to servile minions
asccnded TO Heaven upon the evening
breeze. God pity and bless the noble
soldiers who, with heroic courage have
bied and died for our common coun-
try. Side by side, and shoulder TO
shoulder, they have stood at the pass of
our Thcrmopyle, and there they have
poured out their blood upon Liberty's
sacred altar. The historian will weep
over their untimely fate as he chroni-
c!es their deeds: and future generations
will bless the land athat holds their sa-
cred dust.
Let their courage be portrayed In
verse; Jet the canvas glow with their
deeds; the marble speak their glory,
NAL ,,YotaEt,1 .Eor;gh lt,;,.
memory forever.
There is Que idea connected with this
mighty upriein, o. u Tree and virtuous
pco. Io which ought not to be lost sight
Of The preservation and perpetuity Of
this Government is not only favorable
10 Liberty, but also to Religion. Lib
crtv "allis side by side with Christiani-
fs. H-..@ bDia unite to elevate and en-
narle humanity. Under dc&pottc intlu-
eua" Religion is clothed with supcrsti-
tlon ana mystery, and dwclls in dark
ened caves and the gloomy cloister. Its
power Is lctteTcd, it's influence weaken .
ed, its glory obscured, and as q conse- .
quence darkness "coyers the earth,
and gross darkness the people" while
that truth is Obscured which flows from .
the bosom Of Jehovah, and kindles up
the face Of the universe. Where des- /
potism and dogmas, creeds and bitter
sectarianism reigns, We invariably find .
Religion cramped and fcttercd, losing
its vitality and its regenerating and
moral influence in the world.
But when in the light of LUeTty men
become conscious of their dignity and
worth, they advance with rapid and gi- .
eaDtic strides into the profound princi- |.
pies OF intelligence and spirituality, and
us the mind becomes clear and the soul (
becomes pure, they are enabled TO sepa- /.
rate truth from error, creed from doc /,
trine, sect fcom party and unae: such
an influence Religion marches onward, .
and throws her light around the globe .