Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-03-11

I believe, sir, that the amendment to the
Constitution now under consideration, will be
adopted In all the States, both North and
South; and that from that time viii COM
mence an era of progress for this country
such as we have never known.
We may not be rich, but all will be free.
We NAV he xbausted so that the dream OF
ambition and of conquest shall have died Gus
from the hearts of TIE people, yet when the
din Of arms shall cease, and the roar OF can
non shall have died away, and the stain OF
blood shall be washed out, we can see our re-
stored and happy country, with It's hliis and
valleys, its churches and school houses, It's
I pleasant cottage homes teeming with a nappy
people, secure in union and freedom ma
| tiOn of sOverelgnS without = suoJecb anu "
masters without a slave.
Our Government, whose very basis and
foundation stone shall from hencefOrth 3 the
| solid rock of the inalienable rights OF man,
can never 90 down. IL has been cemented
anew in blood and tears, and the day when
the authority of this now fres Constitution Is
enforced and respected all over the land, Will
be celebrated by our descendants, as we have
| heretofore celebrated the anniversary OF ouf
/ first Revolution. w - r.
It viii then, Sir, be our proud privilege
to say with truth, in the language OF great
statesman who has lately died, that "hberty
| is queen of the western world, and there Wall
she sit forever en- t.lroned in her glory, with
the stars of the Union for her coronet and the
rock of independence for her foOtstool."
1t was said of Napoleon when cut of from
/ France BY the triumphant naviesot England,
| surrounded in The desert by the cleaning
scimetars of Mameluke horseman, when the
stout hearts quailed, and the bronzed cheeks
la IL. fba Of
battle. he pointed to the Pyramids, those
won1rous monuments of an ancient race, up
which we're expended the muscle and mind OF
generations OF men, the skill of architects
aud the wealth of Kings, and said to his SOL
diers to inspire them with bravery, forty
centuries look down upon you"
5 So, sir, have she eyes of the whole world
looked down upon US, in this death grappie
with slavery.
They have looked down rpon US to see
whether we had the courage, to stand and
hurl back the awful blows of this rebellion ;
to see whether we were ready to endure in the
dark DAYS of defeat, but 1.-THE of the suffer
ings and privatiOns of the starving and bare
loot soldiers of Valley Forge; TO see whether
we had the sturdy and enduring bravery OF
the defeated heroes OF Lexington and Bunker
Hill.
Anu ubWs Sir bilAS BittCt Cup VI wal cCNhiS
about 20 pass from our Hps-this harvest OF
deaJr seems nearly Over-freedom and peace
are sTetchln. forth TO kiss each other. Oh +!
holy kiss, sanctified by the blood of heroes ;
whose spirits from their angel homes, lock
down with delight upon the scene.
And sir, In the centuries which are to come,
will the descendants of those heroes point
with pride, TO a monument more lasting than
brass, more grand and mighty, and impress
sive than all the pyramids the Pharaohs
built; to a government founded in the atfec-
tions of free people, whose massive s,ruc-
ture shall know no change of form, whose
strength shall endure no weakness, and
whose beauty shall suffer no decay amid
all the revolutions wrought by time in its
progress towards eternity; and which, in all
coming time, shall be Is vigorous as though
slavery had not sought to mingle its ruins
with tile rubbish OF nations fallen TO decay.