The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-07-13
THE ONLY DEBT OUR COUNTRY
CAN NEVER PAY:

THE ONLY DEBT OUR COUNTRY
CAN NEVER PAY:
The Debt Of Gratitude zoe o,oe to our
Brave Soldiers"
Whlo the war was still raging, and
the iidiugs of battle we're born on every
breeze; when calls for more men to re-
inforce our struggling armies we're be-
ing made every few months, and the
work of recruiting never ceased; and
while the patriotism of the people at
home was kept in full glow by the con
stant calls upon them for money and
means TO carry on the contest, aud to
relieve the sufferingS of the brave men
disabled by wounds or disease then
there was no danger that we would for
get the noble sacrifices aud patriotic de
votion Of the brave "boys in blue"
who cheerfully breasted the storm Of
war, and fearlessly exposed life and
health to defend US and our homes from
danger. Aud nov, that through their
heroism and endurance, the rebellion
has been crushed, the Union proserv ed,
aud peace once more smiles over our
beloved country, shall wo forget to
whom we owe all these blessings?
Shall we forget the long and toisome
marches, the rough and often scanty
fare, the exposure to sunshine and
storm, by night and by day, the dread
shock Of battle, the sudden death, the
CHASTITY wounds, the long and weary
days and months of lauguishiug in hos
pitals, far away from homc and friends,
the manned audcrippled forms, the hor-
rible, lingering death of slow starvation
and disease in the rebel prisons-shall
we forget all these and other untold
sufferings which have been bravely aud
uncomplainingly endured by our
noble heroes, while zoe have remained
at home, in the enjoyment of all its
comforts and ease? Nerer, is the earn
est response of every truly loyal man
and woman of the North, who feels the
truth of the sentiment, that the Coun-
try can never repay her debt Of graft
tude to the brave and faithful eoldiers
Of the Union.
The war is over, and during the past
few weeks the bronzod and battle-sc rred
aud crippled heroes of many hard
fought field have been returning to
their homes and friends, in every city,
and town, aud neighborhood through
out the loyal portion Of the Union.
What scenes Of heartfelt gratitude and
10y have been witnessed, as the long alb
sent father has greeted wife aud child
rem, the son his aged parents, sisters
and brothersl What tears of happiness
have been shed, over the return Of the
loved ones, mingled with tears Of sOr
row for the dead, who shall return nc
more! whose moulderiug forms fill un-
known graves in the distant South, but
whose memory shall never be forgotten
By a grateful Nation.
"How sleep the brave who sink TO rest
By all their Country's wishes blest!
The meanest rill-the mightiest river
Rolls mingling with their fame forever.
There Spring, with dewy fingers cold,
Shall deck with flowers their hallowed mould;
There Honor, like Pilgrim gray,
Shall bend above their nroudering clay,
And Pity shall awhile repair,
To dwell weeping Hermit there"
While We mourn and respect the
memory Of the dead, how shall we most
ftly honor the living-the returned
heroes who have been spared to enjoy
the fruits of the victory and peace won
by their valor and endurance? Is it not
right and proper that we should exali
them to our places of trust and profit
as a just reward for their servicesi
Wherever there is an Office to be filed
or position Of responsibility and trust
who so worthy to fll it as the man who
has peried bis life and shed his blood
for his country, provided he has the
requisite intelligence and qualifications
There are to-day among US thousands oi
men, who went out to fight at the frsl
call Of the Government-whor received
no large bounties--- nothing but the
meagre pay Of the private soldier, and
who have come home poor, and with nc
resources but their labor to depend up
on. There are hundreds of others wbc
have been crippled by wounds, or dis
abled by disease, and whose small pen
sions are wholly insufficient for thoil
own support, to say nothing of those
who have families dependent on them
Many of these disabled soldiers are full
ly competent to gil any Office in the gif
of the people, and we ask, are they not
in simple justice, entitled to them, il
preference to able bodied civilians?
we sincerely feel the gratitude whicI
r n