The Portland daily press., 1865-01-24
Sixth Lecture-Indepeudent Course.


Last evening the City Hall was well Alled
by brilliant and fashionable audience
Shaws Qusrtette enlivened the occasion by a
patriotier piece which was renderedin admirable
style, after which M. A. Blanchard, Esq, intro
duced Hon. A. Il. Bullock, Speaker of Mass.
House OF Representatives, as the Lecturer for
the evening", who chose for his theme, The
present War and Heroic Epoch" as ilustrat-
ed in our war which the slave olgarchy has
forced upon US. Generations of men are nec-
essarily divided by spaces. Historians are
generally intent on the most important events,
and that which elevates an age above others
is a way mark. Such epochs historians bring
out in bold relief E g4 Wa
Cromwell crushed out Legitimacy. Freder-
lex drilled small nation to carry out his pur-
poses; the elder Pitt made his mark on the
age. Mlrabeau infamed Europe, the Pilgrims
established Christian democracy; such peri
DDS pass as heroic and the fortunes of humani-
ty turn upon them. The lecturer then spoke
of our situation. A nation full grown is often
apt to float in its currents and traditions
And one great difficulty is to overcome popu-
lar inertia, and prosperity often increases the
difficulty. To shake offspicy enjoyments and
plant in tears for another and different crop,
is truly heroic. = o'm5e eH tT6g4ls
q In 1861 we encountered the great difficulty
the necessity of giving up the past aud pres.
ent, for the future ola new and untried dra-
ma During eighty years we have quaffed
| the draught of peace. We had not been ae-
castomed to speak of sacrifices for the life of a
people. 1t was considered vulgar to do So
The culture of the South had been more than
match for the North. We thought Webster
10 reply to Hayne had given the palm to the
North, but others said that Pickney had Civ
elit to the South. Under such circumstances,
onr Government demanded the Intervention of
some epoch to heal the charm under which the
Constitution was becoming but name, and
the life of the North but happy cowardice. !,
z To shake off the domination Of the South
/ over us, 1t was necessary that some man should
strike the heroic bell and sound the call to
arms. But who believed snch a war of desc
iation must come before this time? Who be-
lieved that when Webster spoke of Estates
drenched in fraternal Blood that such VS.
ion ever appeared to him? And yet Web
ster being pressed by Sydney Smith in Lon
don on the subject of slavery, whether it
would not lead to discord, said, at must
there will be blood" Other wars have been
to change dynasties, not to preserve nationali-
ty, but our war is to preserve the nations life.
i This work must go on till the nations of
the past shall be lost in the Apocalyptic vision
of the West. & This future is all heroic. For
tunes will wane, but principles will rise. Men
will perure themselves over the income tax,
but others will tell the truth, fear God and
greet a rejuyenated Union at any conceivable
cost. While liberty is being enlarged, they
will pay taxes cheerfully. Such will achieve a
| better philosophy, a truer humanity, a brighter
philanthropy. Y g. ,g.sst i,
This is a heroic epoch of which no history
can find parallel. rgs~r
The Lecturer then alluded to the leading
affairs Of the period. We now talk Of mill
Il tary affairs. Armies are teachers. In a good
cause they are the best. Trials and defeats
have made great men. Half Of England com
. planned of the Duke of Wellington until he
conquered at Waterloo and silenced them
History has not furnished two such Generals
as Grant and Sherman to one country and one
period. This is not an era of generals only
bnt Of soldiers. Our soldiers make the cause
their own. Sherman wrote to clergyman
thus: "Let every thought be directed to one
!, object, a successful war and a consequent
peace, aud you have the ideal Of my men,"
Such are our soldiers; they settle the idea OF
duty which supplants the idea of glory. No
Il cry for ignoble peace comes from their graves
Such armies will impress our future in years