The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1865-06-07

and the pleasant paths of peace and risked all,
sacrificed all, for the laws and liberties of the
Commonwealth. For and for our children,
for all our privileges and immunities, for our
free churches, free COURTS free legislative halls
free farmers fields and mechanics workshops,
free schools, and free presses, had they fought
and poured out their life's blood and borne the
pitless peltings of the storm and parching heats
Oh God bless and reward them and theirs =.
How, from the heart and to the heart of our
whole nation came and went the meaning of the
motto inscribed that day the Capitol: 1.-THE
only national debt we never pay is the debt
we owe to our victorious Union soldiers"
To one who looked eastward from the gate of
| the Treasury building, up Pennsylvania avenue
to the Capitol, more than mile, the vast host of
moving heroes, united into one, the surface of
the mass undulating with the cadenced march,
bayonets, and gun barrels, and sabres, and
spear heads glistening with innumerable jets
and sparkles of light, like the rapids of Niagara
flashing in sunshne-a flood forever flowing
down and on, from ever-full fountains, uninter-
hitting continually renewed; immense in vol
ume, majestic in sweep, resistless in momentum,
graceful in might-seemed like river of lye--a
very Missouri of manhood! Eye heart, imagi
nation were filled with this sublime vision of the
giant stream, SO steadily pouring on and ever on,
crowded sideways, packed windows, throngeds
roofs all ablaze with banners and flowers, and
| many hued dresses; and the sense of wonder
grew deeper and deeper as the Fascinated eye
watched theinexhaustibe current 6avital vigor,
SO beautiful in ordered will, in manifold oneness,
in harnlonized omnipotence. Whence do they
come-these waves on waves Of athletes, so up
right and firm in port, SO bronzed and ruddy in
TINT with matted beard and close-clipped hair,
with muscles so plant, strong and elastic like
steel, and steady, springy step, and gay cheer
fulness of look, and carriage? And these
the exhausted resources of nation, decima-
| ted by four years of bloody strife? And these
thirty miles of indomitable of Anak only
two-fifths of the armies of the Republic, with a
countless fleet and another of seamen to guard
their TANKS? Oh, thanks, to the Lord God
Omnipotent, that He has thus demonstrated
before the on-looking nations that free institu-
tions,- government of people by people
and for people, is the most stable, while most
progressive-the most loyal, while most liberal
form of government on earth. Thanks, ever
fresh thanks! This young giant of a Republic,
in the grand Olympic Games of the ages, has
proved its prowess and won its crown Hence
forth let us have peace Here are our peace-ma-
kers and our peace-keepers-men who prize
freedom as the law of heavenly order, and who
to guard this sacred birthright, are ready at the
instant to give their lives-their all.
When somewhat satisfied with the grand gen.
erdt impression, was free to note particulars.
What first attracted the eye, Perhaps was the
profusion of flowers, for this is theseason of roses
in this District; and the rose-tint seemed to
light up, with festive brightness, the dingy and
dust-powdered uniforms. There were garlands
of flowers on the shoulders, breasts, and arms of
the mounted officers, wreaths of flowers on the
arched necks of their chargers boquets of
flowers at the saddla how in