The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1866-08-23

the soldiers one half the State offices p
Verify, no.
The State officers proper--those elected
by the people-are seventeen, Three only
of these are soldiers. Instead of one-hdU,
you have only three-seventeenths Of the State
Offices. +, ,-t.t.f F.........s
Ohio is represented in the Congress of the |
United States, by two Senators and nine
teen Representatives, in all ta0enty-SHe.-
-Four, and four only, of these are soldiers
You have then, of these offices, not one-hatf,
but four tUentyJfrsts only-A little over
oae-seventh;
Let US look yet little further.
The President Of the United States and
Cabinet occupy eightofices thought some
times to be quite important. Of these, not
one is occupied by man who is, or was,
or ever will be, or indeed, who could,
would, or should be, a soldier.
Such, gentlemen, is the exhibit. What
do you think ofit7 Do you feel that you
have been generously, or even fairly treat
ed by those for the defence ofwhose homes
you went forth from yours to fight ? Can
any man, even though not himself a sol
dier, say that you have been treated with
liberality or even justice Surely not.
VIII it be said by any one that the rea-
son why the soldiers are not moro largely
represented in the offices of the country, is
that, in general, they are Tess capable than
those who did not take part in the war?
Who dares utter so vile slander His
tory attests, and will continue to avouch,
the contrary. 1t was her very best men, from
every profession, trade, and business in
life, that the country sent to the war. Never
was there an army into which the intelli-
gence, the intellectual ability, and moral
worth of a people so largely entered, as the
Union Army, in the late war of the Rebel
lion.
We can not, perhaps, in this connection
fittingly speak of the living; nor can all o.
the honored dead from this county, be now
remembered and mentioned.
'Yet nro I would select from that proud throng"
not for the purpose of praise merely,
but because of the aptness of the illus.
tration their lives and their deaths af-
ford. And 1 would mention them with
tender reverence, and, were it possible, in
one single breath, that might not seem to
prefer the one before the other, so much alike
were they in their characters, their lives
and their deaths. Both were tenderly
brought up, and had before them, had they
remained in civil life, every prospect of al
easy, happy, honorable, and prosperous
life. Both were young. They were under
no legal obligation, in any event, to go into
the military service,--neither of them hav.
ing attained that age at which the country
under the law, could demand their services
as soldiers. Their offering of themselves
therefore, to their country, was, in every
sense, free-will offering. They wer,
school boys, diligently engaged in tn,
prosecution of their studies, in the acquisi
ton of that superior education for which
they were so well fitted, and which thei
proud and fond parents were so ambitious
sally admired for their superior intelli
gence, respected for their good sense, ant
beloved for their moral worth and modes
and gentlemanly department. Why Nigh
they not, like many other young men lie
worthy and less cherished than they, hav
remained at home with those to whom the,
were so very dear, living life Of ease ant
happiness, and leaving it to those VIII
, were older, and physically more able thai
themselves, to fight the battles the coun
. try? Why should they, by the sacrifice o
u themselves, have shrouded in mourning
the homes where they had been so tenderl
reared, and riven the hearts that love
them so dearly Was it not because Go
had ordained that for tho redemption c
our land from the whitening curse of slave
ry, and the arrogant dictation of slave
y holders, we should pay the price with ou
y brightest and most precious je'ce,sP A
y their country's call they left their homes
"And all that might to luxury invite"
and entered the military service. The
If both became Lieutenants, the one in til
e cavalry, the other in the infantry.
" Il lie rest IL sOOH JOlu anu WONli III
r dwell upon the mournful and paint
details. Away in the Far West, far beyon
re the farthest of the settlements of the viii
Of man, upon one its green-carpeted pra
he ries, poor CAsPAR COLLINS met his fat
and made the sacrifice his country had r
re quired of him. In the attempted eNecutio
IN of an order which he himself well knew
re be impossible of execution, but whiC
re personal honor and military law alike 70
bade him to disohey, unsustained by tho
r. who should have sustained him, but wi
n stood safe and supine spectators of the awf
It. sacrifice, and deserted by those who shou
ne have fought at his side to the very las
ee surrounded by hundreds of painted al
n shouting savages, whose rifle balls hiss
n and whistled round him on every side,
IL boldly met his death, heroically preferriI
to lay down his life there, rather than tai
h. one step backward, Shot from his hors
. and falling among the savages, he cont
h. ued to fight with his sabre and revolver
nd long as he had strength to raise either al
n then, having done all that duty could q
he mand, or heroism inspire, he yielded I
of his brief aud beautiful life. Blessed, a
:. oLow..t,od fo,o,,o,. nav his nnaunnrv haI