Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-07-09
Extracts from the Grafton deliv-
cred by William WEIGH, Esq,
at Dodgevil,e, July 5. 1869.

able address. If our space would permit
We would give it in full, but must content
ourselves with few extracts:
OUR GALLANT DEFENDERS.
Let us never prove unmindful of our
gallant defenders, be they living or dead.
Many are sleeping in peace beneath the
sods of southern battle fields, in unknown
sepulchres. Buried as they fell, from
whence the sleepers came no one can tell
Their parentage, their age, the country
which gave them birth, the incidents Of
their lives, their dying prayers, the hearts
which mourn their long absence, we can
never know,-their names are on the roll
call of eternity, and until summoned to
+" fall in" they sleep in repose under the
safeguard of their own martial renown.
"Unknown!" how strange it sounds
when uttered from the home of the dead !!
Fame shrinks back, affrighted, at the glar-
ing word; Glory hides away beneath the
shadow of its own sickly light; the ad-
montion points to the certain oblivion IN
waiting for all that pertains to earth. 1t
is we'll that the living should often visit
the abode of the dead,-and how appropri-
ate the ceremony of paying an annual pill
grimage to the graves of our known and
unknown heroes Let every soldiers
grave become Nations Shrine; in the
spring. time let his narrow resting place be
decked with early flowers. Columbia
mourns for thousands of her sons who
sleep in unknown sepulchres, but their
heroic deeds shall never die. Their re-
nown shall triumph over decay; their i'm
mortal deeds shall survive forgetfulness !;
their Fame is not the common inheritance
of the great, and their glory is not of the
earth.
" How sleep the brave, who sink to rest,
BY all their countrys wishes blest
When Spring. with dewy fingers cold,
Returns to deck their hallowed mould,
She there shall dress o sweeter sod,
Than Fancys feet have trod.
By fairy hands their knelI is rung;
BY forms unseen their dirge is sung:
There Honor comes, pilgrim gray,
To bless the turf that wraps their clay;
And Freedom shall a while repair,
70 dwell, weeping Hermit, there"
ONE EXECUTIVE.
Although virtually we have but one ex-
ecutive, the popular idea that we have
thirty or forty in fact, needs to be reform
ed. In case the States as such, should go
out into utter darkness to-day, while the
Executive at Washington might have in
creased duties to discharge, his power
would remain substantially the same as
before. The clear, shining, glorious truth.
may BIZ uttered here and now: State Ex-
ecutives were, but are not! 1.-THE Philis-
tines be upon thee, Sampson" A perpet-
ual divorce has been decreed between the
head of the Nation and the jewellers in
tents. The rebellious States staked their
Executive power upon the refusal to fur
nish State militia to the Federal arm on
the requisition of President Lincoln !;
they lost, and State Executives are bound
by the neck to the chariot wheels of him
who represents the majesty and the power
of the Nation, THE PRESIDENT OF AMERICA
This result was not attained as the pro-
duct of design; it was born of the Ameri-
can People in the throes of Revolution
Christen it what you may,-Despotism,
Oligarchy, pation,-names have no
power to change sweet to bitter, nor to de-
base the good and exalt the evil,-the fair
child of this great travail is the "heir ap-
parent" immortal as the principles of ra-
tional Liberty, and undying as National
integrity and public virtue. The sub.
stance of power having departed from the
Capitols of the States, let the spectral
shadow, which grins at its own nothing
ness, depart also.
The paramount duty of the Executive
is, to see that the laws are executed. In
this great duty he is aided by Cabinet
Ministers, constitutionally organized
Courts, Marshals and other ministerial Of
ficers. Deriving their appointments from
him, to him they are accountable for their
fidelity, and to the people the Executive is
amenahle. The great power of impeach
ment reposes in the body eff the National
Legislature, and for high crimes and mis-
demeanors the civil officers of the Govern
ment may be arraigned and tried before
the bar of the Senate. Enlarging the Ex-
ecutive term of Office, and restricting the
incumbent to one election, the people
would for time obtain respite from heat
ed political contests, and the purity of the
ballot would grow to the dignity of man
hood. The nefarious trade of politicians
would be gibbeted, and the curse of caucus
dictation would dwarf to contempt; in
stead of diminishing he power of the peo-
pie, their prerogative would rise in mas
sive proportions, adorned with regal splen--
dor; this is the HERO KING / would crown
with the laurel wreath.
shall offer no basis upon which l
would have the Executive elected. Under
the present system the People have no
choice except as between two candidates
the rest is done by caucus intrigue. will
only suggest that the Senate of the United
States, being a conservative body, might,
under proper restrictions, discharge this
duty,-perhaps it might be polite to refer
the question to convention of the two
houses, as some concession is due to popu-
lar education and ancient prejudice. If
found to work badly, the system could be
revised | have cast five votes On the
question, ard but one repeated which my
Judgment to day approves.
Rest, martyred Statesman, your work
was nobly done!
STATE RIGHTS.
Upon the question of State Rights seri-
Gus considerations depend in solving it..
The anomalous character Of Citizen of the
United States and of the State, cannot be
sustained. A Citizen can owe allegiance
to but one Sovereign at the same time
neither can two be Sovereign over divi-
ded jurisdiction. They may be co-ordi-
nate, and exercise separate functions
but neither supreme. If, as citizen of a
State, it is with me, a matter of con-
science, to follow my State out of the I'm
=. ! IL "a &c oil