Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-07-15
SCHUYLER coLFAx.

O. At South Bend, Ind, on SUNDAY
'r May 30lh, Vice President Cola
Il spoke, on the occasion of the dec
& Grafton of the soldiers graves Q
I, that place, as follows;
Is SOLDIERS AND FRIENDS NO elo
d quence can be as commanding a
l the eloquence of these graves; n
Il flowers Of rhetoric as appropriat
Il as these flowers of spring wit
# which we honor the remains of th
patriot dead We are proud of ou
y country, and prouder of our it'll
+, of American citizens. We deem
: an inestimable privilege to live il
this famous land, but our brother
who sleep here, The sleep that know
, no waking till the resurrection
morn, not only lived for this ma
tiOn, but died for it. They were
our brothers, our friends, our neigh
bors, in the days when peace reign
ed We met them ON our streets
in stores and workshops, on theil
farms and in the forests; but the
hour of national peril came, and
these quiet, peace-loying citizens
were transformed into heroes.
They rose from the sphere of the
citizen to the plane of the patriot.
With the courage of the warrior,
they knew too what war means
War is the sundering of the dear
est ties. War is turning ones
back on wife, and children and
home. War is the wearisome
march and the priyations of the
camp. War is life ebbing away in
the hospital and prison pen. War
| is the life destroyed collision of
contending legions. War is the
bursting shell and the thousands
upon thousands of unseen bullets
spreading death in every direction.
War is the open-mouthed cannon,
making winnows of victims thro'
the ranks Of armies. War is the
empty sleeve and the weary crutch.
War is force, bloodshed, anguish,
death. To the harvest of death
these brave men willingly went.
forth. The Spartan band of Leon
idas at the Thermopylan Pass we're
not more heroic and self-sacrif-
cling; Curtius, who leaped into the
yawning gulf to save with his own
life his naton's life, was not more
daring Do we not owe them,
therefore, the homage we so will
ingly render to-day? They were
not only patriotic, and brave and
daring, but they were martyrs like
wise. The supporters Of religion
gave their lives for principle
These martyrs OF patriotism gave
their lives for an idea. 1t was the
grand idea of American nationality
that inspired them to sacrifice, and
transformed them from peaceful
citizens into patriotic heroes. It
was to save the dear old flag from
lishonor, and the nation they low
ID from destruction, that they gave
heir lives. Some lived to see the
lietory won for which they had
oeriled 80 much, hut many Of them
passed away before the hour or tn
lmph, in the darkness ofnight, be-
fore the bright rays of the morning
came. Some sleep in this city OIL
the silent dead, near to the friends
they loved while living. Many re-
turned not, living nor dead, but
lie in distant cemetries; or, sadder
than all, have over them the tomb
stone marked unknown" But,
whetherhere or far away, presery-
ed republic honors all their memo
ries, and gratefully enshrines their
patriotic pride in undying history.
We cannot add to the glory, or
honor, or renown of these whose
Heath saved for us our country; we
cannot make sacred the grounds,
wherever they lie; we may adon
with loving tributes the resting :
places of our beloved dead; the
lowers which are strewn here may
jymbolizo the living fragrance Of
heir memory; but we shall honor
hem the most by having their ex-
ample teach us TO love our country /
more, to value its dearly purchased I
Institutions more, to prize its man !
fold blessings more, and to adj 4
'ance It's greatness and true glory
more. And thus as we bare and
'ow our heads in their honor, on 9
his commemorative day, we shall l
more truly and thor U
'ughly those priceless privileges 9
or which they sacrificed all they .
ad-home and happiness and life
TO preserve for Us and for the h
enerations that are to follow us !
hen we, too, have passed away. il