Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-06-10

)OItcu ny tuC NOiu VI ooN' Dul
these men who sleep here did not
all own slaves. There was another
dogma which inspired the South. 1t
was believed that the abolition of
slavery would lead to political and
social equality Of the races. The
South had been taught that the
white man was the superior race
and that the abolition of slavery
would degrade the white man to a
level with he ne gro. This was the
great ;dea which influenced the
South. None but he who has been
wi h the Southern soldiers on the
march, in camp and in the shock of
battle, can appreciate the sincerity
and devotion with which they main
tanned the justice of their cause.
Need l tell any here of the tolls and
hardshiDs and sufferings endured in
the cause which he believed to be
right? .....-
TheNorth on the contrary did not
believe in slavery The Northern
people were taught by their states
men and ministers that slavery was
q sin and curse to the nation ;that no
nation could prosper which tolera-
ted such an iniqulty.
Thus each section believed itself
in the right and the other worng.
War had to come Let us thank
God that the conflict is over Let us
all recognize the consistency, integ
rity and devotion to principle OF
both sides, and not provoke new
hostIlities by indulging in terms OF
contumely toward one another.
l have no doubt that thousands of
Confederate soldiers tell fighting
bfavely on the battle field whose
souls are now in heaven. | have no
doubt that thousands of Federal
soldiers fell on the field of battle
fighting just as bravely, and now
that their souls are also in heaven.
40 yoa think they are fighting and
quarreling here to- day ever this
contest? There was soldier III
my command who was mortally
wounded in skirinish, and as he
lay dying, he sent for me and others
of his comrades. He said Colonel,
fight ON, and you my comrades.
Your cause is just,a. d if you fall, as
| have done. try and meet me in
heaven Could he have done this
had he not believed he was right ]?
and those Of the opposite side were
no less sincere
The contest is over, and we have
simply to abide by its result, but we
have duties to perform. The victo
rious party has upon its side the
government, which, as is right, sus
tains its wounded soldiers, gives pen
slons to the widows and orphans and
gathers lis dead soldiers into mag
niicent cemeteries erects abov
them noble monuments. handing
down their fame to posterity. with
honor to them and glory to the
government.
How is it with our dead Their
government is gone The flag they
died beneath is driven from the face
of the earth. There is no power
to grant honors to the dead or pen
sions to the living. TLel there re
mains for us. the survivors, q sol
emn duty. 1t is to care for the Or
phans Of those who died for US; to
see that they are suppo:ted,
that they esaught to tie
good citizens and good
christians. 1t is our duty, to pro-
vide for the widows Of those brave
men, whom we see here and every
where, draped in black, with their
little children who now look to them
as their only earthly protectors and
to see that they do not suffer. Who
would not divide even his last pit
tance with those to save them from
want?
| am glad to see here among this
vast crowd so many of those who
once fought against us joining in
this decora ion. l am glad to see
that the time has come when, for
getting the bitterness of the past,
we can honor the dead of both sides
Here around US lie thousands of the
Confederate soldiers. Yonder. on
that hill are buried thousands OF
the Federal soldiers. They are
brethren now. Let the survivors
also be brethren, granting each that
the other fought in a cause he be
lieved to be right and he was will
ing to die for.
There was touching incident oc-
Cured at the decoration of one of
the Northern cemeteries, last year,
which illustrates the spirit that
should animate us. ] think it was
at Gettysburg There was lonely
grave of some poor rebel, and lit
tie Yankee girl had hung wreaths
of flowers upon it. Some one ask
ed why she did. "Oh. SIR" she
said, "he had a mother or a sister,
and for their sake / did it." Such
an example is full of a patriotism
and Christianity that should sink
deep into every heart
Monday, the day following the
Union graves were decorated with
appropriate ceremonies. One hall
Of those present and participatin
in honoring the Federal dead were
Southerners.
The Union orator said:
Nor Can ], after the scenes of yes
terday and the magnanimous senti
ments uttered by gallant soldier
over other brave men, withhold a
tribute to those soldiers under an
oth ~ -