Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-07-14


hood of God and the brotherhood OF all human
kind. was indelby impressed upon my mind. In
those graves there are no distinctions OF sects, OF
isms, or raees-no party lines-no hates-no jeal-
ousies-no scorn. There they lie they are
Brothers.
saw them in life They laughed and wept like
brothers-they died like brothers One of them
said TO me at Center yille-he had been struck by
shell in the groin and was d ying-,' Tell mother
fell at the frontl' Another said " Say to my
friends at home l died a. my post. AND HAVE
NOTHING TO REaRETl" The talked like brothers
when the dying moment car :. They all talked
about their mothers, wives, rar children. One
man sent q dollar TO his orphan boy one a pic
ture to his wife another lock of bair-it was
wet with blood-to his mother. Their tears look
ed alike-they were bright-they we've salt-they
were bitter.
There thew lie-Democrats and Republicans
There they lie-Americans and Irishmen-Afri-
cans and Germans Englishmen and Norxegians.
There they lie-Universalists. and Methodjsts. and
Congregationalists. and P-esbyterlans, and Bap-
tists-subjects of the same Great KIng--children
of the same Great Father. Brothers united in the
battle for our dear country-united in the same
carnage for the brave old flag.
shoulder, side oy side. they sleep lovingly in their
nameless graves. Shall we, my countFymen, be
divided! Shall we, the east and west, the north
and south, by pa-.es and factions and bitter feuds
fritter away our strength. and again, over their
graves, spill each others blood?
No! The stars which nightly walk the unpilared
arch of heaven, answer, MOI Oar great rivers, as
they roll to the sea, and our sublime mountains
that symbol our power, answer, No The ocean,
ing aisle ard pearl-chambers of the deep, chant
ing forevermore from its million waves its anthem
OF praise in the ear of God, answers, No The old
earth, wrapped about with the golden scalf of the
light, teeming with luxury and festivity, answers,
MOI Forty millions living men-three hundred
thousand dead, answer, MOI No; we will not
turn God of the councils of the nation; we will
not Cypress the poor, or impose unequal burdens
on the shoulders of the common people. Ac-
knowlcdging the FaherEood of God and the
Brotherhood of Man, we will administer the az
fairs OF this government in keeping with our Con-
stitution and in harmony with the spirit of tine
Declaration of Independence.
Then sir, as a nation we are safe-safe as yon-
der sun in the keeping of Cod Safe as this
earth. guided by His hand and keptby Ills powerl
Safe as His Throne founded in righteousness and
law
Thanking you most earnestly for your kindness
and attic ntion, We conclude with u few practical
remarks:
No person among all these thousands who are
before at all familiar with history, has failed
to learn that the prosperity and permanency OF a
nation depends upon the moral and religious
character OF her people, Here, as in every nation,
there is need Of reform; III this direction We
ought Immediately TO turn our united attention.
The great need of this. and every other govern
ment. is-MEN Men whom We can trust in the
places OF honor and trust Men who cannot be
bought and sold for so many dollars and cents.
Men who are rot afraid to take the side of justice
though it be the side of the poor-though it be
the side of toll, labor. and reprOHch. We have
quite too many men, Of both political parties. who
now hold the places OF honor, to whom the people
unable to look with any confidence, or with
the least feeling OF security; menwho are schem-
ing for position by occupying just no position at
all. Or = fences " We're razors many of them
would be seriously injured before another cleo
tiOn)
In these times, the difficulty is not to find men
who are worth hundred thousand dollars, but
to find man with whom we may trust this sum.
The difficulty is not TO find men with perfect
theory Of religion high sounding profession of
christianity, but men who bear the ripe fruit of
holy living. Not TO find eloquent preachers, but
men with eloquent lives. Not to find men for
trttZf in fha rs ian Xgi ia mud fha
rights and needs of the people, but the difficulty
Is to find man for office who will act up 10 his
knowledge man VINO can refuse brOe oil
whatever character or amount; who is true to
God-true to himself-true to his country. To
use western expression, we want men whose
= heads are level" whose hearts in the right
place who have got moral backbone enough to
do right.
YOU stand quietly on the sea shore, you may per-
haps see him floating on the surface of the water.
When the sun shines bright You can see every
giiIs he seems to say to you, 'see my back bone
see my back bone ~ The moment you move how
ever, or the sun goes under cloud, you will see
no more of him. The truth is in the majority Of
of instances, our men in authority are destitute
of back bone When to be true is popular; when
to deal justly with the masses is to gain votes
then we hear them III our state legislatures and
in the halls of congress, saying, See my back
BONE see my backbone" When, however, the
cause OF the common people-when the sun Of
truth and right is under a cloud-when Justice is
unpopular-they disappear in the weeds of bribery
and silence, and we see no more of them till they
appear ON the eve OF another election with a
Good morning my dear fellow am delighted
&c take an honest mans hand :"
| know, Mr. President, there are exceptions to
this rule There trees The Hghtnings have not
blasted; flowers that the frosts have not withered
men in Office who cannot be swerved from what
they feel to be right-who cannot be bought
sold with dollars and cents. We are i'll great
need of more men of this class.
In order to accomplish this let us lay the AK at
the root OF the tree. Let us punish bribery and
f2n in pnaaaaR
with scorn and contempt, but as a high-handed
crime against the state. Let us begin with the
children God has given us-developIng them. from
the heart outward and upward. When we are
going to build church. do we begin with the
steeple? No we dig deep and lay, if possible
the walls on solid rock. When we are going TO
erect a monument, we do not commence at the
apex, but at the foundation. We, OF this genera
ton, are building temple of freedom. We de-
sire TO make il beautiful in all its parts-secure,
and symmetrical IN all its Proportions joy in
all the earth We are erecting u monuments
refuge for the oppressed of all nations for all
time--a government that shall stand crowned with
the love OF our descendants, the respect of all
lands, and the smile and approval of God
Where shall we begin: The child is the foundation
at which we commence. Here is the solid rock on
which we build. This work being done by us, AND
THOROUGHLY DONE, the future greatness aud glory of
our country is secured.
Allow me to say, Mr. President, that in my estima-
ton, there considerations higher than those OF
mere faction there values above :he values Of
loaves and ii shes. The first question for you aud
me 10 SIX Il not, What will the creeds Of the
churches? What viii save parties The question Of
highest moment to our country not what will save
President Grant, any other officer of the general
government, as such. But what will save MANs So
save him that he will be true citizen true husband
faith er, or son. So him that he may be trusted
with the dearest interests of his elow-men in their
individual character, aud with the highest hottest in
tsrests of our nation. When by discipline, develop
ment and christian culture, this is accomplished then
sir voter of this nation will to the ballot oox
the palladium of liberty and the guaranty of
our poweI--as he goes 70 chnrch: to satisfy good
conscience TO conserve the welfare OF his eilow-nen
and, in the highest sense, to honor God. Then, SIR
purified by the rebuke and punishment of bribery aud
corruption, and by the shedding OF much precious
blood with true men in places of honor and trust
cana0t fail liz all the coming years to fill the high
est nrche in the monument of national filne.
| certainly do 20 less than congratulate the In
dependent Order Of Odd Fellows for the great ccess
of this OCCASION These tables to my left TASTEFUL
ly sed and tundantly provided, is cOndrma-
ton beyond dispute Of the already good reputation
of the ladies of Prescott In behalf OF this large and
intelligent auiience, we thank you, ladies' for the
taste and zeal you have evinced for the love of
country you have manifested and for the generous
provision you have made for our pleasure Every true
ctizen-every true odd Fellow, is willing that wo-
man shall achieve the highest place Vt honor In this
land lie Civ her always the protection Of his arm
and the deepest, purest love of his heart. We are
proud to-day of country-of her common people
e her institutions OF learning and relgion-of her
soldiers living and dead. Weare proud OF the beau-
ful, virtuous aud intelii gent wives, mothers and
daughters OF the great west, We are proud of that
flag.
Here, sir in th beautiful grove and under the blue
uncouded heavens. earnestly and reverently thank
God for all we call and resolve that hence
forth we will live higher and nober lives-lives more
in harmony with our exalted privileges.
"God bless stars foreyerl
IL is Liberty's refrain.
From the SHOWS of wild Nevada