Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-09-28
WHOLE NUMBER 1886.


had met and conquered in the political
arena in short, that it was an attempt,
through blood, aud pilage, and death,
to brutalize the American people down
TO the acceptance OF slavery with all its
multiplied horrors. as the natural condi-
tion OF millions of men and women in
this country are truths which no correct
reader Of our past history will for mo-
ment deny.
That love of country which marks
the patriot, that sense Of duty which
is above individual ease and comfort.
that an inborn love of liberty, were the
impelling motives which sent you, and
with you 40 many others, into the ranks
OF our country's defenders, for the pur-
pose of defending tha: country and per-.
PetuatiDg that liberty, none will deny.
Few, II any of us, at the time when the
storm burst in all its fury, fully compre-
hended its meaning, when or how that
storm would end, or what the resulta
would be. We knew we were dealing
with wiley and implacable foe. We
had for years felt that some unseen dan
ger was impending One section Of the
country was bitterly hostile to the other.
was reviled by many as tissue Of gilt,
tering generalities. Men who had sworn
to support and defend the Constitution
OF our country, were vowing that they
would not defend il, unless it could be
interpreted by the American people as q
shield and protection for a great wrong.
They invoked christianity and civiliza-
tion to aid them in robbing Gods Great
tures Of all part or LOT in that christianity
and civilization. In the name of liberty
they declared before heaven, that liberty
| belonged only TO the white race. They
debased and corrupted the judiciary of
large portion of our land. They invoked
the American Congress TO make their
gigantic crime national and not sectional,
They made allegiance TO republicanism
and democracy to depend upon hatred
for millions OF men and women. They
corrupted the press, the schools and
churches of our land, and made the fair.
est oil all lands a hunting ground where
on they hunted to slavery and death
men aud women, who with muffled
tread, were seeking that liberty which
should have been symbolized in our glo.
rious stars and stripes.
They declared our federal government
confederation and not a union of
States a rope of sand which would part
at any moment when any integral por-
tion should will it. They hooted and
hissed the millions of northern men and
women as yankees" and "New Eng
land Puritans," and treated with scorn
and contempt all our yearnings for that
broader liberty which was for all races
and colors. But Eternal justice does not
always slumber. They had sown to
the wind, and it was written among
Gods DEGREES that they should reap Of
the whirlwind. Eternal Wisdom was
marshalling the great procession of the
nation with patient continuity, and the
hour was come when our country must
tall into line and be made TO breathe a
broader liberty, a purer christianity, and
a more enduring civilization. "The ca
price Of feeting existences bends to the
immovable omnipotence which plants its
foot on all the centuries and has neither
change of purpose nor repose. Some
times, like messenger through the
thick darkness OF night 1t takes mysteri-
ous ways; but when the hour strikes for
a people or mankind to pass into new
form of being, unseen hands draw the
bolts from the gates of futurity an all
subdning influence prepares the minds
of men TOR the coming revolution" The
hour struck for this nation to pass into
thai new form Of being, and we bowed
to the lmmovable omnipotence and pre-
pared as best we could for the gathering
storm. We knew not when or how it
would pass away, but it was decreed
that IT should pass, and upon the desola-
tion 1t should work should dawn
brighter day, wherein should not stand
the giant wrong, as of old.
"'Tis thus Omnipotence lis laws fulflls
And vengeance executes what Justice Wills"
We are happy to be permitted to
stand i'll that brighter day and rejoice
at the grand results that have been
wrought. We rejoice that the war
through which we have passed, though
accompanied with so much suffering, an
guish and death, has been to this nation
a purifying fire in which has been con-
sumed so many of the late causes for
contention, leaving still brighter what
ever was great and good.
"'Twas but the ruin of the bad,
The wasting of the bad and i'll;
What e'er of good the old time had,
{ Is living STILL"
Soldiers, to you and your brave COM
rades belongs much OF the glory that
clusters around the new birth of our ma
, ton, and to-day we meet as soldiers and
, people to bestow upon those who took
heroic part in defense of country and
liberty, that jnst praise to which they
are entitled. And in doing SO you viii
| to a certain extent, live over the years
of trial again. For our duties of to-day
; bring before us, like panorama, the
past with all its tolls, and privations, and
victories; and with these must necessa-
rily come up memories of those who
went down III defense of that which. we
, are to-day permitted to enjoy. The, liy'
ing of to-day cannot clasp hands in joy
and friendship, without mingling with
those feelings of joy and friendship
thoughts of brave men who, once stood
by our side in all the vigor OF manhood,
: and who are now resting from strife and
a warfare.
) Our duty then, is a double one-frst
to the living soldiers of the Republic in
, kindly recognizing in every laudable
| moNy THAR o,raat sarvioaa N ua md their