The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-06-05

with Difference he showed him all possible
Kindness. he voted to elevate him to office he
smoke every where in his praise. The measure
of that MANS gratitude was his estimate of the
worth of the life which my friend. Hon. VIM.
Frazier of Maryland, had saved. Was rot that
mans rule for estimating the gratitude he
owed a good one? And if it was good for HIM
is it not good for us? When we can properly
estimate the worth of the national salvation.
which, under God, these men have achieved
for us, we can estimate the debt of gratitude
due to them. What they suffered for we ENJOY.
What they died for we live to inherit. Were
il not that their blood was shed, where would
have been true republican institutions to-day =!
where would have been the social fabric which
so effectually shelters our liberties? where our
civilization? where, our prestige ana renown !
where, the faith of the nations in the capabiii'y
of self-government possessed by an enlightened
people? where, the silent force working SO CT
fectually all over christendom, bringing gov
ernments more and more into assimilation To
orr own? where would have been the grandest
political hopes of the nations ? As it Is impos-
sible for us TO conceive the depth of disaster
which would have been entailed had rebellion
succeeded. so are we unable fully to appreciate
the value of its defeat; its value to the hbera-
ted millions of slaves; Its value 10 inc "hi'e
population in the former slave States; It's Vaiue
to the whole nation its value to the world It's
value for all coming time. Our gratitude to
these men should bear some small proportion
to the value of what We have received from
them.
And, finally, we must so beftingly on this as
we'll as all occasions recognize Coo as TO DC
animated by the %bcnignant, heroic, magnanl'
nous, generous, divine spirit which christian
ity inspires.
We mnst have the profoundest and intcn-
sest gratitude to God. We are grateful to
him but
Twas not their courags, or their sword,
To them salvation gave;
Twas not their number, or their strength,
That did their country save.
"But thy right hand, thy powerful arm,
Whose suecor they implored,-
Thy Providence protected them,
Who thy great name adored."
God has overruled al! this for good. He ha
t made even the wrath of man to praise him anC
the remainder of wrath he has mercifully n
r strained. God did not appoint the rebellion
any more than slavery which caused 1t; bu
: he overruled it for the destruction OF slavery
and for the best good of man.
We must learn lessons of wisdom from TIN
~eventful page of our national history TO guid'
us In our future patriotic sentiment ana deVot
t edness to the maintenance of sound govern
; ment. Did these men die for the preservation
I of our cherished rights and liberties? ther
must we live to perpetuate them; and so per
| petuate them that there will be no necessity o
I another generations having to fight for them
e Let us be fair, and equitable, and honorable
2 and true and pure. In politics as is every
2 thing else, genuine wisdom is first pure, ther
r peaceable." Whoever is corrupt and belliger
ent, we can choose the better part of purity ano
peace. Let us have peace, for these men have
bought it for us with their blood.
We have come to grares to do honor to dedc
men let us remember, my friends, that VIZ
who live will soon be dead and that our grave:
at no distant day will be allotted us somewhere
in this great graveyard world. So let us live
with a true faith in our once crucifed but riser
and gloriied redeeMer that we shall be fully
prepared for death and with more than the
grateful affection with which we strew these
flowers on these tombs, may multitudes arise tt
call us blessed and may our blessed Saviour
welcome us TO the land of never-fading beauty
with those sweetest words, "Come We blessed
children of my Father, receive the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the
WorldD