The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-10-03

But 1t Is not of w estern fields only that TIA,
Western soldier will disco Ise. Western
troops were present at all, or nearly all, TIT
battles Ia the Eastern States. He will re
late the story OF the Peninsular campaign
OF Fredericksburg, Of Antielam, OF Getlvs
burg, OF the tremendous campaign of 1864
from the wilderness to james RIVER, anC
the continuous battle of months 10 duration
before Petersbulg; how Sheridan, contrary
10 all rules laid down In the books took it H.
to his reckless head one fine mOrnlng 10 DIS
mOunt his cavalry, and trOt them over the
rebel works al Five FOrks-lixe the Justice
of the Peace VINO rendered n Judgment Tor
three hundred dollars when his court had
Jurisdiction OF eases involving only one hun
dred Sand the attorney tor the defendant,
your honor cannot render Judgment TOR
over $lG0' " cam said his worship, "ior
| have done it, And then the story of the
closing scenes, when our iliustrious COM
mander directed the charge upon the miles
OF work surrounding Petersburg, and brist.
ling with cannon and bayonets., Side by
side, shoulder to shoulder, MAYED forward
the men Of New York and Illiros. OF Wis
consin and Massachusetts, of Is,aiana and
! Ohio, and Pennsylvania and Eichlgan-
! from all the Eastern and all lbs Western
States no. forgetting Maryland and Ken
tucky, for in that final charge they all par.
llclpated. With bayonets alstenlDg IN the
! sunlight OF that April morning, with the
starry banners of the Union floating above
! them, uphccdlng the roar of cannon, the
crashing shell, and the continuous roll of
| muskelry, even uDheediDg the deaIE cry Of
| stricken comrades, steadily moved onward
that mighty host, and with rush as restless
as the waves OF ocean the dcfenses were
| cleared, the enemy in full flight, and Peters
| burg and Richmond were ours Theu
burst from that conquering throng a mighty
sound, hill cchoing to valley and river an,
swering to river, the long, loud, Cxulant,
triumphant shout OF final victory.
But 1t is not alone of the battles In which
they have been engaged that soldiers dis
course with each other on these occasions
In fact, as a rule they are not the principal
topics of conversation, but rather the incl.
dents OF their camp lite, such as do not find
their way INTO official reports, and are not
recorded IN the histories OF the time. They
are incidents which for the most part bring
pleasant memories, recalling the kindness
OF Il cOmrade in some time of sickness or
wounds, or some practical joke, or the blum
der Of some officer in drilling his men, or
the recollection of some rad when instruct
ed TO live OFT che country, or when living
off 1t without instructions
1t is well,kIOwn that outside of the FAM
lily relation there is no bond of friendship
so strong as that created by companlonShlp
IN the military selvive No wonder, then,
that our annual reunions are pleasant. In
view Of all the ties which bind them togeth-
or, let soldiers continue to meet, and renew
their friendships, and revive all the agreea.
bic "reminiscences of their former associa-
ton so long as there shall be enough left To
constitute meeting.
But these reunions, my comrades, should
have another and higher purpose, and In
this respect the entire community, many of
whom are with US to. day, may with ptOprl.
ETY. participate.
The lessons to be drawn from the causes
and events OF our war are many and Of Vi
tai importance to the future OF the country
"Thc pomp and circumstance of glorious
"war," except when waged in q righteous
cause, is criminal. The brightest iaurels
that ever enwrealhed the Grow Of con.
queror, the loitiest monument ever erected
IN commemoration of martial deeds, are en-.
blema'ic ialsehoods unless they are The IT,
ward of vaIor in the cause OF justice. Many,
in fact most of The wars Of history were
utterly without excuse. Wars lnaugarnted |
for the ticry Of an Individual, or nation, |
or for the establishment or maintenance OF !
some dy nasty, or for the settlement Of quts.
tons of territorial possession, or money III
IDENTITIES, are In most If not all, cases a |
cruel and unnecessary waste Of human hse. |
II has lately been shown by England and |
the United States that international dis !
puteS, not involving vital principles, |
may and ought to be settled by the |
award OF d'sinterested parties
The question relative to our north west. |
ern boundary was referred to the Emperor
OF Germany. That relating to the depre.
datons OF the Alabama and other cruisers
upon our commerce, was referred to u
mixed commission, consisting OF CITIZENS OF
both countries In both instances the
award has been cheerfully acquiesced IN.
Following this humane precedent two coun
tries in South America have agreed Ia ar.
bitra'e boundary question which has
veXed them for many years-the President
o! one of them IN his message announcing
the agreement, saying This honorable
method of setting international disputes
was adopted only short time ago by two
"Ot the most powerful nations of The earth,
land should De initiated, as It has been ap.
"plGuded, by all others"
This testimony is q most gratifying evil
denCc OF the value OF wholesome example
ana OF the progress of an,l.War sentiment.
Whcr the time shall have arrived that all
civilized nations shall agree To unite against
any one nation which ruiuses to arbitrate
a question THAT may be thus settled long
step toward divesting man Ol the more bru
tai clements In his character VIII have been
attained. and an era in the history OF civil
cation established,
But so far as concerns the stability Of
our government ana the preservation ol
the Union, with all the incalCulable benefits
which that implies, war with other nations
is not our greatest danger la fact, If the
policy laid down by our fatbers--the avoid.
ance OF cn,apgllng alliances and refusal TO
participate in the political questions OF other
countries be adhered 10, We have little To
fear from foreign war. Our chief, 1t not
eur only danger, is internal dissension.
The history OF the republics which lave
preceded ana some of those cOntemporane.
Gus with ours. is full OF warning ipstiuc- U
tion. The Roman republic, so long as the !
traditional Roman character was NAM