The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-06-03

! 20, 1775l the Continental Congress addressed
the Canadians over whom the British rule
had just been established in such words az
these eve most sincerely condoe with you
on the arrival of that day when the sun
shines on not single freeman in all your
extensive domains. By the Introduction OF
your present form of government rather
present form of tyranny, you and your wives
and children are made slaves" So bold
freemen were our fathers. Liberty was the
fundamental principle in the American mind
then, before union was thoaght Of and has
been ever since
Even after the Union was formed, liberty
was stronger than union, and produced in
the South the doctrine of States Rights =
and produted in the North an unWillingness
to oppose that doctrine. In one sense it
was even liberty that allowed slavery. Lib
erty did indeed say through the abolitionists,
the slave must have his rights. But liberty
speaking less clearly through the mass Of the
people also said the STAKEHOLDER must have
his rights 100. The doctrine of liberty was
in the mouths of all onlyin some it was in
higher development than in others.
But this same principle of liberty was
slowly working its way out to it's logical re-
suits il the American mind, and showing
more and more, that it could allow no sIa-
very. The mass Of the people did not see it.
and SO they entered the war On the Issue of
union not freedom. They did not wish TO
NEEDLE with slavery, but only to preserve
the Union. But there was an underlined
sentiment in the hearts of Union soldiers
that there was something greater than the
Union at stake. They talked about secess-
ion but they felt that secession meant
slavery They called themselves soldiers OF
the Union, but shey felt, that they were
soldiers of freedom Nay, they came to see
mere and more thatUnion was impossible with
out freedom that there were two hostile
ideas in our country, that could not De uni
ted. One of the two must end before Union
could be thought Of. It was notas Webster
had said, but liberty must bs''first and union
afterward" Liberty had been first In this ]
country. it was first, and it would have to be |
always Kept first, and we could haYe no true |
union without it.
And we know how in the good providence !
of history the word for liberty came. The
underlined sentiment of the North wrought |
itself out into clearness at last. And the
soldiers found that while soldiers for union
they were still more soldiers for freedom
And so they won the victory and gave us a
united country and better than that a free
country.
And so we arrive at the sentence, which
the soldiers address to US to-day, Bravery
and sacrifice for union and for ireedom."
But the word comes to us not as an ora
ton alone, but as an exnortation. In those
grand words of Lincoln at Gettysburg, he
exhorted Americans to continue the work |
which the soldiers had Begun. This same
work for union and freedom we are called
to engage in, just Rs much as they. The
country still has its conflicting parties in
politics, conflicting sects in religion, which
try to separate from each other. We are
called upon to stand up for union, to assert
the unity that lies behind our differences,
to maintain. the great principles of humanity
under which all our sects and parties must
unite. would not do away with sects and
parties. We need them all. Only let us
recollect our comm on truths Of life and re.
ligion, and stand up for union upon these.
Still more must we respect that principle
OF liberty which stands. first in our history, |
and be careful above all things that no OPP |
preston be allowed, that all the rights Of |
man be maintained. This too will be the |
fundamental work We may have union
without freedom, but it will be forced and I
unsafe. Only with freedom will society
become a living, growing union, like nature
about us to-day, with her infinite diversity Of
shape and color, but harmonious and beauti-
fal with one spirit of life. /
This work to guard freedom and at the
same time to keep the free elements i'll har-
mony ard union is the great work in cur
country. We must 60 1t with all the cour-
age of soldiers. Not indeed with rife and
bsyonet. but in the ways of peace ard the
quieG of daily life. hate war. It is the
worst relic CT barbarism. hope our fair
land will never be stained with another bat
tie Of shot and shell. But though our meth
cd be peace. we want the bravery and her
oism our soldiers showed u.s. We must not
sneak any fight with wrong. The line o.
life is laid down in truth and right, and we
must fight it out on that line, y if it takes
all the long summer Of time.
But with courage we need to unite all the
charity our soldiers are showing. Nothing
is more touching than the rews to-day that,
in so many places. union and rebel soldiers
are walking together and decorating rebel
and union graves without distinction The
men who were brave enough to fight each
other, are brave enough to forgive each other
too. The soldiers are among the foremc est