, 1875-07-18
THE SOLDIER.

EKETcH or BLAIR's MILITARY CAREER.
| n ths Eauor Of The cAscaoo Tribune:
| CH1oAoo, July 15.--The large attendance at
his funeral Of tbs people Of humble oircum-
stances, ~ well a. OF thosa Of high position, is
| an evidence quito grateful to the many friends
OF tbs late Gen. Frank P. Blair. who knew, re-
spected, aud served With him yeazs age, when
be vaa one Of the prominent men Of the nation.
of the high esteem in which the deceased WAS
held Ut his home by bis friends and ueighbors-
Death u rapidly removing the prominent cati-
zens whose services were 90 important during
the War. The rapid passage Of time is enacing
from the memory Of the active men OF to-day what
the services were OF those who took prominent
part In affairs now fifteen years yast. The
present most active business men, in large ma-
foritv, are thoaa who have no personal recol-
lection OF those who tooR active part il 1860 aod
81, and whose services then, IS those Of Gen.
Blair. we're 20 important and 80 valuable to
the Government at tbs beg1uning Of the rebel
Lion and secession.
or THE MosT Prominent
Of these citizena was tho General who low At
last has been called away. Those who then
knew the deceased feel 1t q duty which is owed
to the memory Of him, aud others like him. to
merits, and geo thas The recollection Of their
works shall not die out with the burial Of the
body; and that full justcs be done to those who
rsked Ifo, fortune, and position, 60 sustain tho
Government they identified thair lives and for
tunes with More especially do they teoa this
when the deceased has, Is in this case, long been
removed frcm public notice by dlssass aud By
trouble.
F.~ + As~t
pators in the acts Of the earlier days just pre-
cedine and Just succeeding the War, to fully
realize and appreciate
THE HORRIBLE sTATE or SOCIETY
then, and the real and great sacrifices it re-
qaired in the Border Slave States to decide and
cast ones lot on the one aide OF the other. The
hand OF parent was turned against the son; hus-
band and wife found themselves cooperating
with opposing sides, aud suspicious OF each
other; family-ties were broken aud forgotten:
partners and friends were divided; and per-
feet pandemonium existed Whera neither rest,
nor peace. nor trust, was to be found. These
difficulties became the greater it the party de-
Gliding mss, as in Gen. .Blair's case, ono Of the
great spirits Of the State and the hation,-one
Of widespread reputation and associatlon,-one
of popular manners and generally Liked. OF
those States, possibly the worst, where the very
worst state Of Affairs existed, vas tho atata OF
Missouri, snd st. Louis, the home Of tho de-
ceased.
With large social, friendly bnaineas,4 and
political relations,
GEN. nLA1Ra POSITION
vaa ona OF the most valued, most I'M
portane, most extensive. 4 Representative in
the Congress Of the United States, he conld
have confined himself to his civil duties. and
kept out OF military sacrifices and riska. Gen.
vas not oue ot this kind. Discarding a1l
other considerations but that OF country, he at
once chose to take active civil and military !
part and to assist in maintaining the ipdip1si- |
biiity ind integrity OF the Union. the para
mount obligation to the Constitution and laws J
a. they were, the nlegalitf md treasonaoleness |
os secession and to aid the Administration With
heart. mind, means and hand to the extent Of ]
6is power. Decided and loyal from the first,
the deceased WAS + man Of such power that no !
othar persop in or ont Of the State exercised |
then in Missouri wider or stronger influence !
10 hold and recall the people TO suhtAin The
Union.
uHpER FREMONT.
It is probIematicai yet whether the appoint
nent Of such man az Fremont to be Major
General Of Volunteers in Missouri, OF OF Butler
md Bsaks from Massachusetts aud others Of
ike political influence, but su lacking military
,xnerience, WAS OF was not mistake. But
these appointments bad rs they wera in = mill
point OF view, were made by that
,raxt aud good man Who has gone down on the
ecord - extraordinarily gitted-~ith clear fore
tight and clear convictions Is to what in the end
L. 1AtA