The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-12-30
Grant. Des Moines speech,

The following is the celebrated speecu vi
President Grant, at Des Moines, Iowa, in Septem-
ber, abont which much has been said
Comrades Ii always affords ME much gratih-
cation to meet my comrades ia arms III Ier "
fourteen years ago, and tO tell over again H"'ii
memory the trials and harlships of Those da!s-
hardships imposs-sl for the preservation anu pei
pefuation of our free institutions. We briievea
ihen and we believe now, that we have Gov
ernment worth fighting for, and. u neeh ne uH
ing for. How many of our cnmrides pala INC
latter price for our preserved Union! Lei tue'
h.roism and sacrifice he green IN our mem
ory Let not the result of their sacrifices be ae-
stroyed. The Union and the free institutions
for hich they died, should be held more dear
for their sacrifices.
We will not deny to any of those VINO io"sn.
against us any privilege under the Government
which we claim for ourselves. On the contrary,
We welcome all such who collie forward III goo"
| faith to help build up the waste places an" ="
| perpetuate our institutions against all eheh'eS'
as brothers in full interest with us in a cohli'ion
heritage; bat IRE are not prepared to apologize JoT
the part ,re took in the lt Is to he h"Ped ih
| like trials will never again befall our couuH!
| In this sentiment no class of people can ii"ie
| heartily juin than llIe snldier who snbmitted 7"
| the dangers, trials and hartlshps ct the camp
| and the battlefield, on whichever eide he fonsh..
M class ,,f peopl. are more interested in guard
| inc ayaiust a recurrence of those days. Let u.s.
| then. begin by guarding against every enemy
threatening the prosperity of free Republican
| institutions.
| do mot bring politics i.to this assemblage-
| certainly not partisan poltics-but it is fair
| subject for the soldiers i'm their deliberations TO
| consider what may be necessary to secure the
] nriz. for which they battled In n Republic like
| mrs where the citizen is the sovereign aud the
| official The servant where no power Is exercised
except by the will of the people, 1t is important
that the sovereign, the people, should foster III
t.lligencr, which is to preserve US rs Tree ma
! tion If we are To have another Contest in the
near future of our national existeTce. l predict
that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dix
| on's, but between patriotism and intelligence on
the one side, and superstition, ambition, and iS-
| norance on the Other.
| Now, the centennial year of onr national ex-
| istence, believe is a good time To begin the
| work of Strengthening the foundations of the
| structure commenced by our patriotic toretath-
| ers one hundred years ago at Lexington Lei
us all labor To aid all neetlfn guarantees Tor the
security of free Thought, free speech, Tree press
| pure morals, unfettered religious sentiments
and of equal rights and privileges to all mcl, lr
| rrsprctive of nationality, co"r, or religion. En-
| courage free schools, and resolve that not one
| dollar appropriated for their support shall he
appropriate,l to the support of sectarian schonls
! R.soly. that neither the State nor the nation
nor buth combined, shall support institutions ol
| learning other than these sufficient to aif"rd Ia
| every child growing mp in the land the Opp"rtu'
| nity of good common schuol education, 1iinlN'
| ed with sectarian, pagan, or athelstlcai dogihas
| Leave the matter of religion to the family altar,
the Church. and the private schonl supported
| entirely by private contributions. Keep The
| Church and the State forever separate. WIN
| thes. safeguards, | believe the battles winch
| created the army of the Tennessee will not have
been fought in vain.