Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-06-01
"Oh / wis, tender thoughts beneath


Hect upon the blessings and glories Of the
country these brave heroes died TO save.
Let ua call to mind tue area, the mower,
the grandeur and the influence OF this Ma.
lion among the Empires OF the earth.
What other people or kindred are 40 highly
honored in pages Of modern history ~ are
Americana To what other Nation does
the world look Tor in .ttuction and example
ir the theory and practice OF universal
FrcedOm1 Where, except in America, do
all Races, Glasses, mud Kindreds OF Men
find free and happy home; home IN
which they may enjoy and improve every
gft tho Creator yOuchsnfea 10 bestow IN
perfect security and 10 the fullest capacity
without interruption or criticism. The
foreign born fleeing from persecution and
| tyrany, civil, political, or religions, can
most truly appreciate the great boon Of Re
publican Institutions. But do we natives
! fully understand the price which was paid
| for the blood Of our fallen heroes? Here
we were born and reared here we live
and die; here We are architects Of our own
fortunes. We are Amcrcansl
AMERICA.
! 'Tis a rough land uf earth and stone n nd tree,
| Where breathes NO castlsd lurd or cabiued
have,
| Nhero thnuRhA anu tongues nhd handS are
bold and free,
! Where friends find welcome, foes a grave.
And whcru none kncel save when to heaven
| they pray,
Nor even then, except in their own way.
You, and I, and all Of us knew and hon
orcd many of those noble patriots whose
burial mounds we this day decorate. They
were truly and in the highest sense noble
specimens of Goda image. They were
fashioned and brought forth after the stat
TIRE and manner Of men. But they seemed
endowed with the eagle eve. The lion-like
strength, aud the God-lik wisdom so nee
cssnry for that bloody contest in which
they were forced to engage. Their bray
cry, their patience, their prayers and blood
during the long aud dark rebellion, con-
! qucrcd the traitnrous southerners, and com
PEELED the Palmetto Flag tn trail in the
dust before our triurhant armies.
1t was for onr National Independence
our Constitution and our Free Institu-
tions they fought--it was for thsthey died
Without their glorious resistance to these
traitUrous armies, we now should have mo
Country TO revere; no ancestry TO honor
no Free Institutions to love and protect.
1t was out glorious Free Government
our Freedom OF the Press; Freedom oI
Ballot; which our Armies and Navies sc
gnllantly defended against the fiery assault
OF traitors and foes both at home and
abroad.
All Political Reforms; all Revolutions
in behalf Of the people, in other countries
and among other nations, have proven rot
ten and worthless. Ours, and ours alone
stand forth as a model and pattern which
| ho oil
schemes of Republican Government hav,
fallen, through lhe impurity, dishonesty
aud ambition OF leaders and rulers. Sell
hggrnndizment, love of power and avarice
time after time. and in country after coun
try have proven the ruin OF Free Institu
: tions.
Not 70 with us. The founders of thi
Republic were simple hearted, honest, trut
and brave, with no ambition save for thei
Country's welfare. No hope save in hei
Freedom. No earthly desire pave for III,
prosperity OF her Free Institutions. Thes,
and these alone generation after generation
have been handed down from sire to sol
, with the fullest instruction how best Il
protect and maintain them. This sam,
, purity and honesty should ever pervad
, her halls of Legislation her temples o
Justice, and her National Councils.
Wars, and rumors of wars may affrigh
2 the ambitious monarchs Of Europe; strug
gles for power, civil and religious, ma,
rack the institutions aud governments o
the Old World--America sits securely OF
her throne of Empire. Year by year sh,
= acquires territory; accumlates wealth ant
y treasure; enhances her power her chill
, dren smoke the pipe of peace under tn,
shade and banner of her own Liberties.
Her power to resist; her might TO con
! quer; her products; her manufactures
+. her arts; her sciences her mineral wealth
all are her own. She can shut her sea
ports to any and all things foreign and still
she can survive and thrive; she is depend
ent only upon her own resources, and upoI
their development by her own labor.
!, She brings up her cotton, her rice, he
e tobacco, her sugar and her juicy fruits
from the sunny South. She gathers he
-four and pork and potatoes; her corn, he
oats and barley from the North and West
: Her manufactures and her machinery from
. New England. Her gold from the shore
6 OF the Pacific, and brings them to he
great storehouSes by the iron rail ant
|, painting engine. Her silver she digs from
D the mountains OF tho far West. Her cop
per comes from Lake Superior cnverns
Her iron from the Pennsylvania mines
Her oak from her own inland for
! ests. And her coal she brings forth from
the bowels of her own native enrth--anI
t all by the light and aid of her virgin oils
r spontaneously spouied from her deepesI
E depths. And all, all these are her own
from the Lakes on the North to the Gul
: on the South. From ocean to ocean sh,
: owns she controls and she governs them ali
: She fears no traitor at home, no foe abroad
But our beloved country il not selfish
, She does not lock up her benefits and bless
, ings for her natural sons alone she hide
, not her light under bushel. She call
upon the oppressed and the down-trOddei
. OF Europe, Asia and Africa, to come unde
her banner and become her sons by adop
tion--her citizens by naturalization. o
, whatever country, tongue, color or race
she bids them welcome to her hospitabl,
shores. She furnishes to them have
| and home, where their liberties, civil an,
g religious, are guaranteed TO them, by fun
, damental law. She gives them food, an,
0 houses, and lands, and wealth. She point
: them to seat in her halls of Legislation
), to place in her council chambers, and,
I qualified for the position, she clothes ther
: even with the judicial crnine and sci
them up TO judge her own people.
noW IerNently then hhOulu we IoN
: America with what patriotism should "
!. protect her, "The Land OF the Free an
the Home of the Brave"
: Go to the haitle-felds Of our Americ
: II you would know what these blessing
: cost. In the language Of another cal
r IN you to "Ge to the town OF Cambridg,
{ the city OF Boston, the county Of Middle
I sex. Go to Lexington and Concord; I
e the immortliEed heights Of Charleston
b which Spartan band of heroes consecra
y ted TO the cause of American liberty, wit
\ fire commingled with their own best blood
1 Go to Bunker Hill, to Bennington, to III
:. graves Of the hlood-staincd heroes Of Val
r ley Forge, and there with me, with aw
e aud solemn vencrntion, bow down an
;, thank your God those lhings have passed
4 Go, still again, to Bull Run. to Gettysburg
+ Shiloh, Chickanauga and Winchester I
! Nicksburg and Atlanta, and TO that dracd
!, ful March to the Sea- TO Malvern Hi
Y and Richmond, aud then answer me, Al
c we doing too much in giving mp this da
!. TO those noble, holy men, who died defend
! iu,, iI,n nno aud I'm. honor nf fI,is hoS,,a