Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-05-31

~ oOeoHiCo TIC niSuesb anu IHUol III
perative duty Of man TO dedicate
this richest treasure to a precious
rlght,a great truth or just principle.
There are broad truths at the fonnda-
ton and cardinal principles in;erwov-
en- with the constitution of all organ
lied society. without which govern
ment would be impossible, mankind
left without protection, to the mercy
of the strongest and chaos and crime
would reign supreme. Chief among
these are civil aud religious freedom
on the. one hand, and obedience to
rightful authority on the other. When
these principles are attacked, it is the
solemn duty of a citizen to offer his
| life. in their defense and maintenance,
| that the human race may be perpet-
uated and enabled to do the work
| ordained for it, and man in such a
position exhibits the divinest quail
ties, the orandest aspects OF human
nature A grand man is the noblest
work of God.
We can have no just conception,
no adequate appreciation oil the I'M
mense capabilities. the true worth
and the godlike dignity OF the char
acter of men, until we have studied
or witnessed it's highest manifesto
ions in the divine consistency and
resignation of the hero's or the
martyrs death. 70 live uprightly,
to deal honestly, to be kind and
charitable in othar's misiortunes and
hopeful and manly in our own these
are the splendid pearls, the gorgeous
diamonds set in the frame work OF a
beautiful character, casting upon
every thought, deed and act the most
brilliant light and the most respendent
colors. But to leave all the dearest
associations of life, home, family and
friends, to lay bare the neck upon
the executioner's block aud calmly
wait for the fatal stroke, in the midst
of jeering multitude to fearlessly
face the lannon's mouth, or hurl
ones self into the mad whirlwnd of
the charge, to die in the last ditch,
CALAMITY battling for the right and
for country, is spectacle which
strikes the world with mingled awe,
admiration and pride at the wonder
full power, the grandeur, the moral
force Of human nature.
True it is that the character
of man is paradoxical and in some OF
its highest phases and developments
extremely absurd. Accordingly, as
we look down the long pathway OF
history, where man has pl"dded aud
tiod for the ages pas, clipping iron
darkness Into light, We behold many
i pitiful scenes OF human life, saeri'
feed, not for The mai ntensnce OF any
Observation-Disclosures, Of any vital pc,
litical or religious principle, but TO
m,r within, a wild, roasouloss fanat
ici'm, bi3oted, narrow minded 81
perstiLion. The dauntless courage
is there which makes hero but be
ing destitute Of a worthy aim, it il
distorted IN TO acrGzed frenzy, = fu-
rious folly which wsntoniy throws {
life way for y worthles3ten or
meaningless form, exciting not oul
admiration bu. our sincere pity
The world has seen millions OF cru
saders But ii has also produced
men, who have, in their lives anC
10 their dsalh, clevatei the mora
sentiment Of their age auducqueatho(
an inestim able Inheritance to pos
tcrisy: who have, not only with theil
lives shielded great principle iron
destruction, but have placed theil
example IS beuoon-lights upon th(
m1untaio heights Of human perfec
ton TO tighten tho way and lead W
the steps Of li.urs generations.
Socrates, with kie calm endurance
of persecution for tho disGemina tior
of nJble thoughts and opinions
quaflipg the cup Of The fatal hem
lock; Kosciusk), the brave and gen
erOus, who fell valiantly fighting ion
the independence Of 4 free and sl9rdy
people against the tyrauioal grasp
ing of ambiti III ana power, OF whom
the poet has said:
|. .Iope, Tor a season, babe the world farewell
And Freedom shrek ed-as Koscusbo fell.
John lIuss, firmly suffering every
indig; ity. add at last eeeu the de.
vourlng flames, ia tho defense Of re-
ligiuus hbert'; Martin Luther, al
the Oh lrch OF Witsemburg, with un-
daunted spirit. pronouncing his he
roic resolve Here stand: cannot
do otherwise, so hel p me God! The
J protostanls Of Germany, The Hugue-
nots of France and the Non-con-
fJrmists of Engi~nd, submitting
to all the dire torn IS
which a cruel ingenuity could invcnt,
rather than abandon their conVic-
lions OF truth and right; the immor-
ta heroes of the Revolution, whose
tread has hallowed and whose
bones now lie buried in the soil Of
every State from New England to
Georgia :" John Brown the pnilan-
thropist, no true lover Of mankind,
regardless OF race or color, the
staunch aud bold asserter Of the
equality Of man, stooPing to kiss the
negro babe on his way TO the seal
| fold; Abraham Lincoln, the purest
man, the greatest statesman,
the truost patrios and the most
!amented martyr those hero
ic sight hundred, who, at the
appeal of their country, left their
ploughs and their shops. buckled on
the armor of war, strapped on their
knapaacks, shouldered their muskets
and went from The pleasant homes
of Grant County, took up the cross
Of Liberty and ststioaed themselves
upon the ramparts, in the front
ranks of battle, and vt he port holes
of the ship, aud there, molly and
| gloriously died struggling for the
preservation of the best govern
ment en- The face of the earth for
the cause Of liberty humanity, JUS
ticc and right al! these surrounded
by bright halo Of glory, clothed in