The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1878-06-18

uhu hii tue hHooclhllou ol years 10 tn
feudalism OF the past, while on the 9th
or they were linked and bound by tn
same forces TO the freedom Of the pre- &
ent. Hence, when these two grea
powers rose against each other, mel
were hurled into the strife as by an un
seen hand. Individual volition wa
last In the despotism OF the mass. Th
human will was swept away by tn
mighty forces that were bearing all be
fore them. Men became puppets in tn
dance OF war. In the great drami
these forces hurled them against eacl
other whether they would or not. TIL,
battle was for the mastery of ideas ant
men ranged themselves on the one aid,
or the other as they were controlled b,
the ideas of the two antagonistic civil
izatlons that were contending for su
premacy in our land. That you and
were not on the other side is due NOR,
to the atmosphere in which we lived
than TO our individual volntion. HaC
we have been reared in the atmosphere
OF slavery ours would have been th,
'losl cause"
In fact, how often il seems. as W,
study the philosophy of the world,
history, thar the individual has but lit
tie control over his own actionsl How
often II seems that great forces outside
OF himself and beyond his control i'm.
pei him forward in the career Of rigbI
or wrong. And how often il seem.
that the defenders of the wrong are
hardly less needful in working out the
great problems Of hnman progress
than the champions OF the right. In
the wondrous plan OF educating and
perfecting our race there seems to be
a place for Peter and Judas a. we'll az
Paul and John. Plate as well rs Je,
sus must figure in tho great drama oi
human redemption
SO Davis as we'll IA Lincoln may have
been needful in working ont the des
tiny OF our nation. Ii may have been
needful in the providence of God that
we go through this baptism Of blood
Possibly tho great mission that we
have for man We could not have ful.
filed IL we had not been put through
this crucible Of civil strife. In the
wisdom OF Him who shapes the des.
tiny OF men and nations. il may have
been necessary that we be smitten iu
tho wine-press Of bis wrath: beaten on
the threshing-foor OF his judgments,
and smelted in the furnace Of his re.
tributions, that the husks, the chat
and the dross IN our national charac.
ter be purged away, that the pure wine
the golden grain and the precious
metal shall alone be left
Thaan ra6aokfnna 50 - FL
indulge without weakening our rever.
ence for the right or lessening our hn.
tired for the wrong. For it is not Ia
the defenders OF the wrong that the
glory is due, but 10 Him who maketh
the wrath Of man to praise him aud
rest.ineth the remainder OF wrath. y
Not less shall we hate wrong and love
the right but the more shall ve have
charity for tho wrong-doer. With nc
less justice will il enable us TO saw, "it
IS impossible but that offences should
come, but woe unto him through
whom they come" but with equal jus.
tice and Diviner charity il will help us
to say, $50 thou and sin no more"
The man who has the strongest con.
victions OF truth and the greatest faith
in the right, has the broadest charity
for the champions Of the wrong. The
little partisan who whets his appetite
for revenge on the stcalings Of his par.
ty, alone can heap indignity on the
grave Of fallen foe. Sumner would
WIN "iSf our family quarrel, wnile
smaller souls would hinnt the record
in the face Of the conquered brother
forever.
/ yield 10 no man IN the conviction
of the soundness Of the moral and po
ltical principles for which our boys il
blue fought and died, but IL stood
to-day by the grave OF n confedernt,
soldier could drop the flower thereon
without feeling that / compromised
those principles in the least, for
should drop it conscious that he wa'
but an actor in great drama that wa
and is to be ordered for the good o.
tho world, and l should drop it--no'
TO sanction the cause for which b,
bled; not in honor OF the wrong fol
which he died. but in honor OF the de
votion, the heroism and self-sacrific'
he manifested in diving for what he be
lieved to be right. Martyrdom 70
conviction is not so plenty IN this worl'
that we can afford TO ignore II, ever
though it be in foe. Devotion TO on
principles and courage OF opinion
bring no premium in the market of Tia
world. There is such an army OF hlli
putians aud pigmas on the side OF th
right, especially II il be the winnin,
cause, that II is refreshing to fnd dc
votion, courage and manliness, thoug
il be on the side Of wrong.
So we are not here to-day 10 reviv
old animosities, 10 indulge In crimina
tion or recrimination, or fight owe
again the political battles OF tha
bloody time. Conscious Of the trump
Of the right, assured that the grea
| principles OF liberty md equality ar
yindicated and established, we can a
! ford to be generous 10 those who III
willingly raised their hands again'
| their own fresides az well as ours, an
may charitably speak peace 10 tt
ashes Of those who went down, dream
ing that they were fighting for tho.
principles, when in fact they were fgb
ing against them. The grand coDsol
tion Of a Republic comes from the IA
that in all Of its contests, whether
the sword or the ballot, the BLESSING
Of victory flow down 10 the vanquisht
As we'll as TO the victors.
We fight our political battles, n
that through victory we may plant ol
feet on the neck Of the defeated par
and rise TO power through the suffe
ings Of the conquered, bat we fig
them that the right may be cstablis
ed and in the going mp OF the righ
that the victor aud the vanquished mi
ascend together. We contend, II '
arc actuated 10y the true principles
Democracy, not simply for our ov
elevation, mot merely for the create
good OF the greatest number even
but also for the elevation OF orr 10
and the greatest good Of oil. II {
principles Of the victorious party a
the principles Of hoLor aud rigl
their triumph rebounds as much to {
blessedness Of the defeated party as
their own. The bencdictions Of a tr
J Republic are like the sunshine and {
raiD, that shine on the evil aud l
7 good aud falls on the just and on I
unjust. The going up Of the victor
the going mp OF the vanquished If it
r the going up Of the nation, and
!. nation never goes mp unless the RIG
] triumphs. SO the victory Of our be
In blue was the blessedness Of {
I; boys in gray, and this great fact v
j. be read IN the resolving light Of
: future. not only by the sons Of {
G half. but also by the sons Of the otl
g half OF our union.
g Sheathing the sword Of war q
smothering the fires Of political stI
a therefore, wo stand here to-day
;, gather up the lessons of tho past
> feel the inspirations that comes 10
g from the loyalty and devotion OF th