Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-06-14

|
early history was given long and severe
trials. it was fit that its last year should be
full Of victories, and that to It should have
been accorded the privilege of overthrowing
the last army of the Con,edcracy and enforc-
ing peace. The desire to heal the wounds
of war. the wish to conciliate and rcunite
those who have been at strife. Is both
humane and patriotic. But the spirit of
reconciliation may not be wisely guided. 1t
certainly will not be if it CLOSES over the
criminality of those who led the country
into this conflict the crime Of disruption
and dsunion; the virtue and rectitude of the
endeayor to maintain unity and law, and
tho value to America and to universal civil
lization of the results of the war.
| Taunts. vainglOrious comparisons, de
probation of the vigor and bravery of the
enemy, and whatever springs from hatred,
or revenge, or sclfshneSs, should be buried.
But honest truth should be fearlessly spoken.
The South was wrong. The North was
right. This must stand out as clear as the
sun. We admit the bravery of Southern
men; the gallantry of their officers the
skill and genius of their great generals. But
it was bravery, skill and genius exerted in
bad cause. We admit that to the men of
i
liberty-that they were sincere and honest.
| We willingly accredit them with great
military virtues. But VIC deny to their
leaders, to their cause, all political wisdom
The South from 1910 sought wrong ends by
wrong methods. The war was the result Of
Southern heresies. In the whole history of
human procedurt there were never more
blunders committed than by Southern states
| rlo .,E l.,
preceding the great French revolution, was
| not more unwisc, more fatal to their own
interests. than the steps taken by the South
| for n quarter OF century before the war.
We shall wrong the memory of the dead
| if We admit the equality of those who fell in
good cause and those who iell il bad.
Personally. one may have been As good as
another. But, as representatives Of great
principle, one fought for oarkness and the
other for light /; one strovc for slavery and
tho other for liberty. Whatever was the
personal rectitude, sincerity, heruism, of the
individual, the Southern army was swept on
by great under influences of evil which over
ruled the will of individuals, and made them
the unconscious soldiers of depoti@m. We
dshcnor our dead when We make no distinc-
tion between those who died for liberty and
purchased by rubbing out the whole mean
ing Of the war, the grandeur to mankind Of
its influences, is not Il compromise, but a
surrender. If it brings peace, it is the
peace of death.
am willing to strew flowers upon the
graves of Southern soldiers as men, and un-
der the influence of that generous sympathy
that We cherish for all mankind !; but not as
soldiers, not as the defenders of lost cause
that was rightly lost; not on the same day
with the fallen champions Tor Liberty Not
with my right hand chaplets for soldiers of
freedom; and my left, chaplets for soldiers of
disruption, rebellion and slavery Is it be-
coming that We should by such actions tes
tifv to the world that the whole difference
between slavery and liberty is only the diff
ference of the left and right hardS-a mere
difference of degree and not ol kind Is it
for you, gentlemen of the Army of the PUtC-
mae, to resist such criminal folly TO lift up
the true meaning OF the war 50 high that no
dust shall obscure it; and, As by your heroic
service you have become an example to our
youth in courage AID seli-icvOtlOn, 80 You
should be their instructors in the everlasting
principles Of truth, equity and liberty, which
underlaid the war, and without which 1t
was not Ii grand sacrifice, but a gigantic
butchery.
1t would consign us justly to everlasting
contempt to be ashamed Of, or indifferent
to, the brightest page OF modern history. No
war of all time WAS needless on the part
of the South. and none 80 Indispensable and
honorable on the pant OF the North Our
great war rcyolutionized the affairs of halfa
continent tC the very foundations. The South
was aristocratlc. 1t must inevitably be DEM
ocratic. Ii had false system Of scrvIle Ia
Dor. IL has changed it to free labor. On
these new foundations We greet the rising
South, and with cordial conf !eI4ce and fra
ternal sympathy rejoiec to see her sors again
in the halls of legislation and to jOin with
her in II generous emulation for the iuture
glory and strength Of our Union, undivided
and indiyiSible have already spoken oi
the changed feeling ui the public toward
soldiers Ii may D, called the decay ol the
military spiit in the North.
The fire which famed lorth for Il few
wears has well nigh burned out. The his
tory OF armies and warS in Europe inspired
our fathers with Just fear Of large stand
ing armies. They are dangerous alike in
monarchirs and democraeie'. 30 long as
society is made up Of large multitudes OF -
norant men who dwell in the sphere oi al
petite and passion, it must be prepared To
deal with such men By physical i1rrc. The
existence of a well regulated army stands
upon the same gruuniS as the existence OF
municipal police, or a rural constabnlary
force. But to secure the best effects ul
military organization 1t should he Surround
ed with Il military public spirit. Every sol
der should be a citizen. every citizen should
be IL soldier. An army ought NOT to be
body foreign to the community IN which 1t
exists, but sprung from it, belonging to 1t,
and continually returning To 1t. II 1t could
be done it would be wholesome education
to r'quire every Young man t. spend two
years of his early life in camp.
If that may not he thought Of in our land,
then military drill should constitute IL part
of ou- whole aeaLtm,s system. There was
hone at the clu>e Ut the vii war that it was
to be secured rh, State military system de-
serves to be more thoroughly developed.
For though it will never secure II profession
nj education oi officers and men, 1t will Sc
cure the materials out Of which, shuuld war
come, might be built up an ,ilcirnt army.
The rise and spread Of taste for manly and
vigorous exercise is a matter for sratulation.
We NAV draw lesson, Of wisdom from the
Southern States. They are doing their duty.
In almost every Southern State, 1t not in ey-
cry enc. excellent military academies are es-
tablisheL and ilouri~hir5. liz many the sy>-
TEN OF education will coml are lavpIahly with
our Government academy, or With any for
eicn school. For this they ale to he COM
mendcd, and for neslccring it, we Of the
10. T ipr VAL
is often the way To prevent war. With bad
and ignorant men, IMMUNITY l. opportu-
nity.
We are approaching period in which
men must consider the duties and limits, a.
well a. the rights, oi property The wealth.
of the future is to be without parallel. The
development of machinery has, IN elect,
multiplied the population ten thousand iod-
The combinations Of capital are to goo on be
yond any power which We have to ioreSee
and predict lnsenSIbly We are rearing up
under hands of commerce vast forces which
must become political forces. The railway
system Of the United States Is one OF the
grandeSt developments IN modern CIVILIZATION
in its relations To convenience ami wealth.
But society is developing new problems 1t
is moving through untrlcd ways. Many
evils will arise. We are jealous OF political
mower. We will not suacr any man, or any
combination of men, to gain and WELD all
the political powe. of which they are eara-
BILE. But shall we permit the development
of wealth, in few hands, especially IN the
hands Of artificial individuals, IN corpora
tinns, or in allied families, without Jealousy
and without limit? Bnt, are continental
corporations, the vast railways, with enor-
nous capital, liable to exert no dangerous
influence? The combined capital ul lour
roads running westward from the AtlantIe
must he Il thousand million dollars.
The davs are near at hand when money Is
to bear a relation to politics scarcely yet Sns-
pccted, notwithstanding our recent expert
cnces of corruption. II it were the interest
of the four vast corporations that certain