The Newtown bee., 1878-08-22

this inR iitlag manner, and however much may wish that some ulher more gifted than l might express you our
 pitAsu,e ui meeting you on this ooras-
 iou surely the pnst, which to-day so | ytydlv recalls, with ita unsclllsh h0ro- ! ism, ils patient endurance, its noble achievements. is sufficiently glOri0us 10
 inspire the du uh with clOQuence, We welcome y Iu here as brothers, who have shared Mtlh us Il common peril, who 1 have stood side by sd with Us in the same terrible sirlgc--not for present ] h Duor or futu fame, but to protect our 1 bnIoycI country from the dangers which threatened the very extinction Of its natural existence. When the muitM-
 iIEs of secession began to he heard throughout the land and continued to itrr mso in force and volume until they
 found expression In the thundcrlnBs or
 Fort SumpGr what dlSmay and indig- nation i'll. q the hearts Of the people Must brother shed brothers blood? Must thl hands which in childhood were q lsl c together, while infant lips llSped eir prayers at tho samo parental knee,
 be torn nsundar and lifted against each ute? Or should we tamely submit while profuue hands dcsecrated the tom- pie of Liberty, truilcd our glorious flag in tho mirc of anarchy and treason and
 mar our RObh glorious Republic n thing O. the past NJ Hm,k God! ! There was enough of heroi IM left II men to en- able tnc,u tU rloC above all earthly con- alterations, and to devote their inilu
 once, their means, aye even life it5olf, to the defence of that liberty which re- ceiycd its baptism Of fire at Bunker Hill, and whose totteriug footsteps wore tracked in the blood of our iorelathcrs.
 IL had grown to be of such glorious stature that the oppressed nations of the earth wero looking toward it with yculn-
 ing eyes, as the star in the west which
 waI t0 lead them to future dcIlvcrnce.
 And must these hopes be OEcrtlrOwn
 and the light qucuchcd in the gloom or SeccsSiOu? None of us have forgotten
 how at our country call volunteers
 filled the ranks aud q mighty army was at once 0rgaliHA Ad, ana when the contest of weeks stretched into Ntar5 whoa victory seemed to hover over the bah ncr5 of rebellion and foreign powers were beginning to recognize the South ern cOnicdGrarY as a nation, the pros poet was indeed dark. But with Us, night was night, and after years or un- certain strife and the use of millions of treasure, the nation was finally triumph ant and our Government reunited, ce- mcnted by the blood of thousands of { heroes m T. firmly than ever But at wi at cost! Scarcely q home in the prosperous and popular North or Il fire y,;. ;,, ifttl hlJt from which fatAer or son, husband or brother hal gone forever. The echo of their footsteps are lost in tho dim dis taace of that far off la Id whose gate never 0utwar swings. Blackcned ruins where were happy friends, heart-rent bu90mS that were once filled with joy, while the devastating hand of cruel war Was visible upon every side. Hard5hips and poverty where once was comfort and plenty, and miSTeants who coined gold out of kindred blood rcveled in the splender of ill-gottcn wealth. Yet sure l. the land that was the birthplace of a Washington and the grave of Lincoln, was worth this and a thousand times more With no clanking chain to strike harsh diScord in the music of our na- tiomal hymn, we are to-day from Maine to California, from ocean to ocean, a free and united people. The years that have passed since the close of the war have softenel the b.t or animOsiticS between the two sections Uf the country. Time has noiselcssly woven its web Of oblivion over these errors, and we think Qf QHr fallen foes as of heroes who diGl Ift! And while we deplOre the errors We can not withhold ourmced of admiration for their valor and self sacrifice.
 May their graves be green and may kindly hands ever be found to strew them over with beautiful flowers. From the field enriched by the best blood of the North and the South, some better fruit should arise than la,ty strife and sectional prejudice. Let us unitcdly strive to advance the best in- terests of our dear Republic.
 It hls risen from the depression of civil war and put forth it's energies to new fields of enterprise. It has made giant strides in the improvements ill the sciences and manufactures. By the successful completion of the silent ca jle, continent speaks to cOntine t il ecctric words, and now still more wonderful invention bids fair to carry to the far distance a whisper soft as a mothers over her sleeping babe.
 Commercial disasters have swept over the land. Dishonesty and corruption in high places, the gross extravaganza o too easily acquired wealth have brought their usual train of exposure and ruin. But if these seem to CvAr- throw the falsity of speculation and re- store order and fair dealing to cOmmel- cial circles they will prove blessing, not a curse. May the coming years in- crease in prosperity, fame and honor, and when we meet again If we ever should) may we have cause to congrat- ulate ourselves on the success which has attended our efforts.
 cannot close without expressing our sorrow at the unexpected bereavement we have suffered ill the death of Depart ment Commander Otis. We had hoped to have had him with us to-day to assist us in this celebration of the founCi lg of our Post. But he is gone. The kind friend, the genial gentleman, the true patriot, the brave soldier has gone to the last roll call. In the strength of manhood he has been called from earthly conflict to eternal rest.
 '" Many an oak is blasted on it's way,
 Many growing hope is overthrown.
 What might have been, his early growth had
 shown;
 What was our love and tears for him may tell; He lived he toiled he faded and he fell.
 When our friend lay within the narrow room Men call cofiin-in his cheerless gloom
 Himself the only tenant. and asleep
 In long slumber, terrible and deep; When at the open door his pale, sad face Appeared to us. without a look trace Of recognition in its ghastly hue,
 Soon to be hid forever from our view;
 When, with his sightless eyes to heaven upturned, Wherefrom his royal soul upon them burned. He waited for his last rites to be said,
 With his pathetic patience of the dead; When tenderly his manly form we lay