National Republican., 1878-05-31

no dangers nor horrors Of the battlefield
throughout four years Of anxiety and uncer-
tainty were ablo To subduc The mechanic
left his workshop, the farmer his plough, the
merchant his store, the lawyer his profession,
and the minister his pulpit, In prompt and pa
triotc response to that call Native American
and naturalized foreigner We'd with each
other In the intensity Of patriotic devotion TO
the principles and privileges of free Govern
ment, and hastened 10 enroll themselves
In the ranks Of that grand army Of the Re.
public, the fame of whose deeds and devotion
are worldwide, and the remnants Of whose
shattered organization arc to-day throughout
the length and breadth Of this free land de-
voting themselves in holy sympathy to the
sad but pleasing duty Of decorating the last
resting-placcs ofthcir departed comrades who
suffered and died In the noble cause.
Soldiers Of the Republic, for four long years
did
THE COHORTS OF TREASON
welcome you with bloody hands to hospitable
graves" The bones of your comrades lie
bleaching on every Southern plain from Mary.
land to Texas as ever reminding witnesses Of
your deeds. Shiloh Antietam, Vicksburg
Atlanta, Gettysburg, Wilderness, and Apo.
mattox-what stories of daring courage and
unselfish sacrifices do they afford.
Reverse these victories and you would not
have been allowed to bcdeck these graves with
natures rarest flowers. Memorial halls, monu-
ments, and cenotaphs would not have been
erected throughout the land to commemorate
these noble deeds Those grand monuments
Of n nations gratitude, the SOLDIERS homes"
would not have been u comfort to tho advance
ing age aud disabilities of the nations vet
erans. The flag Of the Southern Conicderacy,
the emblem of n pretended government, whose
cardinal principle was traffic In human
souls, would have dedantly Haunted from
slAr 81 sl. II L.. ataxFa
drivers whip would have furnished soothing
music to tho aristOcratic souls Of the pro-
slavery statesmen pacing her marblcd halls.
Time, II is true, s0itcus the asperitics OF NOR
tal conflicts and heals the wounds OF fratri-
Cidal strife. But time has no effect upon the
immutable laws Of nature. The statute Of
limitations cannot be pleaded in modification
of the diversity between truth and error, right
and wrong, freedom and bondage.
Thus it is while we can In all sincerity con-
fcss to an admiration for the deeds Of physical
valOr and self.sacrificing devotion Of men who
fell in an unholy cause, yet we arc not pre-
pared to accept the theory that the unrcpent-
ant survivors Of an unrighteous rebellion are
entitled to the same same status, the same
credit, and the same rewards at the hands Of
the Government they sought to destroy as
those who suffered and endured SO much to
the end that Republican institutions might be
perpetuated.
1t would be dangerous to the stability Of
governments to permit the establishment OF
such principle or such q practice, 1t would
be subversive of loyalty and indicative only Of
basest ingratitude to the loyal.
Far he it from Union soldiers to discourage
any sentiment of forgiveness or brotherly feel
ing that has mutual Judgment in tho breasts
oil our late antagonists. But far be 1t, also
from Us to humiliate ourselves and our country
by an anxiety to propitate the rest ntmcnt Of
unrepentant wrong-doers, that shall be so un-
due in its fervor as to beget the suspicion that
we are regrctful of the part we assumed in the
late great struggle.
DO not, however, pray you, misinterpret
the spirit Of these remarks. No one Is more
deeply convinced of the expcdicncy and neces-
sity of cultivating a healthy sentiment Of fra
ternity and charity between the discordant
elements and dissentient factions of our COM
mon country; no one will enter more earnestly
into an honorable method of accomplishing SO
desirable an end than the Union soldier.
But there Is an honorable and n dishonor-
able way of solving this problem. We do not
ask that our late Confederate antagonist should
prOstratc himself at our feet as serf, or that
he should iawn and crnge as n disObcdient
dog, in order TO purchase our forgiveness; but
we do ask that he shall in n frank aud manly
way acknowledge that, though for the time
being he was blinded by the speciolls argu.
cnccs OF partisan feelings, he is convinced that
he was mistaken, that he is willing To renew
his loyalty TO the old flag. and to resume his
| allegiance to u common country IN sincere good
faith.
To such man we can say, "To err Is human;
TO forgive divine, and we hereby extend to
you the cordial hand and brothCrly feeling of
II soldier" But we cannot do all the c0ncliat-
ing. We cannot carry generosity and forgive
ness to an extent that shall seal our lips,
Danish our recOlectOns, and be in effect uu
apology tor the relations we sustained toward
the rebellion.
Whenever our Southern brethren are pre-
pared aud shall clearly make manifest the sin.
cerity Of their desire to meet us half way on
platform of such CONSTRUCTION we shall
promptly respond.
But comrades, the war, thank God, is over.
You fought the good fight; you won
THE FINAL VICTORY.
The days of your trials aud privations, your
sutlerngs and dangers oil the march and the
| battlefield aud in the camp Were ended u
dozen years ago. Yet, as we continue our
measured march adown the wide and wind.
ing aislcs oil coming tme upon this sclt-samc
day in each recurring year we pause to drop
a sympathetic tear and fragrant blossom upon
the last resting place of those who have gone
before us to that undiscovered bourne whence
no traveller returns"
IN all our national history there is nothing
| which so stis the imagination, or reaches
down and opens deeper fountains Of feeling,
Or makes the heart throb with nObler emo.
tions than this annual uprising Of surviving
comrades and friends to pay ahtctonatc
tribute to the memory of these heroic and pa
| triUtic dead.
The simple pathos Of the scene comes home
to every bosom We, the survivors call up
before us, as if in life, our dead brothers in
| arms. Again we see the flashing eye and
| eager step as they strobe on TO death again
see the wan features and wasted forms of those
stricken down by disease, brave aud patient
in suffering but denied the privilege of dying
| in the face Of the enemy; aud as they thus
| pass before us in the clear reflection of memo
ry's mirror that memory preserves their deeds
and sacrifices with II love that shall not decay
or grow cold.
| Nor are these demonstrations mere senti-
ment. They arc of highest and most enduring
worth. They discipline and elevate; they
feed the fires of herosm and foster and keep
alive n spirit Of unsclfsh devotion to country.
To-day, by these our offerings, We recognize
our obligations. We cannot hope to cancel it,
| Not only to us but to the enduring future does
| this duty belong. Not one grave shall be for
gotten. Wherever they fell, on land or on
sea, by the bullet or by sickness, on the picket.
line or in tho hcadlong charge, in the name of
and for each and all We cast our garlamds Oh
| these graves.