Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-19


TWO PEOPLES
in place of one, and separating us so widely in
thought, feeling culture, and every constituent
of character and motive of conduct as to make
any mere Official bond of Union name with
cut reality. 1t was more disintegrating than if
it had succeeded in teaching the two sections
different languages; because. with apparent
continued use OF but one it had introduced
such confusion OF thought as to make their
communication tncomprehensible. Their ideas
were not capable of mutual translation.
What to one was good, was to the other
evil, and contradiction and mutual exclusion
was substituted for the fellowship of sympathy
ana and . community 1 OF aims and purposes. The
immortal declaration Of our national independ-
eDce, which had been supposed to be founded
upon eternal, Interchangeable and indeStructtble
truths OF reason, and TO formulate the justifica-
uon or human right for all mankind had be-
come the subject OF derision as a series of
Sophisms and glittering generations, while the
national constitution with the CLOSES which
mad been imposed upon its practical construc
tlon, was denounced on the other hand, as a
covenant with death and a league with hell.''
Inc right freely to speak and write and peace
ably to assemble for the consideration and dis
cussion OF public questions was denied, wher-
ever its exercise threatened the safety OF slave
holding or disturbed the conscienceS of those
who practiccd il; while, ON their part, their
teachers ard leaders sedulously inculcated the
belief that 1t was the mission of their situation,
laid upon them by necessity both human and
divine, to extend, strengthen and perpetuate
the system
The sole condition on which it tolerated polit
1cal ASSOCIATION was the recognition of it's right
OF domination. Its alternative was rule or ruin.
SO that when 1t was driven from the seat of
national power by a political revolution wrought
by public sentiment and in strict accordance
with law, without waiting for any overt act of
hostility, with desperate foresight of its newt
able DOOM it plunged into the dread abyss
Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky.
With hideous ruin and combustion, down
To bottomless perditon.h
Under the mockiDg banner Of state rights, it
opened its cannon upon the national power, and
when summer fell, it buried forever under its
ruins the lost cause of a confederacy of which
slavery was proclaimed to be the corner stone.
1t was victory, not only for the nation but
for mankind and marks step in the progress
OF the race that cannot and VIII not be reversed.
THE EVILS OF THE WAR
and they are many that follow always in its
train-will be forgotten and effaced; but the
good will remain forever. Nationality restored
upon the basis OF universal freedom, and the
political and civil equality of all the citizens OF
the commonwealth. is result that vindicateS
itself, needing neither apology nor defense.
Those who were overcome in the conflict, as
well as those who overcame them, can unite,
without bitterness or hypocrisy, in triumph
that divides the trophies OF its good equally with
BOTH And when those who were our brethren
and became our enemies, but not more ours than
their own. are able and willing, as they ought,
to join with us in grateful and joyous thanks
giving to the gracious God who turned the
scales OF battle not against them, but against
their cause, we, too can, without humiliation or
Self-cOntempt join with them in solemn cele
brationS and funeral rites over the graves of
confederate as well as federal dead as sacrifices
and eXpiatiOnS not made in vain.
The sum OF the whole matter Is, that the life
OF the nation Is essential to the life of the peO
pie; that its authority and power are supreme,
and not subordinate; that its integrity is vital
to the growth and perfection of that rational
and orderly, but impartial and benevolent lib
erty, which constitutes the sacred deposit in
trusted to its keeping. and contained within the
forms OF its constitutions; that neither sectional
strife nor party contention must ever invade its
sphere or draw in question its essential jurisdic
ton; that it shall be cherished as an ally and
friend OF all legitimate powers of the States and
not as an alien and enemy OF the liberties of its
people; that the sentiment of nationality shall
be cherished as the spirit OF patriotism, and our
love of country made, in good faith, to embrace
not the locality bounded by our personal or
party horizon, but the whole galaxy and con-
StellatiOn of fixed and immutable stars that fill
the heaven OF our hopes; and that no spirit of
faction shall be allowed to confuse the
boundaries that divide and separate the allot-
ments of authority and jurisdiction which
have been wisely made to embOdy and
enforce the constitutional will of the peo-
pie.
In this unnatural contest George H. Thomas
adhered to the government to which he had
sworn allegiance, and not to its enemies in arms.
He was born, it is true, in Virginia, but his home
and country was the United States Of America.
He had been educated at the expense of its gov
eminent at a national military academy upon
the condition, If not express, at least honorably
implied, that he should devote his military
D.
and in obedience to its laws. He had chosen
the military profession as the pursuit Of his life,
and had
SERVED FOR TwENTY-oNE YEARS
in its armies, receiving his reward in the
honors and emolumentS Of the service. He
had performed the duties Of his successive
ranks at posts and stations to which he had
from time to time been assigned, without re-
gard to the boundaries OF states. He had stood
guard at the outposts and picketed the
frontiers of the vast area of national domain.
scarcely less than the continent, and thought
he was defending the homes of his countrymen.
lie had followed the flag of the nation into
foreign territory and participated in a war that
extended our national border to the Pacific
ocean. He knew that it was the duty of the
army to uphold the civil power Of the govern
ment, the President of which was, by the Con-
stitution, its commander-in-chief,a and that that
instrument made no distinction between foreign
and domestic enemi0 He knew that Washing
ton had employed the national military force
for the suppression OF instruction and the en-
forcement OF the laws of Congress, and that
Marshal lent no countenance to a doctrine that
would seduce him from his military allegiance.
His reason told him where his duty lay-his con-
science babe him follow it. In the uniform of
an officer of the army of the United States he
followed its flag across the Potomac, at the head
OF its troops and in obedience to its lawful COM
mands, upon the soil of his native state, sacred
to him only as it was cOnSecrated to the ConSti-
tuition and the Union. And if his conduct and
career were in contrast with that of others OF her
sons whom, on that account, she has preferred
w Iolcl, lCNCi q Ill f1ISluld
will yet arise who will learn and confess the
truth that George II. Thomas, when he lifted
his sword to bar the pathway OF her secession,
loved her as well as these and served her bet
ter.
This monument, consecrated to-day to him
whose fame we celebrate, is also sacred to the
memory of that invisible host without whom he
was nOthing-the unrecorded dead, the untitled
soldiers OF the Union, the vanished and name
less Army OF the Republic, who were not merely
willing to die, but to be forgotten, so that the
memory OF the good their death should bring
might live after them. AS long as the love OF
country shall survive among the generations of
this people, or liberty make its home under the
protection of our national institutions, the eX-
ample OF their patriotic devotion will not die
for lack OF honorable remembrance or worthy
imitation. We stand with uncovered heads and
hearts laid bare to-day, in the presence of an
innumerable company of these heroic spirits
witnesses, sympathizng with us in these
solemn and patriotic ceremonialS, honoring the
memory of
OUR GREAT SOLDIER AND PATRIOT.
The listening ear OF fancy catches their choral
song, as it floats and dies away upon the air
Yea, let all good things await
Him who cares not to be great
But as he saves or serves the State.'
To the President Of the United States:
And now, Mr.. President it only remains for
me, in the name and on behalf of the Society OF
the Army OF the Cumberland, to present and de-
liver through you to the people Of the United
states whose chosen representative you are
this statue OF George ii. Thomas. Protected and
preserved by their care In this seat, and capital
OF their national power, may it long stand as a
nj yIvIfn afof.,l