Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-06-05


involved, in the momentousness of the conse-
auence stands ont most prominently in the
woes of the world. and most reassurilg of all
the reflections suggested by these memorials
and ceremonies is this There lives
in the heart Of this people down
under its daily life, down under its polit-
ical strife, down under its personal ambitions,
a deep. strong love for our free institution
There lives spirit that will suffer, and endure
all things, ifneed be, to maintain and preserve
our form of government. The spirit which
made our Fathers of the Revolution immor-
tai, reappears in their sons SO then, the men
of this nation, in each succeeding generation,
loving peace and hating war, can, and, If must
be, will become soldiers and brave all dan
gers, suffer all privations, accept the harsh
discipline and rough occupation Of war, and
lie down on the fiinted and steel couch
of the battle field and die for the cause and
the land they love. Not a sentimental peo-
pie, little given to patriotic gush, but little
imbued with the prejudice of nationality they
are steadfast in adeep, strong patriotism that
lies deeper than love OF money or fame, and
is the real bulwark Of our institutions. Those
hypochondriacs who see no virtue in patriot,
ism in these latter day IS, and look away into
the dim past for all the high souled qualities
of human nature, can here renew their faith
in man and his destiny. All the noble attri-
butes of the Fathers of this Republic live in
their children, and the hour of our nations
peril calls them forth. The inspiring truth is
shown that,as we progress and gain as nation,
the heroic spirit, little noted in time of iraE>
quill peace, shines out when danger threatens,
and when country calls the choicest blood
our well saved treasures Of the land are freely
poured out in the patriots cause.
Another cheering reflection that comes Joy
ously to our thought is that the war secured
to US long interval Of peace. The doctrine
of the right of secession, believed in as favor
tie tenet Of an able school Of politicians, had
haunted our nation for many years. It was
onstant menace, constant fear. H. cast
film of doubt over our future, sickled DER
with the pale cost of uncertainty all our fu-
ture prospects. The war cleared our horizon
of that closd. The sword erased that heresy
from all readings of our constitution; that
miserable ism persisted with slavery; its mis-
tress in the confagrstion of civil strife. The
Boys in Blue. marching to the music Of the
Union, declared that our Fathers had founded
government, not partnership, nation not
coalation, union, not mere banding into a
precarious confederacy to stand during NUT
ual good pleasure So well the soldiers did
their work that henceforth we fear no at
tempt of madness or folly, of treason or dis
content to overthrow this union of States.
The great contest so fully demonstrated
the vitality OF our system of government that
we stand now, by virtue of the valor and for
titude of our citizen soldiers, foremost in
the ranks of the nations. Before that strug-
gle our perpetuity was not assured. II was
said, and there was ground for the fear, that
in the shock of civil strife our fabric would
| crumble. But the power, the vitality, the
conference Of an intelligent organization of
free citizens was exhibited to the world. Our
government was strengthened and IFS strength
| made known to the world. Our country
stands forth the peer Of the greatest, feared
and respected by all. der flag is saluted in
every port and on every sea. american citi-
zenship is shield that protects her sons,
adopted and native, in every other couatry.
When she affirms principle of international
law the publicists of the world give it respect
| full heed, and when she demanded indemnity
for wrongs done her maritime commerce dur
ing the war, the greatest and proudest nation
of Europe, additionally mistress of the seas,
graciously made amends. Why such defer
ence where once was ill-concealed distrust and
contempt? IL il because we have shown that
this nation could from its farms and work.
shops, its schools and colleges, its Offices and
counting rooms, at the first signal of danger,
summon an army which with quick intelli-
gence could assume the duties OF soldiership,
and though proud and jealous of the personal
dignity of freemen, could self impose the dis.
clpline and obedience Of military duty, and
bear and brave, and know no such word as
fail men whose purpose strengthened with
defeat, whose resolve rose with repulse, and
who though conscious Of their fitness to COM
mand were yet patient to serve aud obey, TO
accomplish the end--full and complete victory.
All well may we honor the dead For
Peace-thrice blessed honorable peace has
been purchased with their blood 1t is not
peace upheld, as in Europe. by the menace
of great armies, not maintained by perpetual
preparation for war We have but handful
of an army our borders are unfortefed; our
navy is hardly worthy the name. But we
have the record of the Boys in Blue, and it is
better than an army with banners, better
than a fortified coast and, thank God, for
some good out of much evil, we have the
brave story of the Boys in Gray. a story of
courage, zeal and devotion worthy nObler
cause story that will live in all ages as an
example of bravery and gallantry which need
ed only just cause and a true principle be.
hind it to make it one of the brightest pages
of human courage and fortitude. With the
world Informed that any nation who throws
down the gage of battle to US, must meet the
Boys in Blue and shoulder to shoulder beside
them, the boys who once wore the Gray, we
may rest assured that far distant is that day
when we must prepare to face for, ign foe.
Wonderful as was the uprising Of that
gallant army of the Union, its vanishing away
was no less marvel One day we looked
forth; the theatre of war was filed with
armies. They moved in the measured tread
of military order. Their thought, their talk,
their work was of war. They were pressing
forward to the great consummation of their
duty. A little while and we look again. The
armies have disappeared Their banners are
the emblems of a glory achieved" Their
drums have ceased to beat Their stern ranks
are broken, and for the last time thew have
laid down the implements of war, and re-
turned quietly and eagerly to the pursuits of
peace. The moral grandeur of that trans
formation was the greatest triumph of all, for
it taught the world that the citizen soldiers of
the Republic, invincible in war, sought his
true glory and happiness in peace, and that
all the demoralizing influences Of war could
not spoil him for the better life of the well
ordered citizen at home
While. then, we have nothing to fear from
foreign foe and little dread of another armed
rebellion, we must not forget the old. trite
lesson OF history. Nations whose proves has
kept the world in awe have yet persisted mis-
erably because their patriotism was not as
viglant and self sacrificing in peace as in war.
Our naticn may sometimes meet the good SOL
der; she always needs the active, vigiIant
citizen. The intelligent earnest citizen who
frowns on public corruption, who resents as
an insult to our flag every act of official in
fidelity, who regards as moral treason every
branch of public trnst, who will insist on
honest, frugal administration of public affairs
and be centent with nothing else, who keeps
his faith in the Republic, and abhors that
baser idea that all men are corrupt and each
has his price, and who watches public affairs
with keen sagacity, to detect everything
amiss, and to make outcry against every mall
feasance and wrong and every departure from
principle, he is the defender of his country no
less than he who takes up arms in her cause.
These memories. then, are oflittle significance
II we do not. as we decorate this memorial
shaft, re>consecrate ourselves to the faithful
service OF the state in the full, manly, honest
performance OF the less conspicuous but no
less important duties of citizenship Thus
only can we honor the dead, for thus only can
we preserve and hand down TO our children
the blessingfor which they-the Grand Aymv
of our Patriot Dead--have Welded I'M their
lives.
But who can regard them as dead Though
their ear hly forms have crumbled. vet those
We thus commemorate still Twelve in the
proudest page of history-ia the sweetest
strains of song