National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-11-20

Slavery was rapidly making ofus
TWO PEOPLES
| IN place of one, and separating us so widely In
Thought, feeling cnlturc, aud every constituent Of
character and motive of conduct as ~ make any
mere political bond of union name without real
ity. IL more disintcgrAtng than II Il had sue.
ceeded in teaching the two sections different lam
gltaEes because, with apparent continued use OF
but one Il had introduced such n confusion OF
! thought MS 10 make their communication hicom-
! prchensible Their ideas were not capable Of mu-
tual translation What 10 one was good was TO the
other evil, and contradiction and mutual oxoiu-
sion was substituted for the fellowship OF sympathy
aud u community Of aims nud purposes. The i'm
mortal Declaration Of our National lndcCendenoe,
which hal been supposed TO be founded upon
eternal, Interchangeable and inde tfuCtiblc truths of
reason, and TO formulate the Justification ofhuInan
| right for all mankind, had become the subject of
eralitiCs; while the National Constitution. with the
CLOSES which had bceu imposed upon its practical
hcoDstruction, was denounced, on the other hand
rs covenant with death aud league With hell"
The right freely 10 speak and write, and peacC0bly
TO assemble for The consideration and discussion Of
public questions was denied wherever lts exercise
thiCa'cned the safety of slave-holding disturbed
the conscicnces of those who pract ced it; while,
on their part their teachers and leaders seduously
nculcaed the belief that II was the mission OF their
Situation, laid upon them by necessity both hu-
man and divine, to extend, strengthen and per
potuate The system.
The sole condition OH which It tolerated political
association was the recognition of Its right Of dom
natio' Its alternative was rule or ruin. SO that
when Il was driven from the seat of national power
by political revolution, wrought by public sonti-
mcnt and IN strict accordance with law, without
waiting Tor amy overt act Of hostility with despe-
rn,g foresight OF its inevitable DOOM II plunged into
aid dread abvss--
Hurled hcadlong flaming from the ethereal sky,
with hiecous ruin and combustion, down
10 but,omlcss pcrttition.'
Under the mocking banner of State Rights IL
opcncd Its cannon upon the National Power, and
I3n Sumter fell, II buried forever under its ruins
ti'c lost cause Of aConfederacy, Of which slavery
sas proclaimed to be the cornerstone.
Ii was . victory not only for the Nation but for
| mankind, aud marks step IN the progress of the
rpce tha. counot and will not be reversed.
THE EVILS OF THE WAR
and they are many that follow always II its train
will be forgotten and ofhced. but the good VIII
remain forever. Nationality restored upon the
basis Of universal freedom. and the political and
civil oqnality Of all the citizens of the common
wealth. Is result that vudicntcs itself needing
mother apology nor defense. Those who were over
come In the conflict well as those who ovcrcnmc
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 thnn their own, are able and willing, rs they
ought TO Join with ms in grateful and joyous
tlmnksgiv!ng to the gracious Sod who turned the
scales Of battle not against them, but against their
canse, we, too, can without humiliation self
contempt. Join with them in solemn celebrations
and mineral rites over the graves of Confederate as
well as Federal dead as sacrifices and cxpiations
not made in vain.
| The sum of the whole matter is that the life Of
the Nation Is essential to the life of the people
that rs authority and power are supreme and not
subordinate that It's integrity Is vital to The growth
aud perfection OF that rational and orderly but
/ Impartial AMI benevolent liberty. which consti-
tuieS the sacred deposit intrnstei 10 its keeping
and contained within the forms Of its constitution
that neither sectional strife nor party contention
must over invade It's sphere or draw In question its
essential jurisdiction; that II shall he cherished rs
OH ally and friend Of all legitimate powers of the
states, and not as mn nlicn and enemy OF the
liberties Of Us people: that the sentiment of ma.
tionaty shall be cherished as the spirit Of patriot
ISM, and our love of country made, in good fnth,
/ mot haf.n lnl h..
sona or party horizon. hut the whole galaxy and
! eons 1llntion or fixed and immutable stars that fl
tnc M heaysn n, 1f onr hopes and that no spirit OF
TINT divide aud separate the nlotmcn,s Of author.
ity and Jurisdiction which have been wisely made
70 10 enibody and enforce the constitutional will Of
In this unnatural contest George H. Thomas ad-
hered to the Government TO which he had sworn
allegiance. and not To its enemies in arms. He
Yves born tits true. In Virginia. but his home ana
country was the United States of America. lie
poc been educated al The expense, OF its Govern
ment ut National military academy upon the
condition, II not express at least hnnoraby i'm
piled, that he should devote his military klIowi.
edge and skill in support of its authority and in
obedience to rs laws. lie had chosen the military
profession as the pursuit Of his life, aud had
SERVED FOR TwENrY.oSE YEARS
in Us armies, receiving his reward in tho honOrs
mud emoiuments of It's service. lie had performed
the duties Of his successive ranks at posts aud
stations to which ho had been from time to time
assigned without regard 10 the boundaries of States
He had stood guard at the outpGSts and pckcted
the frontiers OF the vast area Of national domain
scarcely les than the continent. and thought he
was oc'cndlnR the homes of his countrymen.
lie bad followed The flag of the Nation into for
egil ierrit-ey and participated in war that ex-
lIGnied our National border to the Pacific ocean.
He knew Tint 1t was the duty of the army to up.
hold the clvil power of the Government, the Pres
ident OF which was, by the Constitution, its Com.
nGuter-in.chief and that that instrument made
no distinction between foreign and domestic enc.
mics. He knew that Washington had employed
the National military force for the suppression of
/ llkllTflIiinn - II,n la,, G
Congress, and that Marshal lent no countenance TO
Doctrine that would seduce him from his military
allegiance. His reason told him where his duty
lay; his conscience babe him follow H. 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 It's law
lnl commands, upon the soil of his native State
sacred 10 him only rs 1t was coiisecinted to the
Constitution aud the Union Aud If his conduct
ana career was In contrast with that Of others of
her sons whom. on that account she has preferred
10 honor, nevertheless generation IN Virginia
WIN YET arise VINO VIII learn and confess the truth,
thal George H. Thomas, when he lifted his sword
10 bar the pathway of her secession loved her as
well rs these and served her better
! rms monument, cOnSccrntcd 10 day to him whose
iane we celebrate Is also sacred to the memory of
that Invisible host without whom he was nothing
| the uIrecOrdcd dead the untitled soldiers of the
Union the vanished and nameless Army of the
! Republic, who were not merely willing to die but
| to be forgotten, so that the memory OF the good
lnelr death should bring might live nfter them. As
long as the love of country shall survive among the
generations Of this people or liberty make its home
lllucf lnc protection OF our National institutions
the example OF their patriotic devotion will not die
for lack OF honorable remembrance or worthy imi.
tatiOn We stand with uncovered heads and hearts
laid bare, to-day. in the presence Of nnumera.
bic company of these he roc spirs-witnesses sym.
pathizing with " In these solemn and patriotic
ceremonials, honoring the memory of
OUR GREAT SOLDIER AND PATRIOT.
The listening car of fancy catches their choral
song us i floats and dies away upon the mir
Yea. let ul good things await
Him who cares not to be great
But as he saves or serves the State %
To THE PRESIDENT or THE UNITED STATES:
And now, Mr. President, IL only remains for me
in the name and on behalf Of the Society Of the
Army of the Cumberland, 10 present and deliver
! through you TO the people of tho United States
whose chosen representative you are this statue OF
George II. Thomas. Protected and preserved by
their care In tn scat and capital Of their National
power, may II long stand as II token of the honor
which grateful people bcstoW upon conspicuous
ana unsclfSl devotion tn public duty. And when
marble shall have crlmbed 10 decay and brass
become corroded 10y the rust Of time may the lib.
critics of the people which he defended still survive
| illustrated aud supported by successive genera.
! uonF inspired 10 deeds of virtue aud heroic duty
| by the memory of his example.
| During the delivery of tho oration Mr..
Matthews was frequently interrupted with
applause.
THE STATUE ACCEPTED.
! President Hayes, who had been conducted
to the stand, then said
! In the name Of the people OF the United States |