Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-06-02


prccatc the men who loved liberty more thar
they loved life then there will be little in the
land worth defending. and the government
VIII b" far on the road to national decay
The measure of the gratitude of this people
to the patriot dead, will be the measure OF
the patriotism in their breasts.
When We cease to value devotion to our
country it will argue that we are destitute of
such devotion ourselves. And when any
town, or city. or community cannot afford a
few paltry dollars, or cannot spare time. or
lack inclination, or from any other reason
under heaven refuse to observe some memo
rial of our slain soldiers, then they deserve
to forfeit the blessings which these soldiers
have purchased for them. There is quite a
difference between peaceful. prosperous
country. with all the institutions of liberty
preserved, in 1879. and this same country in
1851. with the lurd clouds of war hanging
over it; its very life trembling in the balance
and her citizens pressed by disinay and dis
tress And do YOU want to know what the
difference j.? | can tell you. 1t is the diff
ference between 100000 strong, noble men,
in the flower of their strength and rejoicing
in life, and these same 400, 900 men in their
graves. This, it would seem, is difference
worth mentioning. 1t will be remembered
the services of no old Mortality will be need
cd to keep fresh the graves OF our countrv's
dead-thoy shall be the Mecca of our bill
grinages hcnccforth
And am glad the method of memorial is
Just what 1t Is. 1t was womans fair hand
that first strewcd flowers upon the graves of
our gallant dead. We thank her for this un-
crring instinct of her heart. and hasten to
follow her lead 1t is well that the flowers
fade and so need to be wed. The flow
ers fade that our gratitude and affection may
not fade KS often as the spring comes and
puts into our hands its blooming treasures.
we will 90 and lay them upon the graves of
our heroes, and think We have put them to
the very best use And it shall conc to pass
that while thus rendering to them the homage
that Is their due, we shall make ourselves
nobler and better citizens
GU will observe that my words have been
ordered thus far upon this theme, from the
stand point of moral principle. In so doing
haze taken it out of the pariizan and
personal realm. our triumph was not of one
section over another; it was not the triumph
OF one party over another; it was the triumph
"t ''yht over ~rong, of Justice over injUSf,ce
OF Jteedom over despotiSm. Between these
two antagonistic principles there has ever
been strife, and ever will be, until the wrong
ceases to find advocates in the earth, and the
champions of the right and the wrong. must
ever be hopclessly at odds. until the cham
pions of the wrong yield. | speak of this
because there has sprung up since the war in
some quarters on the part of those who mis-
took the war to be matter of personal or
party feeling instead of a question of princi-
pie, something like a demand for a recogni-
tion of the virtues of the southern dead. sim
liar to what we accord to our own dead. We
are cAhortcdto be magnanimous to our former
foes and all fanlipus Of al
hostility that We lnay have cherished towards
them. Now | trust am not sfraagel to what
the Tofd m0g0aHimuy means, and disclam
all feelings ofpcrsonal malice towards our for
mcr foes and deny that ever had any and more
than that | am bold to disclaim anv such
feelings on the part of all who entered this
conflict from this high conviction of duty and
to defend the right. Such then have nothing
to give up but principle. Now | know the
difference between magnanimity and bascly
yielding principle Principles are more than
men, and if in honoring principles must dis
honor men. whether living or dead |
shrink not from the necessity. 1t is sickly
sentiment and not christian forbearance. that
dictates soft words respecting those who have
shown themselves the mortal enemies of
sacred right. TO talk of magnanimtv toward
positive wrong is to talk of being an idiot or
a hypocrito.
Concerning those who were misleadas as to the
real issues in the strife some were made to
think they were fighting for their homes and
their rights, have only kindly feelings. In
decd can heartily honor their intention
" lille mourn for their mistake. But with
those who understood the whole character of
our strife, who knowingly and purposely
fought to rend this Union and to perpctuate
tie crime of human thradom, the case is
widely different.
And when | am asked to cast Il wreath of
honor upon the graves of such-when am
asked 50 to go back on my own record-and
so east the lie in my own teeth. tell YOU in
the whole strength of my being l utH not.
| will not he thus false to myself, to my God
and to the memory of my fallen comrades.
The boys in blue fought for the right. and the
boys IN gray for the wrong. We cannot honor
both armies. For Just as far as we honor one
We dishonor the other. 70 honor the boys
in gray is to di>honor the boys in blue. In
as it was honorable and glorious to
hyM for the Jag 0f0Dl Union, it was base aud
ig1obie to tgM ogaina IT, Let justice be
done though the heavens fall
For a stranger to our history to hear some
men talk, he would be left in doubt as to which
of the two armies was the loyal army. And
should the time ever come when this nation
" iii w lpuiu 'i'bdtliP ills NUNstNlu 10
which was the loyal army, then our civil war
was without point the most stupendous farce
ever transacted ON this earth. Away with
such nonsense--it cannot be.
The Fourth of July celebrates the birth of
this nation, the thirtleth of MAY celebrates its
beng born again. Our rcgeneratcd nation
is not am aware fully sanctficd. but Through
the noble devotion and unfnching courage
of our soldiers it has been firmly planted on
the right foundation, and the correction of
what is wrong is only question of time.
| know that there are in the mind. of some
lovers of our country serious fOrcbodings in
view Of the almost controlling power which
former enemies of our country have recently
gained at the seat of government And there
is some reason for ALARM, and not chiefly be-
cause oar former enemies are gaining power,
but that these men are our enemies sfiH
But our fears cannot prevail. DO YOU ask
me why? | answer you truly-because be-
lieve there is righteous God in heayea.
lie holds in his hand the record Oh every drop
of blood that was shed IN this CORY war;
every tear that tell from the eye Of wife, or
mother, or sister, or child; every blasted
hope; every painful anxiety; eyely distress
experienced then aad since then, or ever will
be, II helpless families, Of widows and ar
phans, in all this broad land All these thinus