The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-06-06
Grne Nortbtrncr.
Paw PAW, MICHIGAN. JUNE 6 1879.

FRIDAY EVENING LAST, AT LONG
WELLS OPERA HOUSE.
Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GEErLEMEN:
Meet indeed 1t is that we should assemble
here on this occasion to do honor to our noble
dead, our fallen heroes, who animated Ly a
spirit OF patriotism most exalted, by a love OF
country most noble and sublime, went forth at
the cali OF duty, left fathers and mothers, left
wives anu children, sacrificed the comforts OF
bome, abandoned the pleasures OF the domes-
tic hearthstons and all that makes life desirable
aud happy, went forth from all these, to en-
dure the hardships OF camp and field, to par
ticipate in the bloody battle, to endure the
weary march, to languish in horrible southern
prison pens, and finally to offer up their lives
willing sacrifice upon the altar Of their coun-
try, that freedom might be preserved in this
fair land of ours, that the majesty OF our grand
old flag might be sustained and upheld, that
its sacred folds might not bs trailed in the
dust nor ruthlessly stamped beneath the feet
OF rebels and traitors, that our country might
be rescued from the bloody hand Of treason
that was mercilessy cutching at its throat
and which would strangle the very life OF the
nation, that you, my friends, that you and /,
might have country of which We might be
proud, and that should stand through the COM
ing years monument to their memory, q
bright and shining landmark to all the world, a
haven OF refuge and beacon light to the OPP
pressed Of all nations, the home OF freedom,
tue dwelling place OF liberty and the abode OF
grand, inspiring aud noble manhood for CEN
turies to come. For this perlshed our brave
boys ia blue and it becomes Us as citizens, 1t
becomes US as a nation, to reverence and honor
and TO cherish their memories through all the
cJmlug years. When we cease to remember
them and the cause for which they persisted,
we shall have become unfit to be member OF
the great brotherhood OF nations, ard the AL
mighty in His wisdom, with righteous indig-
nation will blot us from off the map OF empire.
May OF you my friends, we'll remember with
wAat,a thrill OF excitement the news OF the
frlrg on For, Sumpter was received by the
grsat loyal Northern heart, while many OF you
have grown TO manhood and womanhood eince
that momentous event, and to you it is mat
ter of history only, aud you can never realize
the intensity OF the wave OF patriotic feeling
which swep. over the nation, as can and do,
those who participated in the stirring events OF
those days and who helped to make the history
hara els
But, my friends, the booming OF that first gun
OF the rebellion still sounds in the ears of this
great people, and its reverberations will never
cease while this government OF ours shall stand,
but it will still echo and re-echo down the vista
OF the coming centuries, reminding every loyal
American heart Of the sacrifices that were
made, the. treasure expended and the rivers OF
warm patriotic, Loyal, American blood that
were shed to preserve Us nation.
Ala! indeed it is we'll that the people should
annually meet together to decorate the last
resting place OF our honcred dead, and to re-
call and keep alive the memories Of other days, |
OF the days that tried mems souls, Of the days
when the HE OF the nation hung trembling in
the balance. Il is indeed we'll thus to foster
country, lest perchance the time may come
when we may be again called upon to shoulder
our muskets IL defense of all We hold most
dear. All how wildly many OF US can recall
with what sublime confidence the great North
sent It's best blood to the 'front.' confidence
born OF the knowledge OF the innate right and
justice OF the cause for which they did battle,
feeling as they did, and say it reverently that
God Almighty could not afford to allow this
nation to perish, and government to be
founded on its ruins, whose corner stone should
DO human slavery. Such result would have
been to roll back the tide of enlightenment and
civilization toward the dark ages of the worlds
history and would havs proven self govern
ment to be failure, and would have rung the
death knell OF freedom, and sounded the doom
OF human liberty for many years to come. 1t
was with feelings like this that our heroes died,
aud that the loyal people OF the country, ire
spective OF sex or condition. heroically met the
W uSLl vi
and on TIL death. or until victory should perch
on our banners.
On an occasion ike this it is appropriate
that we should occupy little time in looking
at tho history OF this fair heritage Of odrs, this
magnificent land OF which we are all so justly
proud How is It that we are the inhabitants
and citizens Of so fair a domain?
More than two hundred and fifty years ago '
orr forsfathers, those brave men OF DID, perse-
cuted tor opinions sake, left their mother
country, gave up home and friends and BRAY {
inglstorm and flood, crossed the broad, blue I
Atlantic and sought new home in strange, {
unknown land, a land peopled by bloodthirsty t
savagcs. Landing on New Englands rock {
bound coast, where the foot of civilized man 6
had never trod, they founded new empire, an i
empire Of religions liberty. Here they raised q
az altar to their God, and here for the first {
tims q the worlds history were men free to {
worship according to the dictates of their own
corsclsnces The goal they sought was gained. /