Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-07-30
General GarGeId's Speech at Palnes-
willie, Ohio,


Early in July the Soldiers Monument
at Painesville, Ohio, was dedicated with
imposing ceremonies. There was
large military and civic procession, and
speeches were made by General Gar
field, General j. ID. Cox and others.
The following was General Gariield's
speech:
FELLow-CiT1ZENs; I cannot well respond on
such an occusiOn in the sight OF such monu-
ment to such Il cause. sustained 10y such men.
While listened to what my Hi 'nd said, two
questions have been sweeping through my
heart; one, what does the monument mean,
the other, what Uill the monument teachy Let
me ask you for moment to hCip inc answer,
what does the monument mcnnf on It means
world of memories ana world OF deeds.
world Of tears and world Of glOries. You
know, thousands know what II is to ulfcr up
your life To the country, aud that Is no small
thing rs every soldier knows. Let me put this
question 10 you for the moment. suppose
your country in the awfully-embodied form of
majestic law, should stand above you aud say,
" | want your life; come up here ON the plat
form and offer it," How many would walk up
before that majestic presence and say; Here
| am, take this life use il for your great
needs" And yet almost one thousand million
men made that answer, and the monument
stands yOnder to commemorate their answer.
That is one of Its meanings. But my friends let
me try you a little further. To give up life is
much for 1t is to give up wife, home and
ambition. But let me test YOU this way tur-
should call out to you: 81 ask you to give mp
health, to drag yourself not dead but half alive
through memorable existence FOR long years
until you perish and die in your crippled
hopeless condition. | ask you to volunteer to
do that, ana it calls for higher reach of pat
riotism and sclf-sacrihce." But hundreds of
thousands Of you soldiers did that. That is
what the monument means also. But let me
ask you to go one step further. suppose your
country should say; Come here on this plat
form, and in my name and for my sake con-
sent to be idiots. Consent that your very
brain and intellect shall be broken down into
hopeless idiocy for my sake How many
could be found to make that venturc2 And
vet thousands with their eyes wide open to
the horrible consequences, obeycd that call.
And let me tell how l0lO0J of our soldiers were
prisoners of war, and for many of them, when
death was stalking near famine climbing up
into their hearts and idiocy threatening all
that was left of their intclccts, the gates of
their prison stood open every day If they wou.d
desert their flag and enlist under the flag of
the enemy; and out of 10000 not two per
cent. ever received liberation from death,
starvation and idiocy. All that might come of
them. but they took all these horrors, all these
suncrings in preference to going back upon
the flag OF their country and the glory of its
truth.
Great God, was ever such measure of pa
triotism reached 10y any man on this earth be
! fore. That is what your monument means.
By subtle chemistry that no man knows all
the blood shed by our brethren, all the lives
devoted, all the grief felt, at last has crystal
lied itself into granite and rendered immOr al
the great truth for which they died. and it
stands there to-day This is what your monu-
mcnt means.
Now what does it teach? Why, | remember
the story Of one of the old c)nqucrers of
Greece who, when he had travelled in his ""
hood over the battlefelds where Mitiadcs won
/ victories and set up trophies, returning said /:
"These trophies OF MihiadeS will never let
/ me sleep" Why something had taught him
| from the chseled shore a lesson he could
| never forget. And, feliOw-citiZcns, that silent
| sentinel tnut crowns the granite column will
! look down upon the boys that will walk these
streets for generations to come, and will not
| let them sleep when their country calls them.
| More than the dead bugler on th fields, from
his dead lips will 20 ont Il call that the children
| of Lake County will hear after the grave has
/ covered all. That is the teaching of your
| monument; that is its lesson, and it is Il
l. lesson of endurance for what We believe, aud
| il is a lesson of sacrifices for what we think
! lesson of herOism for what we mean to sus-
| tain. and that lesson cannot be lost to II peO-
] pie like this. II is not Il lesson of revenge,
| not a lesson of wrath II is the grand, sweet,
/ broad lesson of the immortality of truth thut
| we hope will soon cover as with Il grand She
| knah of light and glory in all parts of this
| republic tIOm the lakes to the gulf.
l once entered Il house in old Massachusetts,
! where over its doors were two crossed swords.
| One was the sword carried by the grandfather
| of its owner on the field of Bunker Hill. The
other sword was ca ried by the English grand
sire of the wife on the same field and on the
! the other side of the conflict. Under these
| crossed swords in the restored harmony,
domestic peace, the children livel happy, CON
! tented, free and united under tne iight of our
| republican liberties. | trust the time is not
! far distant when under crossed swords and
locked shields of Americans, Nor,h and
South, our people shall sleep in peace aud rise
/ in liberty, love and harmony under the union
| of our flag of stars and stripes.