National Republican., 1880-05-31
FIFTY CENTS PER MONTH.

had erected and dedicated TO libcrtyP They
beheld u union OF states existing only so long
as IL mlphtsuit tho whim or caprice Of state
forming part Of that union; they beheld n
declaration Of liberty bOhind which clanktd
the chains of 100000 slaves; they bcbeld a
vast area OF territory larger than half of habit
able Europe devoted TO the erection of q mon
eyed nristocrncy on the traffic in and labor Of
tho slave, aud its gates forever closed against
the peaceful competition aud energy Of the ad-
yenturOus sOlS Of toll, and to crown their dis.
Comiiiuro they bchOd their brethren dragging
their common flag in the dust aud declaring
the great republic aud its boosted liberty had
ceased 10 exist.
"At this greot aud supreme moment duty
called, sclf.inierest gave way to patriotism,
aud the terrors Of civil war to tho love of ma
tional unity, aud in the darkness of tho com.
ing tempest liberty lit her sacrilcal iros aud
called truupet.vOicod upon her sons Out OF the
Uhaos Of the thunder burst there wero evolved
us by u magic wand hundreds of thousands Of
armed mon, the steady tramp Of whose march
ing feOt toward the banks of the Potomac
drowned tho cry Of peace with disbonor, and
ushcred upon the great scene OF action tho
most stupcndOus war of all time. 81
War legislatos; bayOnets may write with a
rcddor fluid more enduring pngo than that
which contains tho uhasc of car or tho i'm.
perial mandate of king such \ page Of leg.
islatiOn thcy wrote who lie here. Legislators
mi ght sit in the great capital, whose lengtAon-
ing shadow will fall here with the setting sun,
but they sat there to put into form the roar of
rifles Oh tho slopes of Gettysburg, before the
breast works of Atlanta, or in the dark re-
cesses of the Wilderness, aud we thank God
on this day that tho law thus written has
passed. forever beyond the power of repeal.
sand now we leave these immortal dead
wrapped forever in tho manGe of their glory,
their honor and rGnOwn. Oar words are moan.
ngless compared TO the monument thcy have
built themselves in tho hearts of their com.
trymen and the world They have wrttcn
their own optapb, aud as tho mighty con-
course of the human race go mHrchiug down
the sounding corridors Of time, ten thousand
times moro enduring than columns of marble
aud brass will bo the living goyenmont they
have bequeathed to tho oppressed of all the
earth, and the liberty they gave to 100000
of the human race in bondage. III the days
when wars shall ba no more, and white
winged peace shall be tho protecting
angel Of tho world, then, and not uniil
then, will humanity realize in its COM
p!ctest suuso the immortal deeds performed By
theso dead heroes of ours. To that better day
and its impartial Judgment we transmit their
names, their deeds aud their glory, knowing
that no fine can evor eclipse the dazzling
splendor of the fame OF him who dies for tho
benefit of mankind. Let us so order our lives
aud duties us to be worthy Of our dead com
ra1es and when we gather round these hon
orcd mounds to burn the sacrifice of love on
the altar of their mtmory for tho last time
let us trust their divine master and ours that
we shall join them on the blisstul banks Of the
river of life, where we shall hold no lodge Of
sorrow and there is no death"