Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-12-04
THE BLOODY SHIRT APorHEosIs OF
TIL ENsANGUINED GARMENT.

A correspondent of the RECORD UNION,
whose convictions are sincere and based ON
the logic of human nature, and whose pa
triotisn is undoubted, thus gives voice to
his thoughts about the bloody shirt:
1t has become quite the habit to be po-
litic4lly ashamed Of the term g bloody
shirt" great body of really patriotic
people appear to think that somehow they
ought 10 blush for it, This is the effect OF
who have persistentiy reviled 1t with the
intent to emasculate the people Of the
patriotism that overwhelmed secession in
1865. True, that was some years ago.
But is there cause for shame-and I'M
piled censure-by the lapse of years
With the same kind Of ingratitude, with
a like plentiful lack of decency, might
your child reviIe and be ashamed for the
travail of the mother who bore him some
years ago, or the Christian revile and be
ashamed Tor the agony at Gethsemane and
the blood at the Gross some hundreds OF
years ago. When the lesson OF tine great
war for the Union is despised or forgot.
ten, freedom and nationality may well
tremble. Should familiar term OF
specific idiomatic value, that by relation
| and suggestion has come TO represent IN the
! public mind a sentiment of mighty national
| import, remain in the mire an unconsid-
cred trihe? Words are things, and so L
set them down IN thanksgiving apotheosis.
/ Right M there under the blue empyrean
Is a vast domain firmly founded, yet ever
| floating among the starlit arches. Immor
! tai beauty crowns the verdure and fohsge
! of garden, field, forest and mountain,
spontaneous, more fruitful, fairer, grander
| than any paradise of which we dream.
/ All the flowers that grow and die on the
earth are there IN spiendor and profuse-
ness that beyond imagination's most trans
/ cendent thought ou5vie their lowly proto-
/ types. Great winds and little winds fresh
! from the wings of the Eternal, are music
there, with nought OF terror or of lack, but
all of majesty and soothsome song. Water
/ flows there that is not wine, but all the
/ bouquet and buoyancy of wine in its effect,
| without the sting and spume. All that is
/ good in the earth is there in apotheosis
! and at hand immediate, accessible, invit-
/ ing-au open universe OF happy knowledge
| vet untaught The forms of great host
are there; they walk, they talk, they
move about as men they sit, they run,
| they sleep, converse, commune; and q
| pure halo shadow follows and repeats
! each movement, act and gesture. High
over them, in the clear ether of the heaven
/ of heavens, an emblem rests, unsupported
/ by any visible device, spreading far, fair
and free fleecy, golden sheen, in grace
! fui, changeful folds of soft, deep hue, the
/ color of a seraph's blush John Milton
saw, "celesbial rosy red, floating in tints
! that vanish and return, blending cerulean
/ blue with silver gray dotted with diamond
points OF living light, and garnished, clus-
/ tered, clustered thick with gems of holy
radiance, lustrous white = tear-shaped,
moist with the dews of earth and heaven
! boti-thas seem to live, and disclose IN
the evening forms of father, mother, sister,
/ brother, little children, wife, loved one,
! friend, each with a chastened look Of fall
tering joy born of the sharpest grief, all
/ bending low toward those beneath as TO-
ward flower grown grave.
On tha5 symbol vision OF fadeless men,
cries incarnate the eyes Of each below anon
and ever glance in smiles that blend soft
4 pity, gentle pride, determined purpose,
love sincere and triumph sure. That lowry,
lofty, earth born, heaven adopted en-
blem militant of a great cause triumphant
insignia and guaranty of precious unity
and potential freedom to a mighty nation
saved by the price of priceless anguish,
open mystery OF patriot martyrdom glorl-
fed in purity ineffable, beyond deillng,
Just in the shining verge OF the TRANSLUCENT
( golden purple azure zone OF Inc Inrd
Heavens The Bloody Shirt. and those
beneath who by achievement claim It,
| whose Il was in death and is in life immor-
tai, whose 1t was and is and is to be,
these who inspire and Join in the great
shout from earth that echoes where " the
morning stars together sang when all the
sons OF God shouted for Joy, these eager,
listful, watchful, seraph smiling ones just
over all our heads are the souls OF those
who died that this Nation might live; and
in each presence angels wait.