The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-07-07


hevelled hair aud streaming eyes. on
her knees in the dust, amid her black
ebsd homes and ravaged fields, like
! another Niobe mourning her dead.
Well might 1t be said that her eyes
Have SEEN the glory Of The coming Lord.
He Is tran2hrg out the vintage sbsre the grapes oil
wrath stored.
lie has loosed ;se faelul nge,nipg OF lis terrible
Bis truts Ia natchspg on"
But it were vain To try TO tell the
story Of those days. for it has b, Ell
traced with fire upon your hearts. in
characters NJ tears of Reconciliation
can ever wash away.
The suppressio" OF the Rebellion not
only shed an added lustre upon our
arms and demontrsted To the world
our strength and indivisib. lity rs a ns-
ton. bnt il dill inure. II taught the
people that the doctrine of human
equality has something other than y
high sounding sentiment, tit oniy TO
round ihe periods of the orator. and
swell The toas of the philosopher; that
it was an active. living. moving power
in the land. quick to smite and resdy
to defend. That it was a lesson which
the South was 8 og to lesrL. With the
first ray of returning prosperity they
sought to weld again the shackles
which had melted at the touch OF Lin
coins pen.
They took advantage Of the absolu.
tion Of their political sins tn declaim
treason in the National Capitol, and,
climbing the steps of the Executive
Chamber. would have laid their hands
upon the curule chair itself, had not the
North. with a voice stern aud imperA-
tive Us the veto OF a Roman tribune.
barred their way. They recognized the
full meaning Of that voice, and the
strength Of the sentiment that inspired
it. and, 10 obedience to its demands.
the men who changed the silver stars Of
the rebel army for the purple toga Of
the Senate, have met in. sole1n eob-
clave. aud have acquiesed in the
choice as their standard bearer, . Union
general. whose title to fame is based
upon the defeat and destruction Of their
chosen legions.
There is nothing more certain in hu-
man events THAI the ultimate success
OF great principle. Its march is not
like the head!ong rush of mountain
torrent. which sweeps cities in its path
today, and dwindIes % rivulet tOmor-
row. but rather like the incoming Of
the tide. slow, siiert. irresistible. Those
who trust themselves to its guidance,
are borne steadily, safely on. while the
time server who trims his sails to overy
passing gale of popular favor. however
fortunate he may be for time, in the
eudis inevitably stranded and lost The
doctrine OF human equality, as an alb
stract neral question has been conceded,
by the civilized world for centuries.
The leaders Of the South. during the
whole of the agitation upon the sub
ject, did not attempt to deny its COR
rectness; as theory, but they sought
to justify aad perpetuate slavery upon
grounds of necessity aud public policy.
lns the advocacy of such cause, the
most brilliant men OF the nation stifled
their consciences and prostituted their
intellects. aud, TO superficial oil serv-
or, its success seemed certain. But in
the grand cycle Of human progress,
three-quarters Of century is an un-
regarded trife. The hight which il
attaiued. but made its downfall mors
complete and sure. and when, at last,
it sank in ruin and dcsola.ion, = nation
had to do penancs for its iniquities.
No better commentary OIL the fate oil
those who sacrifice principle to policy
can be found than in the history Of the
champions OF the lost cause. They were
men who were eloquent in debate, wise
in council aud intrepid in battle. They
had won their country's gratitude on
the field. and had maintained her
honor at home and abroad; yet. at the
humbling of their standard, their names
iapsed into oblivion, from which even
the brightness of their talents was pow,
erless to redeem them; while on the
other hand, their opponents, who were
denounced as hair Drained enthusiastic
and mischievous marplots. have lived
4 to see their names written in . text tC
which every age will add fresh lustre
It is . lesson which appeals to The
young man in trumpet tones. Il tella
him that if he will nail his banner e
the masthead, il he will follow The
guidance of his conscience. through bat.
tie aud through tempest. straight TO.
ward the lode star of principle. that
when the strife 10 over, and the clouds
have cleared away. he will And his f1Ae
floating unsullisd in the breeze. while
the standard Of the schemer. the iu-
triguer and the temporizer, are lost be-
meath the wavs.
i The doctiius Of the common brother,
hood Of man 10 the thread upon which
all the jewels Of our Government or,
strung. 1t is slender strand, but it i,
as pure ~ gold and 40 strong q steel
Through the blasts Of adversely it ha,
been guarded safely and we'll. and il
now remains for US to keep is intsc,
through tine more trying ordeal Of pros
perity.
The Fundamental difference be
tween the federal government end al
others which preceded it il the fact
that while lr the latter the State VI,
everything. in the former the people
are sovereign. aud the State 10 theil
creation. The constitution recognizes
tue fact that the people are the foun'
tain of all authority aud that the
central govsrnment can exercise only
those powers which the people have
expressly conferred upon Il. In {
state founded upon such . theory thsr,
will always be two dangers. Hrst the,
the government viii absorb the