The National tribune., 1881-06-01
40

the old mother bowed with her last grief hears only
the asrum bell that sounded the signal Of his countrys
danger and marched down TO the fields of carnage
do and to die for the eternal right
Where shall we look for more ennobing example?
Where shall humanity present it's grander type Greek
genius Roman courage, Carthagenian endeavor Chris
tian martyrdom can show no more shining spectacle.
possessing perfect shape the elements that
constitute nobility Of character, and pledge myself to
show that it greater than the soldier of the Union,
who laid down his life that others might enjoy the bless
ings of free government Is it heroic that you
seek? ask you to remember Antetam and Balls Bluff,
Winchester and South Mountain Shiloh and Gettysburg
ask you to behold him he stood in raynes running
with blood in the burrows of old fields between contend
ing hosts, pierced by balls and with shells in the
trenches by forts and in the whlwind of the charge
whore became iron, with nerves of Steel while all
around him the smoke OF the contest and the of
the conflict and the artillery of mans hate rivallng the
thunders of Gods vengeance is it uniinching martyr
dom elevated personal endeavor that you demand
refer you to the tt ousand instances eff semmoa
tion that marked the history of the soldiers of the
public lis it high and holy and dsinerested patriotism
that you require Recollect that his whole from
the time when the tocsn sounded down to the last
moment when he gave his life that free institutions
might lve that you and and posterity might dwell
togethes in harmony and in peace in land reunited and
freed from the stain OF human bondage that the nobest
fabrics that mans genius has erected might fall
and that government of the people for the people and
by the people might not perish from the earth.
Do you seek the rounded and completed character
which, with the faults and common humanity,
combines the qualities that form the very archetype of
grandeur, present you the Union soldier
Such'a and such champion need apologies ;
and this nation will be fahess history aithess
its mission fathiess fame if it in silence permits
the glory of that the of that champion
be in any wise furnished
The that followed or were secured by the sue
cess of the Union soldier and the Union well
known to you all. They need summary at my hands,
They embazoned every side. Their testimonials
in every manifestation of material prosperity
They evidenced by the existence odey of this nation
the best exponent of enlightened liberty, the acknow
edged leader Of the human race in the career of political
improvement aye, the incarnation of liberal and there
fore of progressive IDEAS and which has become the
of history more majestic In it's elements both of trag
edy and of triumph than the world ever seen aud
the center Of influence that has huug tentacles
around the globe
We behold those results in the great diversified indus
tries of the land in the thousand appliances that
tighten human labor in the advancement of the arts and
sciences in the establishment of schools of learning
free press, free Bible schools,
n and labor met in truce
In beany made the bride of
And than ALL in the safeguards that have been
thrown about the domestic life and happiness of fifty
millions of people.
In reviewing those results from the low level of
parsanship but from the high plane of patriotism the
vital question that presents itself is Shall those results
be sustained and perpeuated shall they be fttered
away and lost What shall ultimate America be? 1t is
question that comes home TO every citizen matter
what his past present predictions what his party
sympathes may be- Shall peace have her victories
less war? shall the results achieved nv
the bullet fall the onslaught unwise and be
virtually annihated by sectional disobedence law or
sacrificed to the pampered pets of political despotism2
whole future hopefu otherwise, of free government on
this continent 1t presents to this nation roads, either
of which she may, one of which she choose The
one the road that leads upward the broad avenue to
power, and wealth. and influence and TO that command
ing position from which she may look down upon the
surrounding empires of the world and say: Behold the
benefcence of republican government. The other the
road that leads downward that has already echoed
tread OF Carthage. and of Rome of Athens and of Ven
ice of other republics and empires prinoipalities and
powers OF the past and at the end of which the hope
less abyss from which ascends the warning cry
" Behold the results of political folly ~
Let ms see TO it, my counrymen, that the road which
this republic takes shall be the road of peace the
prosperity the road OF progress in the and industries
which contribute to the happiness of Let US see to
it, ON over and above and beyond all else let see to
that it becomes not necessary fight again the war as
consequence of which observe this days that principles
which that war forever fixed in political armament
shall not again be questioned and that all shall have
constant and continued notice that the great dogma
individual freedom which nerved the heart of Henry and
the hand of Hancock and the ambition of Adams which
made Webster speak as though bis tongue had been