The National tribune., 1881-12-17

was no shouting-no cheering. Men fell to the
earth at every step; they left a crimson cooring
behind them; but into the timber, through the
timber. they moved like destiny; no one falter-
ing, no one looking back. l saw them as their
shortened line debouched into the open country
beyond, and their ranks were as firm, their bear
ing as cool and steady, as when they first entered
the pathway that led TO suffering and death for
many d comrade
| saw the same steady animal courage dis
played by the confederates at Malvern and Get
tysburg. The late war is teemlng with eXhipl-
tions of great daring, endurance, grit, by those
who fought upon the one side or the other. But
what is such courage when compared with that
exhibited by those British soldiers when their
ship was sinking? The boats were filled with
the women and children. There was room for
not a single person more. The commanding
officer ordered the troops in ranks. They obeyed.
The companies were formed upon the upper
deck, the men stood at attention." and the
Birkenhead went down with her living freight
of heroes, and not one cowardl
What is mere animal courage when weighed
with that shown by him who stood at his post
firing the signal-gu until the Central America
sank beneath the wave, and sank with her? or
when compared with that of Dreiker, the draw
bridge keeper, who, as he was closing the draw
for approaching train, already i'll sight, beheld
his only child struggling, drowning in the waters
of the Passaic River? If he attempted to save
his boy, the train, with its living freight, would
go crashing through the bridge into the gulf
L
of his heart must perish. He remained He was
a rough, unettered man; but he was hero. He
knew his duty, and he had the courage the back
bone, to hold to it, although his parental instincts
and love were drawing at his heart with fingers
of steel.
What about the miner out in Nevada who, as
he went down the deadly shaft to look for COM
rades shut up or lying mangled, dead, a thousand
feet below, said, 'If L am not back in ten min
utes close up the shaft?"
Was not he as noble hero as any? Ave, no
bier; for his was voluntary offering in behalf
of his fellow-men.
Such incidents might be multiplied by thou
sands, and yet not yield the grand total of those
entitled to be classed among the worlds heroes
Such incidents are happening every day. Deli
cate pale-faced men and tender women are bright
ening the history of our race with exhibition of
the oftiest cOurage-the noblest sacrifices of self
alongside of the stalwart and strong among the
bravest
They do not court, but boldly meet, suffering
and death, if need be, in the cause of truth JUS
tce, and humanity. They do not provoke it, but
bravely submit themselves to ridicule in the
cause they believe to be the cause of right. And
rdicule is oftentimes harder to bear than many
wounds, or than even death itself
They possess that which we are apt to term
backbone to the highest degree. 1t is different
from obstinacy for obstinacy has no proper mo-
tive, no high moral manly ground to stand
upon. 1t is different from mere physical or brute
courage, for the latter does not reason it is sim
ply itself-backbone-th moral stamina which
supports the framework of a truly noble elevated,
and elevating manhood.
Old John Brown possessed it. He was a man
of deep convictions, of earnest purpose; he was
man as true to his conscience as the needle to
the North Star There was no bravado in his
speech, no bluster in his acts.
He mapped out his course and followed it
steadily, persistently, to the bitter end. He was
gentle as child, tender as a woman and vet
possessed the courage of a lion together with the
moral stamina necessary to sustain him at all
times and under all circumstances. He had his
failings, and who Of us have not? But his virtues
overshadowed them all. He was real hero. He
was while he lived an example of genuine cour-
age, and when ne came to die he exemplifed
fully the true nobility of his soul and left behind
him for the instruction of coming generations the
highest possible type, so far as may know it
among men, of what we, in the language of met
aphOr term Backbone"
n, hcI/ NAME nE ppCsD