The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-09-29

by spoiIsmen, under the bayonet. Zap
plause.]
How shall such a dreary future be
| averted? There Is but one answer-by
| developing a higher patriotism, and by
| regarding every man as an enemy to the
| cause of human freedom, who speaks or
publishes n wanton SANDER against an
elected ruler, while he represents IN his
Office the peoples sovereignty for, again
say. that he who, without cause, seeks
| TO weaken authority by exciting against
a ruler popular hatred, is more guilty
than the miserable instrument who, in
| spired by his teaching, plays the role OF
the assassin.
The appalling magnitude of the ca
lamity we deplore, grows as we contem-
plate il. 1t was a hard fate for the
mighty dead. thus falling in the very
MONDAY pride of his manhood heart
| rending to her, his companion, who,
yelled in drapery like the night, is even
now standing in her voiceless wee by his
grave, e'er she turns to her desOlate
home. Ii was fearful wrong TO the vast
multitude of people who chose him as
their executive head, their votes thus
nullied in moment by the hand of vio-
lence but, oh nv friends, Infinitely more
| sad is the dreary future to which bloody
| deeds like this sometimes point. The
| first aspiration of every people is Tor
| security, anu IL their CuOscu luiCAo "a
not be secure in the love OF the people
and their respect Tor authority, then all
experience teaches that security is sought
IN the presence of armed force. Caesar
fell in an hour of universal peace, clad,
| moi in armOr, but in the garb OF cltl-
| zen-and hacked with patr1eian
knives. Impartial history now re-
cords, that whatever his crimes against
other people, his only otense
| against Rome was his espOusal of the
cause of the people against patriclan
senate. HIS fate warned Augustus to
| surround himself with pretorlan guard
and then freedom took her departure, for
that guard elected their emperors and ell
evated them on their shields.
Let us hope that we may ever escape
from tasting the bitter dregs of a cup
like this. History, in the lapse of centu-
ries, does sometimes repeat itself, and
among the things we know, nothing is
more certain that this, than when our
elected rulers can only be secure from
violence when guarded by armed men,
our dream of Il republic will have ceased,
and the blazing torch of human freedom,
which America has for 4 hundred years
held alOft, TO encourage the aspirations
of the world, will be quenched.
The grave is 4 wonderful teacher, and
from this sad tragedy, even in the midst
OF our sorrow, We are permitted TO learn
a lesson of encouragement and of hope.
The ordeal through which we have just
passed shadows forth the wonderful
strength, for the present at least,
of our government. Harrison and Tay-
lOr died after short illness, while the
death of Lincoln was instantaneous. but
than two months, and during all that
time fifty millions OF people were practi-
cally without u president. Yet the coun-
try was never more prosperous our COM
merce ploughed the seas, and confidence
reigned in all our marts of trade. Here
was exhibited a sublime evidence of the
confidence of the people in themselves
and their Institutions.
Truly, the grave is Il wonderful teach
er. What sublime spectacle OF restored
confidence will this day present to future
ages. He, who had he lived in vigorous
health, had intended to meet those who
were to commemorate at Chattanooga, on
last Wednesday, the services of that army
which with him once commended with the
south in the ranks of war. has finished
this strange dream called life, and to-day
above his coffined clay, 4 south united
with the north in the bonds of a common
humanity and common aspiration, pOurs
forth the tribute of her great sorrow.
From the everglad es of Florida to the
Ohio river, and from, Richmond to the
Rio Grande, the village bells are tolling,
and everywhere among all our people
Is felt the presence of common afflic-
tion. When the south Grapes herself in
mourning and sheds her tears on the
grave OF the murdered Garfield, not be-
cause he was better than other good men
or wiser than other great men, but be-
cause he was the elected representative OF
the sovereignty of q united people, what
shall keep that people from turning with
lofty scorn from the place, men who live
on sectional hate, and clasping hands
NJ hn NKrhn ahaGr WHroS
but is no more. Loud applause.l
What may be learned in the solitude
of a northern grave yard, this people are
| to-day learning at Garfield's grave. 1t is
reading the great lesson of a common
sympathy and a common aspiration which
broad land. In a common sorrow 1t sees
Il common patriotism, and in the sense of
| a common calamity 1T sees the universal
| consciousness of a common destiny.
I am done, and yet.there is something
which / had not intended to say which l
| feel constrained TO utter.
But a few DAYS SINCE, IN company with
| Colonel Andrews, of Yazoo City, Missis-
| tippi, l stood in the solitude of the ceme-
| terry where the citizens of the capital of
Wisconsin bury their dead Broken
shaft and polished granite marked on the
right hand and on the left where earth's
children who had been favored by fortune
/
| fenced away to themselves, L saw where
| rank upon rank, two hundred sleepers
| rested. Natures carpet of living green
| rose in gentle waves over their rest.
Then asked, Whose graves are those ?''
and the answer came, They were SOL
/ diers OF the south who died here in
| prison." A white board was at the head
and foot of every sleeper, on which was
neatly painted his name and rank and
/ state and the day of his death. No noX-
/ ious weed grew in that enclosure, but
everything betokened gentle care, And
near by was another band of sleepers
| whose graves gave evidence of just such
| care, and no greater, save where some
friend had reared monument. Then i
| asked, . whose graves are there ?" and
the answer came, "They are the union
dead of this county.
SDeakin to one who was standing with
us, said, /" learn that no one of south.
ern birth lives in Madison, and these
| Confederate graves must look lonely Oh
your decoration day." "NOt So" he an
| swered, for long ago Governor w ash
burne, when he had finished.a speech OIL
decoration day, said, the war of hate will
| never end until We learn to respect the
memory of those who, right or wrong
died for their convictions 4; let those who
will, follow me, for go to place a wreatl
on Confederate grave and with one
|
followed him." prolonged cheering >.
L turned to look upon my companion, al
we stood in the cleaning of northern
evening, leaning on his crutch, and ht
said, as the tears dimmed his eyes, " Sir
we have misunderstood this people ,
And now, as often as spring, with hel
roses, her verdure and her birds OF song
comes to gladden. the earth, and learn
man that the great law of nature Is love
and not violence, the maids and matronI
of Wisconsin, with impa rtial hand decl
with roses and evergreens our falleI
dead. [Applause.l To-day the nation il
learning at Garfield's grave concerning
us, Just such lesson as I then read con
corning one portion of the north.
And thus does gentle influence o
northern woman, moving silent as the fal
of the snowflake in the valley at midnigh
gentle as the dews of evening, and We
with the resistless power of awhirlwind
bring all men TO understand that Ou
people will be one, and again united
lApplause.l
In the language of the ilfustrious dead
uttered when Lincoln fell "The Presi
dent is dead, but God reigns and the ma
ton lives" Prolonged applause.l
REMARKS OF JUDGE RECTOR.
This is an unusual occasion. Our coun