The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-11-30
Women are Always Loyal.

Women are Always Loyal.
The most eloquent speech at the last
reunion of the Army of the Potomac at
Detroit was the response to the toast
''The Women of America" by Col. John
Atkinson, of that city, who, though still
Young, stands at the head of the Michi-
gan bar Here are some extracts from
the speech:
Women are always loyal-loyal to God,
loyal to their country, loyal to men.
They are always patriotic. They mingle
the love of country with their cradle
SONGS and pour into the ears of child
hood, the story of their country's glory
and their country's wrongs.
If you look over the map of the world
to night you will find the women of
every oppressed nation doing faithful
work for liberty. They are teaching
race. and inspiring them with hatred
the way for the overthrow of the Turk in
of that more cruel deposition in ireland
which has turned her into garrison and
filed her prisons with her most illus
uTlOuS ClVlX6uS. Null may 10 ORRIc6Scu
into obedience, or bribed into allegiance,
but the heat of woman is only won by
justice. She never despairs in cause
which has her approval.
During our wars, no matter how dark
things looked at times to the soldiers
themselves, their mothers and sisters
add wives were always hopeful. I can
not recall single instance during the
War of the Rebellion where q royal
woman expressed doubt as to the final
result.
Mans part in war ends largely with
the return of peace. Not so with women.
They are left to weep for husbands and
sons who will come no more; for COM
rades who take no part in our reunions
who fell on distant fields and sleep in
unknown graves. They are left to nurse
and take care of the wounded and sick
who return from the struggle. Often
amid the general rejoicing over victories
they gather their orphan children to
their hearts and think only of the fearful
price at which they have been won.
Ours the glory! Theirs the sacrifice.
There is only a remnant left of the
grand armies which marched up Penn
sylvania avenue in 1865. A large ma
jority has since passed in review before
their God, and in their last moments
have been cheered and comforted by the
presence and tenderness of woman. In
the heart of woman they have found the
soldiers home.
A few that remain are growing old.
A night upon the frozen ground with
blanket for cover would send the most
of us to the hospital. While our joints
have been stiffening and our blood grow
ing cold, the women of the country have
been training the grand armies of the
future, in whose hands our starry ban
ner will be carried to heights too dizzy
for us to stand on, to victories greater
than any yet achieved. They have been
teaching men tenderness without taking
from her courage, and making them pure
while adding to their pleasures.
But great as woman's service is in
war, greater still Is her influence in
peace. That which we call our country
is only dear to US as an aggregation of
homes. Homes are only dear to us for
the shelter they afford us from the
world, and the love that dwells within
their walls. They are dear to NJ IS fam
lily republics, working under constitu-
tions direct from God where neither trea-
son nor tyranny is possible; where man
is the chief executive, ruling through
woman as the head Of the cabinet; where
ALL the subjects are regarded with ten.
derness and solicitude, where the only
taxes imposed are paid in affection and
esteem. But the chief blessing of home
is the woman who presides over it. It is
as the center of the home circle that I
love TO contemplate her.
We love our mothers and can see
lines of grace an beauty in every wrinkle
ON the dear old face. No doubt We all
loved our sweethearts-when We had
them-long ago. But there is some
thing holier and tenderer still in the
regard which men hold those who are
their wives and the mothers Of their
children.
In that relation they never grow old.
The roses give way TO wrinkles. but man
looks through them 10 the soul, where
all 10 grace, and beauty, and truth.
II the country would have brave men
let II teach its sons true knighthood.
Let il fll the hearts of its youth with
respect and love for woman ~ Gods
best gift to man. Let il remember that
while man furnishes to his country the
bone and muscle, that it must look to
woman for the heart and soul.
am speaking to lmen NO longer
young. Our best days are behind rs.
Looking back, can any one recall great
achievement or . good deed in doing
v~hioh ho has uok had woman,a auNoup.