The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-06-08

disease contracted in the service OF
the country.
Mr.. Chairman, assembled oft by
the side of the casket, assembled oft
at the closing grave, we come to pay
what we term our last tribute of re-
spect to the memory of the loved
dead. The conservation of this day
to the hallowed purpose that gathers
us here is,the declaration that we own
no last tribute to the memory of our
fallen heroes. The Nations tribute
is destined to be perpetual, such is
the utterance of this hour, such its
high and holy meaning.
AS this Nation has moved through
the turbulence and bloodshed of the
past, as it has seen the clouds of war
dispelled before the breezes of free
dom and the malarious mists of hate
vanished by the power of growing
intelligence, we have been at length
led to where we can calmly view the
meaning Of what was once partizan
term, but has now. become more
hallowed of all the Nation, ''preserv-
ing the results of the war; Any
utterance that fails to look toward
such an end is but an unmeaning
eulogy. The peculiar tenets which
found their issue finally in force of
arms are settled and the results
embodied in the constitution, the SUI
preme law of the land. In a letter
written during the war, Pres. Lincoln
said, zone thing, at least, l trust will
be settled by the war, nobody in this
country will ever again think of APP
pealing from ballots to bullets"
God make the trust prophetic, and
order all events toward its fulfillment.
But. the battle, with ballots, is
destined to go on. Such conflict,
perpetual, demands no less heroism,
but far more intelligence on the part
of those who thus fight. The cause
for which the soldier died was initial,
not final. To bring the Nation to an
outward unity, only as preparatory to
a larger, better, because a purer and
deeper, an inward unity. Not simply
to hold our half hundred million
people under one flag, but to make
them in pride, in ambition, in aim a
united Nation, in which every ele-
ment of greatness should be moulten
by fervent affection for our country,
and welded into oneness by supreme
ly national purpose.
AS the Nation grows, it demands
craftsmanship that is adapted to its
increasing wants. The peculiar dan
ger of the Nation is that voting, bal
loting, be placed as on war basis,
and all means be esteemed fair. a
southern senator has said, "To the
young and aspiring fancy invests no
place with more fascinating attractions
than that OF high political position.
In land where the very highest
office under the Government is open
to the obscurest boy, and where the
very humblest have reached the exalt-
ed position, it could not be otherwise
than that the avenues to political pre-
ferment should be crowded with
eager aspirants'" But eager aspirants
are not always inspired by patriotic
aspirations. A great danger is that
aspirants, failing to have the essential
qualifications for just and wise states
menship, or the spirit of application
to the real wants and burdens of Of
fee holding, become professional
politicians, a cumberance to a free
government, an incubus to the body
politics. What we need in the land
to day, are men aoho 1o or aOho do not
believe in civil service reform. Men
who do or 40 not believe in a protec-
tive tariff. Men who do or do not
believe in free ballot and fair count.
Not men in the fore front of national
life who believe more in getting 0otes,
no matter how. The genius of free
government is an invitation incident
ally if not challenge to demagogism.
That class Of men in political life
to-day who believe in civil service