Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-30

sstance to the extension OF that institution into
new territory, they differed widely in their opn-
growth. There were those in the republican party
VINO favored warrlng upon slavery, regardless OF
constltuslona restriction but the vast majority Of
evil, whose suppression was eminently desirable,
recognized the provisions which forbade any In
terference with IL within the limits OF states al
ready existent, and hoped for nothing more than
the OF its spread into states yet TO be
formed.
Believing freedom to be national and slavery
sectional, the republican party had yet neither
desire nor Intention to violate in the slightest
degree, the rights OF the slaveholding states
innocent OF all purpose to infringe the rights,
whether inherent or constitutional OF any of the
states, the people OF the north were loath to be-
lleve that political victory won In strict accord
with the Constitution and the laws of the land,
to form pretext to justify withdrawal from the
Was on the verge either OF dissolution or civil war;
AS doubt resolved into fear, and fear strength
pretended. the anxiety OF the north to prevent
the threatened calamity was manifested by pro-
posals bordering upon humiliation. So earnest
was our purpose to avoid strife that were will
Ing to yield anything, the fundamental prin-
ciples which had trlumphed in the election.
propositions or the most liberal character decar-
atons OF maintain the Constitution fnvlolate guar
antees that there should be no interference with
slavery na s withn tne states We're alike regarded by
mat nauRht save our abJect submission would sat
lsly the imperious demands OF the leaders who
Mid blacknesS OF darkness, the nation was drift
ing
TO WAR OR TO DEATH
When the shock could no longer be averted, and
the impending storm burst upon the land, the call
to arms was not an elaborate argument upon the
unconstftutionallty OF secession. philosophi-
Cal disquistion concerning state rights, not even
an indignant denunciation OF slavery, but simply
| an appeal to stand by the nag.
Many or US believed that northern extremists
| OIamabp hp for
the Iear1ul peril which threatened the land many
OF us hoped against hope for peaceful solution OF
our dlHcultles; we differed widely in our opinions
| respecting the policy to be pursued towards the
dlslOyal states; but the shot on Sumter declared
useless, proved the futilty OF our hopes OF peace
oanlshed political differences, and made ready a
| people 20 answer the governments call.
We staid not for questions, we waited not to
| conSiael tne consequences OF war, the authority
OF the nation had been defied, its flag had been
insulted, and to uphold the honor OF that dag. TO
| enforce the authority OF the nation, was an all
sumclent purpose. and for that We entered the
The long years OF the war were crowded with
| surfing events. Our faces were oft fllumined by
| the glow OF victory, our hearts often beat fast in
Ialled U.s. even In the darkest hours, often indeed
we trod the valley OF humiliation, but always to
emerge upon heights OF promise; but not the
proudest ana most Joyous memories of the war
| can overshadow the enthusiasm, the gladness,
ana the pride OF the early days that witnessed the
great uprising.
Our people sprang to arms, not for conquest, not
10 suDvert me constitutions to propagate the
[o pos OF party not to accomplish moral re-
ioIui, not 10 ABOLISH slavery, that curse OF the
| lanu-tnat disgrace OF the century-but to
PRESERVE THE REPUBLIC.
Douotless there were many In our ranks who
| knew that to assert national authority was to
cripple slavery; many who enteretthe service as
upon crusade for freedom whose final issue must
be the abolition OF slavery; many who desired the
war to cease only when that result has been at
ta1ned; but the purposes which animated our
armies and which had called them into being was
the maintenance OF the Union and the ConStitu-
ti0n, and the enforcement or the laws.
Had the political organization whose principles
had been enunciated in these words succeede in
the recent election Il could not have adhered more
CLOSELY 20 these principles than did the new ad-
To save the Union was the single purpose OF tbe
| people; the controlling policy or the germ
But in the providence OF God, another ,ssue than
tae simple maintenance OF the Union was pro-
Jected into the war, and slavery because identI.
1eo with treason, Its principle and its stay, was
doomed to stand or fall as our arms were defeated
or victorious.
NV What statesmen had prophesed. what ourselves
war-the perpetuity OF the Union could be secured
only through freedom TO the slave.
honesC doubts and miSgivtngs prompted some OF
our number to turn back, but the great host i'm
arms TO preserve the nation felt that the cause
was not less worthy because freedom was involved
In the victory.
The war ended with every purpose for which It
was Waged accomplished; TO organized opposi-
lou W government existed on the OF the
continent; the fl lg waved In triumph over every
State OF the Union, and four millions OF slaves
were freed men.
All that the army had undertaken It had done:
It's Work was finished, and the eXultant leglonS
were summoned to the Capital only that in grand
review they might signalizc the victory ere they
passed into history. None feared that the troops
VINO In war had maintained the national authority
would: IN the pride Of their power. usurp that
purpose, and simply as matter OF course our cIti-
zen soldiers returned to the homes whence they
came.
History again repeated itself and as peacefully
as the army OF the Revolution had disbanded
WIN us work was done, SO melted away the
mlghtter army which had
CRUSHED THE REBELLION
Important events have often sprung from appar-
emily Insignificant causes, great historic changes
have often had seemingly inadequate origin, but
| the means through which these momentous results
were achieved were commensurate, our freedom
was bought with an adequate price, How stupcnd-
GUS were the means employed, the graves which
| are decorated to-day throughout the land by their
very numbers attest, but how tremendous was the
cost, these graves can only suggest
sacrifice.
The task which the close of the war imposed
upon the government was OF extraordinary dfri-
Guilty, ana was made all the harder because the
great President had been stricken to death. and
the administration devolved upon one whose mis-
fortune IL WAS to excite the dstrust OF the major
ity OF the people who had sustained the war and to
become involved in angry controversy with a CO.
ordinate Drancu or Cne government
The triumph was not alone for our country or for
our generation hut for all lands and for all time
| The struggle was not simply TO determine the ex-
! tstence of this "nation conceived in liberty and
dedicated to the PROPOSE ion that all men were
created equal" but whether "any nation so con.
ceived and dedicated" could "lOng enduren In
this nation the experiment of self-government had
been tried under exceptionally favorable circum-
stances; had 1t failed government by the peopIe'
might we'll have periShed from the earth.
Complete as were the achievements OF our arms,
| the opinions OF the defeated people were not
changed.-no war ever has accomplished such
result. Nor was 1t to be expected that men, who
had upheld their cause so bravery and at such
immense cost as d1i they, would acknowledge
themselves ia error because they had been de-
| feated. Assure ily We should not have doubted
the righteousness OF our cause. even though it had
ended in disaster.
Remembering that during the trying years OF
the Observation-Disclosures when, OF all Others har-
mony OF purpose was essential to the welfare OF
the nation, the President and Congress differed
radically In their plans for restoring the lately
rebelliOuS states to their normal position In the
Union, and that this difference exerted q baleful
influence throughout the south and encouraged
the leaders OF the rebellion 20 hope that through
diversity OF opinion in the north they might TO
some degree change, IL not indeed reverse some OF
the issues OF the war; remembering that the men