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


feat the confederate armies and 70 enforce obcdi.
ence 70 law. We yet feared that to maintain the
constant presence OF the national armies And -
II 10 connrm our fears, the rebel leaders persist.
s eesy aSsr 'har though we might overrun and
the seeding states 20 their former relatiopS
Whilst citizens OF foreign lands. either sympa-
thlzing with the confederacy, calmly Ind Iffer.
ent TO the issue OF the great contest assumed the
dissolution OF the federal union TO have been
already consummated. asserting that a voluntary
compact once broken could not be restored BY
force OF arms.
We have lived 70 behold the groundlessness OF
our fear the practical retraction OF rebel decara-
ton. and the gratuitousness or foreign assumption
For OF excuse there may have been FOR the
1ear. however honest and sincere the declaration,
however theoretically correct the assumption. the
facts disproves them all To-day twenty-seven
States; OF these soldiers five hundred garrison the
forts and arsenals or the south, 20 repress which
,he governments had called into service two mil
The Federal Union was indeed maintained By
,orce Oh arms put II exists today, not upheld by
united people.
The stability OF our governmental system not
only had been tried In battle but In peace was TO
| be subjected to tests scarcely less severe than
those OF war. Battle ordeal and peaceful test
alike proved the
STAYING POWERS OF rHR REPUBLIC
The ship OF state had not weathered the terri
BILE storm only 70 founder in smoother waters
| meath lesser gales
The nation which had so successfully endured
| the great war was TO Withstand the reaction
which followed cessation or hostilItics, when
party ties. which had weakened and sundered
under stress or The common peril, renewed their
strength; when the people who al united against
| common foe separated upon questions OF policy
whereon opinions might diff,'r without disoyalty
| TO the government; and when party fealty re-
sumed It's sway and political strife regained the
Importance OF which IL had been so long deprived
| by war.
AT the height OF political contention ana by
reason OF IL, the nation was brought 10 face an
1 q nar hat In
at any time IL would have excited the gravest an
prehensions, but which In our land, so recently
| lature whose membership Included many who In
that war, had been arrayed against the nation,
men tremble for the safety OF a government so
| tried and tested. But 70 the honor OF our people
| the momentous question was submitted 10 arbi-
| traitors CHOSEN from among our own countrymen.
| AMI their decision was obeyed, though at least a
| moiety OF our citizens believed ft unjust And
| the President, whose election was questioned waa
held TO have perfect title. because t was aw aried
nun 10y lawfully appointed tribunal and he was
Soeyrd as loyalty, north and south, as though he
| nad entered bis high ofice upborne by an un.
| doubted popular majority
And when for the second time I'm our history ana
| IN our own generation, an assaS Sin struck down
| the Ihlef Magistrate, a condition OF affairs ex-
isted, fraught with possibilities more dangerous
| than the occurrences which had overturned more
| than one European government
| The anXieties and sorrows OF those months when
a a. nation was waiting and watching by the bedside
OF The illustrious sufferer are yet vivid In our
| memories Among the watchers by the bedside
! among the mourners at the grave OF the Presi-
dent, were the people or the states 40 lately IN re-
1 bellion.
And we should thank God that the loyalty ana
common SENSE OF the whole people stayed and up-
held the government during those months when
| there was raised a graveiy important question OF
administration for whose solution no precedent
existed, and when by combination OF unparalleled
occurrences but one life interviewed between order
and technical anarchy.
The ground on which we now stand, over which
| the flag of the United States noaIs nor merely In
| recognition or this day and In respect To these
dead, out In token OF ownership by the govern
ment is held to-day by title different from thai or
one year ago. BY the decree or our highest civil
| tribunal, title which We had believed 70 be abso-
lute because created 10y war and confirmei by vic.
tory and vested In a sovereignty incapable OF be.
Ing sueI In It's own courts except by its own con.
| sent, has been inyaidatad. ana con ,Idpriny the
| authority OF the decree, the government has per-
| fected It's ownership by purchase
IL would Ill become your SIP ,aker, nay, it would
| rendered by 50 august a tribunal as the Supreme
Court of the United States Nor would he even
were tnlS the hitting place and occasion, question
the righteousness OF the Judgment that THIS prop-
| efty had b-en w.Ongfully exposed for sale: bft
waving consideration OF the manner in which &c
came INTO poSSeSSi IN OF the government it is df.
| ncult Tor the non-egal mind TO comprehend the
nicely OF the reasoning by which suit which
could not lie against the sovereign nation could
| lie against the nations Officers who I'm obedienco
10 It's commands held property lOr Its sole and di-
I'm the conflict which determined the existence and
| the sovereignty OF the nation.
refer to this change Ia the title simply because
| ltluFnl5neS another evidence OF the reign OF Law
IN tae land SO lately torn by gigantic civil strife
| Ihat FOR even moment the title TO Arlington
could revert to one who himself sought TO destroy
the government and Is son OF him to whom more
than TO any other the confederacy owed its pro-
longatlon, Was an idea so repugnant to our sense
OF fitness and justice as t. be iinpossbe of toIera
ton, but that the title did so pass and that thera
mo Of Indignant protest throughout
law and for the rights, even or those whom va
property. ~
Perhaps however II was not alone resnect for
lsw that allowed the title 70 this cemetery to
revert to its original owner without active onrost
ton, out as Well the consciousness OF our peoplo
Ihat the passage or title was simply upon paper.
..i snas tnere was no danger that the plough would
TURN ltS iurrow" here and that writ would run
against the occupants or these graves, and that
no administration could wave, because of any
| cost, The Nations right OF eminent domain
We rejoice that we are here to-day by no mans
sun Sullefance, that the government holds this prop
er,g n Sy elee which none can question, and that
May thelr rest remain unbroken until the hour
cometh when 1.-THE dead shall hear Che voice OF the
Son OF God" May He grant that when that voice
sounds they that sleep Ia these graves shall hear
| Surely the Union is real, the states are ,ndeed
| united, which can suppress rebellion, the most
Formidable In history; which upon the close OF
that rebellion and again within half generation
thefeaIter, can Withstand without shock, other
than That or ntenSest grief, transfer or admins
tratlon, enforced by assassination; which can
peacefully determine disputed succession to the
Chief Magistracy; which can abide the decision
or civil tribunals In controversies resulting from
| Vic war. even Wnen tnOSe decisions are adverse 70
the sentiment for which men died, and which tri-
| umphed In that war; which can admit to the ma.
tional legislature and to active participation In
affairs OF state men who but a few years ago were
| In arme1 array against the government: and
| which maintained in war, by the courage and de.
votlon OF ts Citizens In peace rests upon their pa.
triottc obedience TO law.
"Such is the 'Nation.' on behalf OF which. these
| citizens resolved that it should not be wrested
| from them, have nobly fought and died" They
! need no higher eulogy
The war being over the new order of things be-
| Ing accepted, peace prevailing throughout the
land, why cherish the memories OF the terrible
STRIFE? why continue az observance which recalls
| the scenes or those eyentful years7
The passions and the bitterness OF the war time
are Indeed past and we are not gathered to
| awaken the bitter memories rekindle the
venseful passions, or over these graves TO swear
eternal hate TO our former enemies but only To
| strcw tlowers-embems or peace and love-over
| the resting place OF our dead.
We do not recount their deeds that we may ex.
ut over their defeated adversaries, but only that
/ We may Justly appreciate the devotion TO which
| these graves bear witness
Israel was bdden TO commemorate the great
deliyerance, not that the Egyptian should be
hatei, but that the Lord should be remembered.
Themselves the heirs or all the ages, brothers
were inspired by the glories or the past TO noble