Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-26

OAu "sn In iuteilecS ana olHcfe00n. J0hn
Brown loved his country and fellevmen; and
tnaf the purest motives governed him IN tax
ing his seemingly reckless stand there can be
do doubt John Brown could never have risen
TO the position of eminence Abraham Lincoln
attained, yet be was Just a. truly patriot
and martyr. The thoughtless world may
pronounce John Brown q fanatic, q mad
man. Even granting that he Vas an en-
tnusiast, still have no hesi;ancy in Affirming
tnat the part performed by the hero OF Har-
per Ferry, If not ~ important, was as much
needed to carry out the heaven inspired plan
OF redeeming the black men, a. was the
glorious service rendered bv our beloved and
martyred president. The work of each was
link in golden chain that missing would
have spoiled the whole. II may be . perlex-
ing question why such terrible sacrifice was
needed in order to blot out the foul stain on
our Nations character and honor. We can
only say that great wrongs cannot be righted
without great sacrifices. There is no painless
step upwards towards purity. The greater
the transgression the more powerful the
atonement necessary. The Institution of At
rican slavery represented a national sin of
gigantic proportions. II ignored the sacred
rights OF humanity; it was a crime against
heaven. The full and awful penalty of Gods
have eventually been paid and freedom as
the fundamental principle of our patton have
received its death blow. And what a sacri-
nee! More than 1900, 900 of men, vol
unfairly offered their lives for their country.
VI the 10000 actually participating in
the great struggle. 50, 900 fell dead on the
battle field; 35 900 died in the hospital of
wounds; lS4, 900 perished of disease during
the war, 20 900 died after their discharge, OF
disease and infrmities contracted ip the ser
vice; 100000 were crippled. or permanently
disabled by disease-an aggregate of 500 900
were sacrificed. to preserve to US our liber-
ties, our institutions, our homes, our country.
Surely this is a lesson of true patriotism, of
noble sacrifice, which tonight. we may well
take home to our hearts. This was also wo-
mans sacrifice. Sons, husbands, lovers,
brothers, were freely given, tribute OF de-
nations peril. But do We regret
the sacrifice? No. They regretted it
not who marched to death; these veterans Of
the strife who sit before me regret it not.
You regret that such q sacrifice was necessary
but every man of you would go through it
all again to preserve the Union. And so
the childless, the widowed and the orphaned
throughout our States in the midst of their
Loneliness and tears, rejoice that if in no
other way the blood of those they loved the
best was eficacious to redeem this land.
There are other evils which are threatening
the true prosperity and permanence of this
nation, which are of such dimensions as
sooner or later to require for their expiation
a costly sacrifice at our hands. The cruel
wrongs inflicted on the red man, the persecu-
ton, maltreatment and oppression of the Chi
ese, will one day bring US to account. In
temperance has already cost US more lives
than did the Rebellion. We predict that in
the not distant future the continued tolerance
of the rum traffic by the American people
will demand sacrifcal attonement of sach
magnitude that the bare conception of it.
(were it possible this evening" would appal
the stoutest heart Then there is polygamy
in Utah. Shall the black man be free, and
yet fair woman held in q bondage worse than
death, as it has been. while a community of
hyp0crites and libertiness remain unmolested
and defiant in our midst? MY brothers, God
help us as citizens of this liberty loving and
christian republic, not to rest until every
shackle of enforced servitude is broken and
human rights are respected throughout
Americas wide domain. question:
But we proceed and remark that our patriot
dead speak to us.
Ill. of the poner of righteousness to pre-
rail. When the war of the Rebellion CON-
menced. humanity speaking. the odds were
greatly against the North. The South in
some sense had been preparing for it; re
were wholly unprepared. Sympathy with
the seceders and treachery on the part of
public officials caused our army and navy to
be in a most deplorable condition. England
sympathized with and seemed ready to lend
assistance to the sangune South. But God
was on our side (on the side of right y and
unbeknown to US had been preparing for the
event. He brought forth consecrsted means
and consecrated men and so the munitions of
war and mighty army were at hand. The
South had comparatively a trained army.
which bad also the advantage of battling our
home soil surrounded by friendly people
while the Northern army was composed large
ly of undisciplined men, hundreds of whom
were unable to endure the debilitating effects
of so hot climate. But He was for us, who
was more than all that could be against us.
God has raised up great men in critical
periods of our Nations history. Who can
read the marvellous history of our civil war
and not discern the hand of God shaping and
controlling the destinies of this nation. and
in the government OF the world. The triumph
of Northern arms meant not only the liberia
tion of the slaves, but the moral uplifting of
the entire people of the South. Oppression.
violence, brutality, pride and arrogance were
the legitimate fruit of man stealing and slave
breeding. This people must be purified even
though it BE- with fire. The South of the
next century will be richer in material re-
sources, will excel in moral beauty, dignity
and power the South of former days. If the
Liberation of the slave means emancipation of
muscle aud brain for him, it means in the
light of christian civilization enfranchisement
of soul for master and servitor alike. My
soldier hearers your comrades died not in
vain; they taught lesson of loyalty that is
the world this hour; they per-
formed glorious mission, the results of
which are far reaching as Eternity They still
live in the millions OF free men, destined to
become through the educational training
they are eagerly seeking, and through God
in large measure receiving thrifty and use-
full people. They live too in the various
and educational institutions in
spired or made necessary by the war-and
in the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie. The original members of this Order are
fast passing away-the ranks of your own
Post. no doubt are growing thin-but to-
night we rejoice that though the veterans
are compelled one after another to fall out
in the great march of life. the sons of the
are falling in line, And so