Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-05-28


| W. W. Cook, A. H. Chaplin
| j. C. Ackey,
Promptly at u o'clock, McIn,ire Post
No. 66, under command of Capt. w. H.
| Sutton, entered the church, and was
seated on either side of the middle aisle,
accompanied by the End Regiment band
and Co. G., Minnesota National Guards.
The building was Immediately filled with
people to the outer door. The choir
sang an anthem, ''The Grand old Stars
and Stripes, which was followed by the
reading of the S5th Psalm by Rev. G. s.
Innis, of Hamline University.
The choir then sung, "The battle
Hymn Of the Republic" followed by
prayer by Rev. W. E. Stanley. This
was followed by another hymn, and then
O. w. Shaw delivered the address, of
which we give concise. resume:
Twenty-three years ago, in the month
last past, witnessed in a southern harbor
the commencement of rebellion which
had for quarter of a century been pre-
pairing.
The eonjunctive forces of the cotton
gin, territorial lust and the pestilential
doctrines sown blythe teeming brain of Cal
appointment and state legislation, SUI
preme over congressional enactments,
were bearing their fruits. A portion of the
actors were ready with their parts and
needed no prompting.
The curtain that hung before that scene
on that April morning, where one little
band stood at bay, ringed about with a
score of iron mouthed batteries rose, and
the gaze Of 1000, 900 of loyal people was
fastened upon the opening of the great
tragedy. Upon the dear old flag and it's
few defenders traitorous and rebel hands
launched the missiles of death and des-
truction. For a while it waved amid
clouds and smoke, as tho brave champions
gave back the stormy salutations of the
hostile Lacquer, four score against seven
thousand, and then upon that well de-
Tended and blackened ruin, came down the
stainless bunting, martial shroud for the
lost fortress, and over the land, from city to
ely and home to home, waking the echo
OF every hillside and every hearthstone,
uttered by the lightning's fiery tongue, re-
neated by the press and vibrating upon
| all the air that one brief word aoor! WAR |!
| WAR and thenceforth for four sad
| years, in all this broad land, from the
lakes to the gulf and from sea to sea,
there was no remoteness Of life or thought
into which it's influence : did not pene-
tratc. Many before me can recall all this
as personal experience: The floral tri-
| butes prepared to deck the graves of
those who died IN arms to maintain our
country's unity and constitutional liberty
will crowd many of your minds with ten
der memories. 1t will comfort YOU to
think that while few of those who have fall
len repose under the sod their childhood's
feet had trod, other hands beneath south
ern skies will decorate other graves.
[ had a brother in McClellan's army in
the trenches before Yorktown. He was
only II, a gladhearted, generous boy,
whose very presence and singing voice
made the light Of his fathers house. He
died in Fairfax hospital, and l have at
nome the last letter he ever wrote. I can
plainly recall the scene when the box con-
tanning his clothing was opened at home
and his mothers search that upon his
coat collar might be found single hair
from the head she would never more look
upon. and how afterwards she expressed
the satisfaction it would give her if his
body might be brought home and buried
in the old grave yard.
Two years ago at her request went to
Virginia to look for his grave, aud there
IN the national cemetery at Alexandria /
found it, No. 10, with the name upon the
headstone, his company letter, the. num-
Der of regiment and the date of his death.
AS stood beside the mound and thought
of his home in the New England hamlet
SO far away, of his lying there beside
5000 of his comrades I would not have
removed him if could. And this week l
know that upon the smoothly shaver turf
above his breast stranger hands will
scatter fragrant blossoms. Who says that
Republics are ungrateful
10 the youth before me all these things
But look upon the map of our country
and remember what it cost to keep those
outlines intact.
Student of your ceuntry's institutions
and laws, reflect that within the memory
OF some not by any means old, by stat
utes placed among our laws by national
legislation, it was made penal offense a
crime, to assist the fugitive fleeing to
escape from bondage, and the duty of
every law abiding citizen to arrest and
return him to his chains and slavery.
National acquiescence in this sum of all
vil!ainies was the strongest band that
united the states, and the conservative
men OF the north subscribed to the mon
strous creed.
But this of the past. Why? The an
swer comes up from the tens of Thousands
of flower decked graves.
Let me indulge in brief retrospect.
Twenty-four years ago, as we are to-day,
we were on the eve of the election of the
national executive, and the question that
above all others controlled our politics
was that of slavery, slavery in the terri
tories '
Preston Brooks, of South Carolina, in
the Senate, had stricken down Charles
Sumner
The north had become aroused to the
gravity of the situation, and the day oil
concession had passed.
The north declared that slavery should
not enter the territories, and the south
affirmed 1t might and should, and here
the sections joined battle.
The south, with it's allies, divided theil
Votes among three candidates, but the
anti slavery party united upon and elected
Abraham Lincoln constitutional president
of the United States.
When the war commenced the odds
numerically and financially considered
were vastly in favor of the north. but these
advantages for the first II months were
mostly neutralized by the arts of the
southern statesmen who before leaving
their positions under the government
shipped abundant stores to the south, anC
by southern merchants who purchased
$500, 600, 600 worth of goods from thu
north for which they never paid. NJ
wonder they could put an army of 300, OO(
men into the field to resist the efforts Of
the union armies. At the end of 1,
months we had pierced the rebellion a
! no vital point.
Every one knew that slavery was til,
animus and strength Of the rebellion TIL,
world beheld the spectacle of one sid
( fighting to sustain slavery and the othe
! cause.
Three fourths Of the Republicans VIII,