The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-05-30

knife was called upon to amputate the
disease and allow the wound to heal.
Great was the crisis There was a pause
of suspense until the thunder of the guns
of Sumpter reverberating from sea to sea
proclaiming that the gates OF the Temple
of Janus, the sun-God, were thrown
open and the reign of peace which had so
long blessed our land was over. And
Michigan was not deaf to the appeal.
"The tidings," says Robertson, "were
received on the 18th of April creating the
widest excitement all over the State.
Addresses like that of Gov. Wisner were
everywhere delivered This Is no time
for trivial and facilitating councils said
he, = Michigan cannot recognize the
right of State to secede from the Union.
We believe that the founder Of our gov
eminent designed it to be perpetuated and
we cannot consent to have one star oblit-
Grated from our Flag! The State was
fortunate in her Legislative bodies. They
were composed of men thoroughly in
sympathy with the Union cause, opposing
with great earnestness any measures tine
tured in the least with secession or even
the least shadow of compromise, and as q
result their declarations in this respect
were stalwart and decided, not minced in
clipped and timid words, nor faint in
expression, but bold, pronounced and
defiant.
BY April 18th the surrender of the South
Carolina fort was known throughout the
land and Michigan had received the
Presidents call for $4,000 volunteers,
assigning her own quota. The urgencies
and duties of the hour were then fully
realized by the people of the State and
the uprising was universal. Most cities and
towns were holding meetings in the open
air, in public buildings, even in Christian
churches, pledging fidelity and assistance to
the Nation in its hour of great peril, and
volunteers in large numbers were congre
eating and demanding instant service for
the Union, while the watch fires Of pat
riotism had been kindled on every hill
side and in every valley, burning and
flashing with intense brightness, at once
cheering and inspiring"
Resolves that burned like stars sublime
Shone in the Heaven Of Freedom;
And lives were given at the time
The Nation most did need them.
Proudly Columbia stood and all
Were like "a sheathen SABRE"
| Ready to fash out at the call
| To fght-to die-or labor
Grandly they stood the war clouds burst,
High thoughts eclipsed their sorrow;
''Gladly the martyrdom to-day
For victory tomorrow"
This month, just % years ago, the list
regiment of Michigan troops arrived at
the capital, and to their honor be it said
that they were the first western regiment
which responded to the call of the Nation.
And from that time until the unhappy
struggle closed she was found among the
first on the field and the last to leave it. l
have heard their most telling eulogy from
the lips of those against whom they
fought. eve had the hardest fighting to
do" they said, whenever we met the
western tro0ps!"
Gov. Blair in his message to the Michi-
gan Legislature in '63 said, II commend
the Michigan soldiers to your active SYM
pathy and support. BY their heroic en-.
durance of the hardships Of war and by
their splendid bravery in battle they have
crowned the State with glory. We have
already long list of immortal heroes
dead in battle. hope you will in some
appropriate way place upon the enduring
records of the State your appreciation of
the valor and patriotic devotion Of these
men. Let us hand down their names to
posterity upon an illuminated page that
they be honored as examples for all time
to come They belong to history now
We must take care that it is rightly writ.
| ten"
Soldiers of the Grand Army of the Re.
public: 1t has fallen upon me at your re.
quest, to attempt memorial address of
those who in this great struggle sacrificed
their lives for the unity of this Nation.
1t is a great task and am not equal to it.
Nor am ashamed, for l can say with
McCabe, that it is story $50 fraught with
true and mournful glory-a story so high
and noble in its persistent lesson of how
great things may be rescued, under God,
by human skill and valor from the malice
of fortune that even Thucydides or q
Napier might suffer his nervous pencil to
droop." A great theme requires indeed q
great artist, and what greater theme can
man have than that Of herOism-that God
like attribute of the soul which pure, lofty,
fearless and void of selHshness seems
A glorious flower of Heavenly birth
Pluckcd and transplanted into earth!
But stand here not unwillingly to-day.
glance at many Of the faces before me
and see in the whilhom bronzed and
bearded countenances the companions Of
those who have covered their glory in the
dust-who shared with them the march,
Il