Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-06-25
IN MEMORY OF COL. HENRY g.
ROGERS. - o..

AUSTIN, WEDNESDAY. JUNE 70. 1884.
IN MEMORY OF COL. HENRY q.
ROGERS. - .
Memorial Address of Hon. M. H.
Dunnell,
At Brownsville, Mimi, June II.
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are present, at this hour, under a
benignant sky, in this quiet resting place
of the dead, to honor the memory of a
brave defender of the nations life. We
have met to witness the erection of a
monument that shall mark the spot where
sacred ashes lie. We have met to make
more conspicuous the place where thirteen
years ago, all that remained OF Col. Henry
G. Rogers came to their final BIZ
veuac-came to remain until the
mighty God shall order a reveille to the
dead in all climcs and in all nations of
his vast domains. We have met to bear
witness that the life of a brave and hon
of the living when the body yields to
death, nor indeed when it has fully and
for long years become a part of it's mother
earth. A noble life, apart from the clay
which moved and ac:ed in harmony with
its exalted aspirations and purposes, may
at all times, and indeed at any period in
the sublime cycles of time, challenge the
admiration of the living, may and should
become a copy, a model for every actor in
all the dramas Of life. "Tis not all of
life to live, or all Of death to die" A
patriotic life infuses itself into the real
life of the nation. 1t forces itself into it's
endearip!g character. No day in the life
of a nation should come, when the living
can afford to let go a record of the men
who shielded her. by heroic deeds, when
enemies were seeking her overthrow. The
nation that does not keep in memory the
deeds of her true heroes and defenders,
deserves no place in the list of honored
notions. She will merit and receive the
scorn of the civilized world.
When the civil war ended, the wal in
which our friend here resting, fought so
well and stunned not the deadly missile
which brought him here too early,
thoughtful patriotism secured national
recognition of a day to be called Decora-
ton Day. On that day we bring the
flowers Of spring, the red, the white and
the blue, the fairest and sweetest products
of earth, as our chosen emblems of affec-
tionate remembrance. The day is indeed
a day of right sc 'timents and emotions
growing into noble resolves, resolves
which cannot fail to awaken and keep
alive the highest sentiments OF patriotism
so essential to the life of the nation. The
hand that brings the sweet and delicate
emblem of love, and lays it on the grave
of the dead soldier, will grow stronger for
the nations defense, and the heart which
impels the tender act, will grower warmer
toward the land for which the hero gave
his life.
All honor, then, to the men who secured
a day when the living can recall how
much they possess because others gave
their lives in it's purchase. BY It's observ-
ance, we keep alive and active the senti-
ment or emotion of gratitude. We thus
avert the curse which would come upon
us as a people If we should forget the
unparalleled sacrifices which the suppress
slon of the rebellion cost. We are then
far more likely to demand that the gov
eminent keep every promise which it
made at the time of it's dire necessity.
Pure, simple, unpartizan patriotism alone
should move us to an observance of the
day. Who, indeed, shall ask me to be
patriotism to be found on the entire page
of human history. This grave is but one
in q million such. Once each year the
loving may move amid these graves, and
catching the inspiration of the poet say
Tread lightly, speak softly,
For hallowed the hours
Our hearts hold
Through the language of flowers,
With'the heroes, now holding
Their furlOughs of rest
From the battles of time
At their chieftain's behest.
The foUora will inHeod norish ayu11i.
site though they be, yet the inspirations
aroused, and the lessons learned, while
they are brought for their almost holy
use, will not wholly perish. They will
render the bearers more solicitous con-
corning the nations good. The graves
will tell them the result of a terrible con-
f1ict of arms, how one part of the union
fought against the other, how long the
conflict lasted, how it ended, and how
much it cost.
What may I say to you here BETTING
the hour and the occasion, I shall not
forget to mention before l close incidents
in the life of Col. Rogers, or recount some
of his many personal virtues. If he could
speak to us from this grave, out from
beneath this beautiful monument, reared
by generous, noble-hearted friends, he
would ask us, "How fares the Republic?"
It may not be out of place, if I attempt
an answer to this question. How, my
friends, does the Republic fare? How
we'll does its present condition repay the
cost of its preservation? What is its
social, commercial, material prosperity?
How does she stand among the nations of
the world? How great and how well
guarded are the liberties of the people?
You will concede to me the right to say
that the greatness of the Republic was
never so Enthusiastically displayed to the
world as now, that our increase of wealth
was never so great, that u material
prosperity was never so imposing, and
that the credit of the government is O
marvel to the older powers of the world.
During the nineteen years which have
followed the close Of this war of the
sections there has been displayed among
us a wondrous power in recuperation
and development. We are to-day justly
proud and Justly happy, for with this
return to the triumphs of peace we behold
an increase of that fraternal spirit which
took it's fight when the spirit Of war was
abroad in the land. I deem it a duty
here. where sacred ashes rest, to invoke
the continued and greatly growing in
crease of this spirit, till every state and
every person III Jnem, snail conCeOe ina
God hath given to them the fairest inner.
itance beneath the skies, and that the
fathers of the Republic thought out anG
formed for us the best civil government
which has yet been given to any people
in any age.
Our extent of territory, Jul varied eli
mate, our rich soils, our mineral resources
equal to all the possible demands which
the most refined civilization may exact o.
care for, our vast sea coast, our inventive
genius, our characteristics as a race, al
give notice to the whole world that W.
must be let alone in the mighty worl
which God and nature have assigned II.
in the worlds career. Perfect freedom
alone opens up to man his majestic pos
sibilitles, and puts into action every force
with which lie has been endowed. L
permits scope to every aspiration of tn
soul and mind. A civil government which
can allow to each citizen in it the highes
personal freedom IN the modes adopted
for individual development in the line O.
real progress and happiness, is the best
government. Does moi our government
give this liberty in a larger measur,
than any other? Not simply that we cleo
our own rulers and are sovereign in
true governmental sense, but that tn