Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-08-14

AAAtAAga tAA1 NshNA~A+A~At ~HNH
COuntrymen:
Ye who are here to-day, in the pur-
pose of your gathering, in the spirit
and pathos of your motives, present to
the world a wonderful spectacle. IL
the light of the recent years Of our
history it is, in the length and breath
Of its significance, and the PHILOSOPHY
of its lesson, a notable meeting OF
American citizens, ranking by the side
of that, which assembled on the first
battle field of the revolution, where
"The embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world"
We have come as the citizens of a
common and reunited country, with an
impulse of patriotism as broad as the
Union to do homage to the memory Of
him whose character and services
marked him, facile princeps, as the
7 most illustrious citizen of the Repub-
lie. We come not making blandish-
ments for royal favor, mol in awe ap-
peasing power; but as freemen, free as
the winds ~ofheaven, and as the jubilant
waves which break upon our shores
their burden Of beautiful things.
Ere the thunders of war have scarce
ceased their echoes, and the bruises of
the contest are healed, here upon the
scene of his greatest triumph are as
sembled many of those who felt the
scourge of war, its fire and sword. On
the brow of yon hill still frowns the
fort where the furious cannon belched
its thunder, and where yon laughing
waves are tinted by the golden
rays of the setting sun, there arose the
mad smoke from the deadly
mortar; from all the hillsides still
peer the open-mouted caves of refuge,
while many a house in view yet bears
the scars of shot and shell.
But a few years ago here the ban
ners of the South went down, in the
first great disaster, and the Hill City
forever more "historic" for the heroic
defense of its garrison, fell captive to
Grant, the victorious leader of the
Union armies.
What a tribute to the qualities of the
American character, and a monument
to American institutions, that on this
scene there should be gathered such
an assembly to do honor to him who
was twice their conqueror, once in
arms and again in peace.
There can be no estimate Of
the extent and value of this
tribute, without recalling, that less
than twenty-five years ago, the people
of the two great sections OF the
country rushed to arms and their vast
~contending legions engaged in a terrific
and bloody war. The people of the
South entered upon that struggle as
brave freemen, and grandly did they
attest the sincerity Of their devotion,
to what they conceived to be their
sacred rights and liberties. Their zeal,
faith and devotion, during that Olym,
pied of blood, shone out like
flashes of lived lightning from
the dark clouds of war, in
~ deeds OF WONDERFUL courage anu neIOlC
fortitude forever lustrious in the an
nails Of glory. The prodigies of valor in
the field was crowned by a devotion OF
the women of the South exquisite in It's
tender pathos, and majestic in it 10y
atty. She went down into the dark
valley of that wal with a courage and
faith that seemed born of a divine In
spiration. The tolls of poverty never
caused her spirit to waver, danger did
not appal her. no disaster dishearten
her. There circled about her a sacred
halo, the Urim and Thumin Of
Faith and Hope. At home she toilet
for the soldiers in the field, and like q
ministering angel lowered by tht
dead and dying, in deeds of mercy ant
comfort. The tears of the widow fol
her slain husband were mingled witt
words of cheer to his surviving com
rades, and the wailing mother bort
all her Jewels to her countrV's altar.
Such was the spirit and devotion
with which the South for four year
waged the unequal struggle, till a
last her banners, though waved BY
brave hands, nerved by hearts of stee
\ and borne with marvellous daring up
y on the perilous ridge of battle, wen
down and her cause persisted in tn
maelstrom of war. The eternal decree
went forth, and that cause with all it
hopes and aspirations, its agony ant
woe, now sleeps in eternal silence
Secession as a doctrine and slavery a
an institution, persisted, and the Amer
lean Union was preserved. The
came peace, first a peace worse tina
war. But after a while is keard tn
mystic charm Of far off music-th
faint strains of that song which frs
filed the ears of an infant God on th
plains of Bethlehem, "Peace on cart
and good will to man." AS the veal
roll by louder and louder it grows, ii
now caught up by all the people, an
over the hills and valleys, the moul
tains and plains it swells into a gran
anthem, a Jubilate Dec, for a rescue
Republic and a reunited people.
Who shall say that these results, t.
only true and high results of that wa
in the promise of coming years ar
present ful6llment, are not a blessir
alike to the conuueror and the va