The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-02-26
Nor.i, and QUIT

/. is almost twenty-four wears
since orr civil war began; a little
more than nineteen since it ended.
Either period is a large enough part
of the average human life, but the
longest is only a small portion OF the
average life of nations. When we
consider what that war was, the pre-
sent relations of the belligerents are
as remarkable as they are gratifying.
For four years men of a common an-
cestry, citizens of a common country,
inheritors of a common glory and
common hopes. fought with all the
bitterness of mutual hatred, with all
the vindictiveness the usages of civ
~ilization permitted. The shock ofthe
c%ontending forces vas felt through
out the world, and Europe has not
yet recovered from its establishment
at the magnitude Of the tremendous
duel and the skill and courage with
which it was waged. The land was
literally drenched with fraternal
blood, and furrowed with the graves
Of the fraterual slaughter. The ferc-
est passions and deadliest enmities
were let loose to do their awful work
unchecked by the claims of justice,
the appeals of mercy Or the demands
of religion. If the combatants had
been strangers and aliens to each
other, of different race and different
language, and divided by the accu-
INFLATED jealousies and animtsities Of
centuries, they could not have CRAP
pied in a more desperate or more re
lentless fight. Yet if a visitor from
another planet should to-day travel
through the North and South he
would lever susp ct that the two
sections had so lately met in mortal
strife-a strife which terminated only
when the weaker. was completely
crushed by the stronger. Fields and
%fortresses still SCARED by the blows
of battle, cemeteries packed with the
bones of the slain, monuments of mar
BILE and bronze to the heroes of the
lost and of the triumphant cause,
Federal and Confederate veterans dis
abled or disfigured by wounds receiv
ed under stars and stripes or stars
and bars; all these unimpeachable
witnesses would hardly convince him
that only twenty years ago North and
South were the scene of the most
gigantic civil war recorded in history.
1t is difficult even for those who
participated in or saw the events OF
1861-65 to realize the change from
then till now-to believe that such q
blessed calm has followed 80 closely
such a terrific storm. Time, the
great healer" has of course done
much, but when we remember that its
influences have been continually op.
posed, and in q measure n~eutralized
by the persistent effosts to perpetu
ate sectional hate, tile present rela.
Itiooc IF Moth ord Co,tb l;t.l,
less than miraculous. We do not say
that these relations are as perfect in
every respect as could be desired, OF
as they were before the long quarrel
which led to the fight began; but we
do say that they are much nearer
perfection than the most sanguine
patriot dared to hope in lS65--much
nearer than historical examples al.
lowed US to anticipate when the wal
closed. The South has accepted,
cheerfully and gallantly, the results
of the decision of arms, and c~herisl.es
no malice towards the victors. The
North has "buried the Ratchet" in
good faith, so deep that republican
ingenuity cannot dig it up again, and
willingly trusts the loyalty of the
va%nquished. Northern and Southern
men now meet as they met in the old
en- time, Northern and Southern sol
diers sit side by side at the same
banquet board, and the flowers of De.
coration Day fall alike upon tn,
graves ofthose who wore the blue ant
those who wore the gray. If a North
ern city or town is smitten by fire OF
flood, the South responds to the CT,
of distress; ifa Southern city is smit
ten by pestilence or famine, the Mort
is quick with generous relief. L
these and O thousand other ways tn
once hostile sections unite in declar
ing their mutual confidence and al
lection; unite in proclaiming the rea
restoration of the once ~hopelessl
shattered Union. The few fanati
fools in the North and South, who d
what they can TO have it otherwis
are Insignificant exceptions to tn
general rule; mere relics Of miseI
able era that has vanished forever.
F The man Cunningham who is IN