National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-12

when nc Chnt UOluo Ou " huOib
furlough, how manly and war-worn he had
grown. But he soon returned to the ranks
and TO the welcome Of his comrades. They
loved him for his manliness, his high bear
ing, his fine sense OF honor. They felt the
nobility OF conduct and character that
breathed out from him. They. recall him
now alike with tears and pride. In the
steady voice and firm command. The
bullet OF the sbarpshooter picked of the
soldier who stood at his side aud who fell
dying in HIS arms-one last brief message
whispered and faithfully sent home. IL
was forlorn hope-the charge Of the brave
now by three years long fighting TO hun
dred veterans conscious that somebody
had blundered yet grimly obedlent to duty.
Some who saw him then fancied that he
seemed that day like one who forefelt the
end. But there was no lllncbing as
he charged. He had Just turned to
give a cheer when the fatal ball struck
him. There was a convulslon OF the up
ward hand. His eyes, pleading and loyal,
turned their last glance TO the flag. His
lips parted. He fell dead, and at night
fall lay with his face to the stare. Home
they brought him fairer than Adonls over
whom the goddess Of beauty wept. They
buried him In the village churchyard under
the green turf. Year by year his comrades
and his kin, nearer then comrades, scatter
his grave with flowers. His picture hangs
on the homestead walls. Children look up
at IL and eagerly ask to hear his story. II
was more than twenty years ago, and the
face 10 so young, so boyish and fair that
you cannot believe he was the hero OF
twenty battles, n veteran in the wars,
leader OF men-brave, cool, commanding,
great. Do you ask who he WASP He was
| In every regiment and every company.
| He went out from every northern
village. He sleepsin every northern burylng
ground. Recall romance, recite the
names Of the heroes Of legend and song,
but there is none that Is his peer. Can you
think OF him and not count the cost Of such
precious life, not thrill with gratitude at
such sacrifice, not ask why such
| promise, such hope, such worth, should
have been cut down. l know not why
II is that II the future is
always progress, the past is Away sacrifice,
sacrifice is the soil and seed OF progress.
know not why It is, in the providence Of
| God, that through blood--not the sacrifice
| OF rams and goats, but the blood Of human
| hearts-the great gains OF human freedom
have had their impulse, unless 1t be that In
the OF growth, as In the laws Of light,
| II is the red rays that are strongest and that
first shine through and flash the dawn, fore
telling the pure white fire OF the uprlsen
sun. But this we do know that,
search history through. you shall
find no more heroic record of self
sacrifice, OF courage, OF the flower of youth
giving itself to death for right and coun-
try's sake. The republic will never forget
the memory OF these her martyrs. Their
lives are inseparably moldlng the character
Of her children at school or by the fireside,
even while the busy man Of years and OF
affairs may almost seem to have forgotten
them. With you she weeps over their turf
and crowns them with the laurel leaf. -.
Yes, why was itP Why do we recall ali
this Because the sacrifice is lost In the
contamination. Death is swallowed up
In victory. Because it was not nlpped
bud, but the full Sower; not q life cut of,
but life rounded and complete. Because
the high ideals, the lofty purposes, the for
ward-looking ambition to be OF service to
the world were all fulfilled, not defeated,
In these young men. III In our pride OF con-
quest, II in these organizations and festivals
our purpose were simply to count our ex-
cess Of victories, to glory In our superiority
Of endurance, strength, and numbers, to
echo the gladiators' roar Of triumph, to
rake from the dying embers flashes of the
singing fires Of hate, II were worse than
men; that is but brutality. 1t was the
eternal war Of right with wrong, which Is
divine, and wreathes an eternal crown OF
glory round the brow Of the conqueror.
Our foes were not worth beating II the pur-
pose were simply to beat them. But 1t was
the chastisement Of love that overthrow, moi
them, but the false gods they worshiped
the false principles they obeyed, and that
gave to them and secured to us union for
the first time founded on univel sal freedom
and equality. And so 1t is that, as some
times brave man perils and loses his life
that he may save that OF little child or
even Of foe, so our heroes died that all
| nifrhf
live the only life worth living-the life OF
freemen. 1t would be an easy thing to say
that the late war demonstrated that we are
nation Of soldiers as we'll as OF citizens and
to paint the laures which, in case OF an.
other war, we could again win on land and
sea. But prefer to say that the result is a
united Countrywide south, such as 1t is fast
becoming, solid only because at last and for.
ever solidly identified with the education
the business growth, the glowing enterprise
! Of the north-its common people taught In
the common schools, its vast fields open to
the stimulating immigration OF the globe
its great rivers turning the wheels of peace
full and prosperous INDUSTRIES united
! country, that counts as nothing Its ability
to fight the world, but as everything its
: ability TO lead the world in the arts of peac Q
secure In the consciousness rather than II
the exhibition of power, and cementeC
not by blood but by ideas. All, wha
but pity can be felt for any husk Of
human soul, north or south, who still
cherishes q cause which in tho mercy o
God was lost twenty years ago, or whit
fails to read In the national glory AMI
grandeur Of this day the providence which
brought out OF the red fire Of war the SO
curity OF our national unity and swept u
upward and onward toward nobler ma
7 | tional destiny.
This, then, is our triumph: not that WI
) overthrow brave, though provincial ant
} misguided foe, stunted by the barbarism o
slavery, but that we have In fact and for
D ever established the principle that all mel
0 are born free and equal, have destroyed tn
t doctrine of caste, have proved the stabilit
and permanence Of government OF tn
people, have consolidated our Heterogeneous
Q population and made them all OF one brit
and kin, SO that the names Of our falle
s dead no longer, like those on the Lexington
: column, are patronymics OF pure ougina
4 stock, but, as you may now read them Of
: the later memorial shafts throughout th
8 country, represent every nationality, eac
!. blending I'm the one common destin
( confirmed the policy OF honesty Il
' financial administration, Of keeping goo'
/, the nations promise, and of giving its peo
r Pile an honest dollar. We have struck thu
s shackles from the feet Of the slave and froI
0 the soul Of the master. We have let loos
$ the energies, tho mighty energies of FIRE
s people, which are turning this great dc
d main into hive OF industry and prosperity
r girting 1t with bands of iron rails, and olsen
l. bowellng its mines Of gold and silver an
n more precious homely ores. Best OF all
n we have emanclpated the prodigal state
" themselves from the swineherd's thraldor
|; and put rings ON their hands and shoes o.
II their feet, allowing them to justly share
It but never more to domineer. 1t has bee
j. said that 1t would be better to blot OF
}, this day and with 1t every recollectlo
o OF the past 1t commentaries. | believe
d Is better to keep the day and to forget notl
N ing of the past II SO, on both sides "
Is make the past lesson for the future, an