Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-06-17

their grand old leader commanded that ~
stones should be taken from the bed Of the
river (Which had been miraculously made
dry for their transit) for every tribe stone,
and that these stones should be builded
into monument so that when the children
'should ask their fathers In the time to
come what mean these stones2 Then ye
shall let your children know, saying Israel
came over this Jordan on dry land" In
like manner Is II becoming apdappropriate
that ench of the loyal states whose sons
stood In the fore front OF this battle and
crlmsoned this ground with their blood
should build upon this field monuments to
their memory, so that when in time to
come the children shall ask their fathers;
What mean these stonesp then they may say
unto them, God brought your fathers over
this Jordan dry-shod, and thereby vouch-
safe unto you u government and country
which 1t shall be your duty us 1t should be
your chief pleasure and highest privilege
to transmit unimpaired and undivided as a
rich heritage to your posterity.
have said our duty here to-day Is both
pleasant and solemn one. 1t is pecu-
liarly pleasant to contemplate the inestimu-
BILE value of the results secured by the
courage and prowess OF our citizen soldiery
who ut their country'5 call and In the hour
of her dire extremity ralliedto her standard
from the farm and forge, the university and
hoyel, and from oil the walks and stations
In life, inspired with determination and
singleness OF purpose and Intensity OF
devotion rarely equnled and never cXceiled.
And 1t i5 likewise peculiarly sad tn reflect
that these results were only attained at an
inestimable cost. Who shall undertake TO
estimate the value of the precious lives that
were lost In the terrible struggle2 Who can
measure the suffering and pain which have
followed the thousands OF maimed and
wounded heroes throughout our broad land
as they have wended their weary way under
the burdens of life too heavy to be borne
by their wrecked bodies and shattered
mindsp What language can faithfully por-
tray the excrutiatInganguish of the soldiers
wives, when the wires flashed the tidings
OF some great battle In which their hus-
bands were suddenly cut off or 80 desperately
wounded as to leave no hope of their
recovery No power of psychology can ever
ascertain or determine the burden of a
mothers sorrow or the extent Of that with
ering despair which seized upon fathers
heart, when the electric current or the more
tardy mail service conveyed the sad intelli-
genee that the son in whom all their hopes
centred and was, 1t may be, the sole object
of their parental affections, had fallen a
Victim, either upon the picket line, by the
unerring bullet of tho sharp shooter, or by
the deadly bayonet at close quarters.
Thousands of green mounds In tho public
and private cemeteries north ana south
covering the mouldering dust of brave men
who will
"No more In soldier fashion greet
With lifted hauds he gazer In the street,"
which are often watered by the toars Of
affection and annually In the blooming
spring time garnished by the willing hands
of surviving comrades or loving friends,
with beautiful flowers, are yoiceless but
potential monitors of that mighty harvest
of death garnered alike from the Blue and
Gray by the swift sickle of remorseless
war, rendered ali the moro sanguinary and
devastating In that 1t was waged by the de-
seendants of common ancestry who had
demonstrated their pluck and fortitude as
we'll upon the Nights OF Bunker Hill as the
planes of Yorktown. War, alas is drain
upon the life blood of fanation. Itmarches on
In its mission OF destruction uniting sorrow
and grief prematurely on the glad brow Of
childhood chilling the heart of YOUTH drink
ing the life-current of early manhood, and
bringing down the gray hair of the aged In
sorrow to the grave. ut weaves tho Widows
weeds with bridal wreath and fills q land
with lamentations and leaves in Its ruthless
track gaping wounds and scars on the body
polite which time and general influences
alone are ever able to heal or efface."
While we will not forget the lasting debt
of gratitude which an appreciativs nation
owes to the gallant men who composed the
armies of tho union, nor fail to treasure
their deeds of valor in the store-house of
our memory, as we'll as to embalm them In
song and story and perpetuate them in
recollection by tho historians pom lnd the
sculptor's chisel, we should nevertheless
endeavor without tho compromise r aban-
| donment of principle to INSPIRE such u
sentiment of national brotherhood as will
..It
OF hostility, and beget such a spirit Of har-
| mony and accord as shall preclude the
possibility in tho future of any resort to the
nrbitriment OF arms among brethren, and
| close the brazen portals of the temple Janus,
never to be re-opened; and so by our con-
| duct and example hasten the day when
| throughout the universal brotherhood oil
mum the sword shall be turned into the
| plowshare, and the spear into the pruning
| hook, and when under the enlightening and
/ ennobling influences of an age, ,impregnated
| and controlled by gospel teachings, nations
| shall have need to learn war no more, but
ali disputes and differences shall be finally
| settled and disposed by the more kindly
methods OF peaceful arbitration.
4 When the war drum beats no longer,
4 And the battle tlags are furled In the pnrlia'
| mallt of man,
i Tho federation OF the world
Considering then the inestlmable value o.
Il the results and the trying ordeal through
which the brave passed, In order to attain
them, we should be careful to estimate them
In accordance with their cost, and should
be ever vigllant and Jealous to avoid any
action on our part, and to cireumyent any
movement of others which may bo incom
patible with the fundamental principles
upon which our fabric OF government rests
| While by the very nature OF our instltu
tions the largest liberty OF thought, spoecl
and action is allowable, 1t must be Away
| borne in mind that this Is to be exercised
subject to such limitations US will assure Il
every citizen, us we'll the most lowly as th'
most exalted, the full enjoyment OF all th'
rights and privileges to which he may b.
lawfully and constitutionally entitled
Moreover we should always be on the aler
to avoid too near approach to that myste
rlous line where true liberty ends and an
| archy and communism begin, and thus de
| feat the schemes of the demagogue who's
sole purpose is to elevate self and feed tn
cravings of IN inordinate appetite whicl
grows In its rapaeity as 1t feeds, until In 1t
Unsuitable greed 1t leaps all boundaries an
would annihilate and destroy alltha lies \
its path which 1t cannot utilize towards III
accomplishment of its sinister purposes an
unlawful designs. In view of the vas
extent of our national domain tn
/ great variety of Its resources and the reli
tion of residents OF differents states an
, | localities, to special branches oil INDUSTRY
: trade and commerce, there must needs aris
: more or less of compstition and conflict, AN
? corresponding combinations and concel
, | of action between those having the care {
particular interests for their protection. :
: long as such combination and concert d
. not invade the rights of others they al
. lawful and proper, but when they attemI
4 TO assert an imperial and arbitrary powt
1 and force and seek to impair the nbsolu
/ freedom of contract and to destroy or rendt
4 yilueless the property of others who al
/ | equally entitled tn the protection and SAT
. guards guaranteed by the rights of a con
D mon citizenship, they become the enemi'
4 of law and order alike fraught with seriol
a perll to the state, as we'll as danger to Il
a citizen, and should be promptly discount
Il nanced and summarily prohibited.
n Ours is n government for the people; n
i one class, but all classes, and the benefiee
+ purposes of its creation are only proper
b subserved when all classes shall be secur,
i, and protected In all their rights, civil, r
a ligiotis and political. If we shall rise to Il
: nroper conception of our individual oblig
a lions and responsibilities as eitizens, al
d be diligent In our efforts to discharge ther
4 we shall thereby exhibit the most convin
/ ing evidences OF our appreciation OF tl
"a priceless services, rendered upon this al
1t other bloody fields, by the good men al
10 | true VINO uculchuu themselves ~ ihe Erh
d undertaking in the face of all obstacles Al
A. difficulties, of demonstrating the trut
m and justifying the sagacity of tn
re honored hero of New Orleans, when
T. declared "the union must and shall be pl
"a served" II on the other hand We fail
/ recognize the duties devolving upon us al
ls omit their performance we shall be Just
,s omen TO the charge OF ingratitude al
IA in so far as we are concerned the dead W
d indeed have died In vain. By oil the GO
o. siderations which make this place sacre
n by the memory of the thousands
to heroes who have answered to the ro