Morning journal and courier., 1886-09-18

will he give for his life" saith Satan. But | such a contest as ours teaches us better It | is glorious to see mankind by the million | with eyes fixed something outside of, | above and beyond themselves, eager to give | for it all that they have, even life itself.
 In many things there was never a war the | like of it. The Union mustered the largest armies that ever trod the globe. In May, 1864, million and quarter men moved at the word of Grant MT. Lincoln declined to sfobtrude upon him restraints or constraints" or to learn his plans, and said, eff there be anything wanted which is within my power to give do not fail to let me know it. And now with brave army and 8 just cause, may God sustain you" It was not only the great est army of the world, but the best equipped, the best transported, the best armed, clothed and fed, and it has been the best pensioned. The deeds of armies of the olden, or even of the modern times, in Europe, trampling upon all the laws of decency and humanity in their dealings with the captured enemy or the non- combatants around them, palsy the pen of the historian. Wherever the armies of the United States went they never forgot that they were fighting with men who were and ought to have remained our brethren and were to be brought back to the great family. As far as possible the rights of property were respected. The destitute were fed by the ten thousand. Christian associa- tions, sanitary associations, freedmen's bu- reaus, preachers and teachers so far as possi- ble possessed the land as the army marched over it. And when the final day of submis- sion came at Appomattox General Lee said, General Grants treatment of the Army of Northern Virginia is without 8 parallel in the history of the civilized world" Confis- cations ceased, there were no executions for treason, no ungovernable army remained to dominate the government and justify the TlrO of bands of guerrillas harass 8 weary people. The rapid dissolution, the joyous and peace full dispersion of the army was only equalled in glory by the manner of it's assembling.
 What was won by the war? Whatever it was it is to be sacred forever against viola tion or proclamation. It was purchased at a great price. These things have stated to an audience largely composed of confederate soldiers, receiving their hearty assent.
 An indissoluble union was restored. There may be revolution, but there can never be secession.
 Universal liberty was established, human slavery vanished.
 By constitution and statute, the equality of rights has been established in the ballot box, the jury box, the witness box and the cart ridge box.
 There is but one theory of political socie- ty. In theory, at least, there shall hereafter be no master and no slave, no noble, no peasant, no dominant class, no inferior class every man has right to be all that he can be.
 Failure to maintain these things would be greater shame than would have been cowardly submission to rebellion at the out set.
 We have universal liberty, but we have law as well. For without the absolute sTl- pren1acy of law there can be no liberty. Uni versal suffrage, though the law be as old as the organization of Connecticut in 1886, still has arrayed against it doubts and skep- ticism, little openly, but much secretly or quietly. It has come to stay. It is the end which modern progress was sure to reach. It has come by unforeseen ways and unex- pectedly. Though it has it's dangers and imposes great labor upon those who seek to lead the people in the paths of true govern ment, let us continue in the cheerful faith that it will justify itself.
 In other lands centuries of oppression bred constitutional congenital hatred of the thing called government. Men became it's enemies because it was government. They taught conspiracy and assassination and in- surrection and passed their doctrines to their children. There is no room for such teach ing in the republic of America.
 The appeal of an insurrection or @ rebel lion must necessarily be decided by a major ity of the people, and that appeal can as well be made through the ballot box as by the rife. That which cannot win with the ballot can not win with the musket The majority of forces is the same as the majority of ballots. We have free speech and free press and in the end the right will come uppermost. There is special majesty of law in the re- public. We, the people, make the law, and we, the people, will see it enforced. This is government of, by and for the average man. But those who, for whatever reason of natural ability, training or experience, or what they believe to be greater love for the country, think themselves it's better friends, are thereby bound to show themselves it's most active supporters.
 It behoeves the soldier to put himself among the best of the citizens in seeing that government does all things we'll. For he and his wife and his children and his friends know something of the sacrifices made to save it.
 The war taught statesmen to have faith in the people; to trust the general and common man; to believe that he comprehends great truths and has instinctive judgment of jus tice and high duties; that he has patience ing to die for country and be reported among the missing" and 'not accounted for"
 The good soldier does not boast. He thanks God that he lived in this time and was counted one among the two and quar- ter millions. It is precious possession for him and his children; Nothing can rob
 
 how many had work as indispensable as the soldier and did as we'll. The fathers and mothers and wives to whom every day of the war was sorrow and anxie- ty, while the soldier had sometimes weeks of light duty, rest and pleasure. He remem- bers the Union men of the South at whose doors the rebellion ragged while husband or father escaped through the swamps and mountains to join the Union army. He re- members the black man, by whom no escap- ing soldier or Union commander seeking pilot was ever betrayed. Likewise the many foreigners who came here for the love of the cause, which was theirs and all mems as well as ours. Also the sturdy men who governed the towns or filled the legislatures and congresses and dared impose upon the people great taxes, debts and labors.
 The soldiers from Hartford could say that their dear friends at home were in no whit lacking, but were among the first and fore most in all the good work. Among the earliest of it's kind was the Hartford Soldiers Aid association composed of good women, wives, daughters and sisters of soldiers that disbursed several tens of thousands of dol lars with judicious discrimination and by the blessing of good words and prayers did more. On the 18th of July, 1862, the town voted $100, ,000-to promote enlistments and grant aid to soldiers families July 23, 1863, the town voted $200,000 for the relief of de- pendent families of enlisted men. And there were many examples Of large-souled men who took upon themselves the welfare and comfort of the needy or personally dis tributed their bounty to assist enlistments.
 The givers were blessed as we'll as the re- ceivers. The growth in richness of soul that comes of good deeds did not cease with the l war. Of it has come the vote erecting the | monument we dedicate to-day. We are glad | that 1t is not paid for by subscriptions lsbo- ! riously collected, but was ordered by vote in | the good old-fashioned town meeting to be | paid for by the usual taxation. It is an alto 1 gether useless thing, suppose. It does not | help the bridge. We do not see what any body can do with it save to walk between | it's towers. It is as useless as the rainbow or | the g1ories of the sunset, but I think it is | the best investment Hartford has made since | she gave her treasure to save the Union. To ! some it will always be silent to others, suc- cessors of those who made nation in 1776 | and saved it in 1861 it will be forever saying cheerily, Remember Remember!" It has l nothing else to do now for centuries. May | God bless itI Fellow Citizens:
 On the 10th of November, 1863, the great | national cemetery at Gettysburg was dedi- | cated. Standing on the summit of Cemetery Ridge Abraham Lincoln, his sad eyes looking far away beyond the graves and the beautiful | hills and valleys, placed in the hearts of the