National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-07-26

the historic scenes and the grandest historic |
representations of canvas and marble I'm |
this national capital. The walls Of our ex- |
ecutlve mansion, the walls of our art gal |
lories, the historic rotunda OF our great |
capitol, are hung with the image OF wo-
man, and commemorate her heroism.
Let her name be no less revered than
her needs. Let her flesh and blood be more
dear TO the hearts OF men than the bronze
statue which does her honor, and the can
vas which commentaries her deeds.
Otherwise statue and canvas become sym
Dol Of that which is dead, and tho phan-
tom Of that which should be real.
Towering above all else within the gates
Of this beautiful garden city, the paradise
of our country, rising above heads and al
most above the aspirations OF Its beating
hearts, piercing even the lowering clouds,
stands the statue Of liberty, shown to the
world I'm the form Of woman. Beneath the
shadows of the capitol whose apex she
crowns, there are women worthy of honor,
worthy OF Difference, who ask but their
daily bread Of the government, which is
conferred under the overlooking watch care
Of woman-the Goddess Of Liberty.
They, too, often ask for bread in vain
The statue of liberty, though OF bronze, Is
too real. To woman n IA mockery. 1t
recalls not the liberties OF woman, but the
slavery and struggles which stamp her sex.
To look upon that towering goddess is to
give fresh flow to the bleeding hearts Of ap-
pealing and dependent women.
There is no strife under the sun equal to
| the strife for bread There is no agony OF
mind equal to that experienced by delicate
woman who looks In vain for an honorable
support and faces starvation with less SUIT
| ferinp than she receives n rebuff to lust
| and beartrending request. Owes not this
| government something to tho widows and
daughters Of soldIersp What did these
4 "a a. ~.
war; So keep the home, SO rear the young
| that n prosperous foundation and an eco
monte foundation was laid for the years
that followed,
Being woman blush as write, and
| the ink in nv peu corrodes while reflect
| upon the FORGOTTEN heroism Of the thousands
| ana tens of thousands ofwomen who helped
TO restore the country to peace and pros.
| perity in the years after bioodshed. Tue
| home in its multiplicity Of departments be.
| came their responsible charge while the
father was absent on the battle field The
| nursery, the business, social, physical, and
educational departments were resting heav.
| fly and solely upon the true and brave
| mothers Of our country, while their hearts
were bleeding with suspended fear or ago
nized grief. Some of them passed through
woes Unreasonable and responsibilities un-
told, and did so only to arrive at the close
OF the strife with bereaved and broken
| hearts.
II is immaterial whether nv reader pic.
lures the blue coat or the gray for the
soldier named. Nor does 1t lessen the in
tensity of nv admiration for the war hero
ines to picture the heroines Of the southern
sun, who, from nv happy personal knowl.
edge, are found to he as lovely as the roset
that bloom within their luxuriant tropical
gardens. They deserve to come to the front
az this time, when the sunbeams of the pres
ent administration look more propitlously
mon their fair and patient faces than II
the wears gone by,
Their sons and husbands were slain In thu
lamentable cause, and the lost cause. They
awaited the end of the strife with the SAM
cruel pangs and the same heroic patience a
aid the sisters Of the north. They suffered
more, for the heavier penalty seemed re
served for the defeated. Let the govern
, ment he assured that Il owes-as does tn
: soutb-many laurel wreaths for these BRAY
women, and certainly It owes the crumb o
, bread they ask of this administration 70
i themselves and their families. Look upo
, the hone and sInew of our youths today
sc e The the ranks of the vomne Voters ot nj
period OF time, and what must be recaile
' and acLnowledped This--a fact to be r,
I fected unon-that the Young men an
r maidens Of TODAY were reared and educate
and moulded in character by thousands
: heroic mothers while the father was on IL
| Held OF battle.
q Amid the wall of the dying, amid th
70 hearts deepest bitterness amid the days {
IF the lone aud heavy responsibilities of mot
4 erhood, the suspense of a lifetime w.
8 | crowded into q few indelble years.
II The fears of death.roli which endt
o loves hope In despair, and the agonies to-
d by the muffled drum became nightly vision
a aud dreaded memories.
IS Bodies bled on the battle field, and hear
/; bled M the home.
d The hero was not greater than the heroin
10 She who waited did SO IN the stiffness
d home and In the agony Of suspense, far r.
!; moved from its cruel cause.
( He who fought did so with his soul on fl
% and aroused by defiant patriotism befol
% the enemy's ranks.
II The protection OF the home relieved Il
5, suspense OF the soldier for his companio
If The perils and horrors Of the battle field II
4 | tepsifled the suspense OF the wives, mother
l. and sisters for their absent soldiers. 1t
1t Cor God to Judge whether the scales
10 heroism were not evenly balanced.
Q, The battle In the home never ceased.
II From the gray of dawn, whiC
/ promised another day, until the shades
4 evening closed its sad record and the unre
}. of n mothers lone couch was sought-tl
n battle of the heroine's life meier ende
IS There was no respite, no peace, no long
Y. laws before the march, no time for spar
lie ling anecdotes, no days or weeks Of para
a or ipactjon, Every hour was heavy Wi
d duty, and weighted with woe. Not m
it meHt gave respite from the prayer
anxiety for the hero OF the battle field.
Not a moment excused her from h
n double duty of father and mother to d
ID Young of her household.
a. Hone ushered In the sorrowful day, al
a. prayers' hushed accents blended the d
n into sleepless nights.
"A NV. III. al 18th Nna