Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-07-12
GEO. VIII. CURTIS At GETTYSBURG.


is copied from the Baltimore S.m:
Upon this field consecra,ed by
American vslor we meet to consecrate
ourselves to American union. Ia this
hallowed ground lie buried not only
brave soldiers of the blue and the
gray but the passions of war. the jesl,
ousies of sections and the bitter root
of all our national diffsrences-human
slavery, Here long and angry con-
troversies of political dogma, of ms,
terial interest and Of local pride and
tradition came to their decisive strug.
gle. As the fate Of Christendom was
determined at Tours. that Of Ameri-
can Independence at Saratoga, and
that OF modern Europe at Waterloo.
the destiny of the American Union
was decided at Gettysburg y hun.
dred other famous fields there are Of
the same American bravery In the
same tremendous strife fields whose
proud and terrible tale history and
song will never tire o; telling. But
it is here that the struggle touched it's
highest point. Here broke the fiery
crest of that invading wave OF war
From this field the civil contest,
through renowned campaigns OF cour.
ageous endurance, Of fearful carnage
and OF accumulating heart. break for
Northern and Southern homes, slow.
ly receded toward its end. This,
therefore, is one of the historic fields
OF the world. and to us Americans no
other has an interest so profound
Marathon and Arbela, Worcester and
Nalmy, even our own Bunker Hill,
and Saratoga, and Yorktown. fields
OF undying fame, have not for us a
significance SO vital and so benefcent
az this field of Gettysburg"
Mr.. Curtis then quoted the words
OF Lincoln before the war had begun
1--WE are not enemies. but friends; we
must not be enemies. Though pas
sion may have strained it must not
break our bonds of affection. The
mystic chords Of memory stretching
from every battlefield and patriot
grave to every living heart and hearth
stone all over this broad land. will
vet swell the chorus of the Union
when again touched, as surely they
will be by the better angels of our ma.
ture." To-day" added the speaker,
"his prophetic vision is fulfilled. The
murmur of these hosts of peace en-.
camped upon this field Of war. this
universal voice of friendly greeting
and congratulatiop, these cheers Of the
grey echoing the cheers OF the blue,
what are they but the answering mu.
SIC Of those chords OF memory, the
swelling chorus OF the Union respond
ing to the better angels OF our ma
ture? II there be Joy in Heaven
this day il is in the heart of Abra.
ham Lincoln as he looks down upon
tbs field of Gettysburg
Referring to the causes which pro.
duced the war, he said "In one view
it was war Of constitutional vindi-
cation, in another OF constitutional in
depreciation. But in any view it was
an inevitable war. if ever such a
phrase may be used. Conflicting con
, victions, interests, passions, were all
so absolute, so complicated, 90 power
full, so defiant, that however the lover
; OF peace and OF the mild sway of rea'
t son may deplore the tragedy, it was
5 forecast in the nature OF man. Only
l American valor could hope successful
ly to assail American union, and moth
. ing but the same valor could success
e fully maintain it. Yet even that he
q roic devotion might not have with
! stood the fiery onset OF an equal!
: resolute political conviction. But wheI
union became indentical in the mind
Of its defenders with human ibert,
|. and human welfare, then the stars il
). their courses, the hopes and prayer
;, mankind, fought for the Union, an
v even If the conflict had lasted hun
;. dred years the final event OF tn
mighty assault upon the Union woul
have been typifed in the last. brave
desperate deed upon this field upo
, this day twenty-five years ago. th
= steady. stern, magnificent, heroic, hope
Re less charge Of the gallant Pickett
l: But that the glory of this day and c
q America, and Of human nature ma
be full, it is the veterans and survi
= vors of the armies whose tremendou
conflict interpreted the constitutio
who to-day, here upon the field Of bal
,s tie. and upon its twenty-6fth annivel
" sary. clasp friendly hands of symps
D. thy to salute a common victory. Tn
y is spectacle without precedent
history. No field of the cloth OF gol