The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-04
SILVER ToNGUED CURTIS.
The Address He Delivered Before the
Men in Blue and Gray.

The Address He Delivered Before the
Men in Blue and Gray.
GETTYSBURG, July 3.-The following are
extracts from the address before the vet err
ans of the army Of the Potomac and the
army Of Northern Virginia, by George
William Curtis:
Upon this field, consecrated by American
valor we meet to consecrate ourselves to
American union. In this hallowed ground lie
buried not only brave soldiers of the blue and
the gray but the passions OF war, the jealousies
Of sections and the bitter root of all our national
differences, human slavery. Here long ana
angry controversies Of political dogma Of ma.
terial interest, and of local pride and tradition,
came to their decisive struggle, AS the
fate of christendom was determined at
Tours, that of American independence
at Saratoga, and that of modern Europe at
Waterloo, the destiny of the American union
was decided at Gettysburg. A hundred other
fields there are of the same American bravery
in the same tremendous strife; fields who9
proud and terrible tale history and song viii
never tire OF telling. But 10 is here that the
struggle touched its highest point Here broke
the fiery crest Of that invading wave OF war.
From this field the civil contest, through
renowned campaigns OF courageous endurance,
Of fearful carnage, and of accumulating hears
break for northern and southern homes, slowly
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 Valmy
even our own Bunker Hill, and Saratoga, ano
Yorktown, fields OF undying fame have not foi
us a significance so vital and SO benefcent as
this field of Gettysburg.
AS we SEQ IL TO DAY beneath this summer sun
II is a happy valley OF golden harvest fields, of
stately woods, Of teeming orchards, of glisten-
ing waters and Of cheerful homes. Beyond those
airy walls Of mountain stretches westward to
the Sierras and the Pacific, northward to the
lakes, southward to the gulf of Mexico, and
eastward to the Atlantic the continental em-
pire of an industrious and fraternal people. Its
great aspects, its characteristic features.
are all unchanged Over it beam the
benignant heavens, upon its broad and
beautiful expanse lies the benediction
Of peace. From the day when the pioneers first
reached il on their western way, on through the
transformation by tranquil industry from a
wilderness to garden IL had been the happy
valley that we behold, secluded from the world.
until revealed in "A sudden blaze of glory, with
its heights and slopes and meadows, Seminary
ridge, Cups hill and VOLTS hill, Round Top,
Little Round Top, the peach orchard and Cenle-
terry hill, all caught up into immortal remem-
brance.
A HISTORICAL LANDSCAPE.
In that fierce light this noble landscape rises
at once into history and becomes dear to the
human heart. Around its chief and central in
terest gather associations of fecitous signi-
hcance, as IL the Divine Providence delighted to
enrich spot so fair In itself, so precious In Its
story with kindred memories. Like the house
OF delegates In Williamsburg, where Patrick
Henry reused Virginia to resistance; like Fan
uell hall In Boston, where Samuel Adams lifted
New England TO independence; like Carpenters
hall Ia Philadelphia, where the Continental con-
gress assembled, this field is invested with the