Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-03

and were the supreme court to declare the
law constitutional ard in ali respects
valid and binding, doubt whether the
people of Kansas could be made TO call
private by any other name than a private,
even with the aid of the metropolitan
police and the assistant attorney do not
believe that such law could be enforced
even in pious Wichita, except possibly TOR
revenue only.
l provoke no controversy when il IS az
frned that the private is an important
factor in the arm military. especially IN
time of war. In the piping time Of peace
he fills felt want, though in peace there
ought TO be greater number OF officers 10
the private than during hoStihtieS.
If you read carefully the history of wars
and battles you will find that while only
the commanding generals and 3 few OF
the mcr- meritorious subordiRates are
mentioned after all the turning point of
victory is generally the valor aud endur-
ance of the common so d.ers.
1t was not the individual called Butcher,
whom Wellington on the field OF Water
loo longed TO see so much as the 20 ne
thousands of tanned faced coffee coolers,
who were expected TO accompany Blucher.
Butcher came however. At the critical
moment when Wellington had repulsed
the last attack upon the British position.
and as Ney with intrepid gallantry
was valiying the dishartened French for
another charge, Bluceer appeared in the
woods to the Frenchs' right, so says the
historian, but Blucher alone could not
have dismayed the ranks Of BoEapart's
vetranS
Ii was notC9sar nor CiPsars general who
when surprised by the brave water drink
inc, Nervii rallied and attacked in turn,
and defeated and destroyed his assallants-
1t was the no less brave and abste miuns
roman legeonaries, whom Caesar had
caused to be trained for such emergencies.
and the results of whose heriosm the world
ascribs is TO Caesar.
In regard to the common soldiery OF our
great civil contest, | hazard no contra
diction in the assertion that
the standard of patriotism, self sacrifice
and valor of our common soldierY has
never been exceeded in any age or country,
not excepting the martial era, when the
Roman citizen soldiery were the kings of
the earth. | would not under value the
splendid talents and glorious services of
great commanders like Caesar, and Ma
poleon and Marlborough and Grant, nor
the dashing bravery of intrepid spirit like
Labrenus, and Ney and Hancock and
Logan. They are the natural born leaders
of men. The inspiration and soul of an
army. Nor would | detract from the
credit due any officer of any grade who
tried To do his duty. They all nave, and
are well entitled To their need OF praise.
1t must be noted that an army officer
has every incentive TO noble deeds, every
motive To love and serve his country.
Honor. preferments, public applause wait
upon him. He moves in sea of prayers
and Thanksgiving. A gratesul country is
anxious to enroll his name high on the
fame The successful commander has ever
been the theme of the historian. the song
of the poet. All honor TO our brave, skill
full officers.
But what shall we say of the humble
private in the ranks He, too. turns from
the pursuits and pleasures of peace,
from the comforts and endearments OF
home and family, TO enter a field of hard
ship, privation and peril He may be the
bravest of the brave. devoted to every
duty, faithful and obedieut in every sltua-
ton: in the guarded camp, at the lonely
outpost, on the skirmish line, on the rapid
march, in the hot contention OF battle, IN
the rush of successful charge, let him be
as efficient as he may, his name must re-
remain unconnected with the deed. Iudi-
vidually he Is the smallest atom in the
army corps, fragment of his command
ing general, a cipher. which of itself stand
ing alone representing nothing but capable
when properly placed of converting little
crooked figure into tens, and tens into
thousans and thousands inuy millions.
The moralists have a contention rs TO
mature and origin of virtue. On the one
side i; is said that man Is incapable of any
motive but that of self interest, and that
all our ideas of duty come from a s.udy OF
that course of conduct that viii ulti-
mately result in the greatest happiness To
ones self. The other side Is. that by the
nature and constitution of our being We
are endowed by the Creator with an i'm
rate sense by which we see and approve
the right and condemn the wrong. Vol
ume upon volume has been piled up, OF
controversies growing ont Of these two
theories, which will perhaps never
he reconciled by mortal man
| must confess that when / have seen the
brown faces of our soldier boys as they
marched with springy gate and beautiful
precision along the dusty road, their cloth
ing and knapsacks covered with dust OF
sweaty and tired trudged through the
miry swamp, or along the corduroy: or as
they sat by the bivouacks fitful flame and
thought OF lite and death of home and the
past, and of them that were far away: OF
when with bristliDg bayonets they formed
for the charge; or rs they lay wounded up
on the field of battle, devOured with "A Md
thirst, through the long night and watched
with commiseratlon the silent dead. OF
when | have seen them starving and thirst
ing in prison pens, without murmuring
and with no sign Of wavering, l thought
assuredly God has lodged in the heart oi
man a noble, unseifish sentiment by which
he discovers and loves the right for it's OWL
sake and for no reward nor the hope or ex
pectation of any reward save and except
the sweet consciousness of duty done. The
world seems TO recognize a balance OF &C
count in favor Of the common soldier, ar
instructive feeling that his reward Of merit
is past due and unpaid.
No station in lie above the ordinary
plane has been exempt from the shafts o.
satire and detraetiOn. The king on biz
throne, the minister in his pulpit. tbs
banker and merchant, the hotel clerk
have all been the victims OF ridicuie, aut
dangled, in the sc0rn, deriSion and con
tempt OF mankind. Even the lawyer. with
all his virtues, has suffered at the hand,
of clever writers and speakers disting
uished for wit or gall, or perhaps a coHbi
nation Of the two.
But no one has seen fit 70 make the pr
vate soldier play a dishonorable part o.
represent mean and contemplate char
character. What striking. though IN
conscious tribute to his merits. All honor
then, the common soldier-high private 81
the rear rank. All honor 10 him, tbouZf
his name may be plain Peter Duzgius
Thrice three cheers for DGggins, and 81
honor TO Mrs. Peter Duggins, and to th'
whole Duggins family. male and female
70 their posterity 70 the reTnotes; genera
ton. and glory and power and aecIamatioT
be 70 the nams and lineage Of Duggim
forever.
Col. J. Feighau spoke on the &c r. X.
He spoke at some length On the American
soldier and the members Of the Grand
Army. He narrated number Of annsins
incidents dating back 70 the war. He saic
there never would lie any Jealousy be
tween the G. A z and Loyal Legion
There was not a town in the state that il
not made better By It's y. A K. post.
CAPT. 7. Z. SEWARD.