The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-05-23

A-n nfStt ~ -1u-4rt. tssa1 s-3ci1 t-rl I1Acr -
patriotism. that their ignorance is wisdom
not that be loves them, but because he
loves himself The statesman, the real
reforner. points oct the mistakes Of the
multitude, attacks the prejudiees Of has
oolntryz1en, laughs at their foIlies. de-
nounces their craeifies, enlightens and en-
iarsss their minds and edscaies the con-
seienoe-not because be loves himself.
bEi because he loves and serves the right
and wishes 70 make the eo1ntry great
and free
With him defeat is but spur to fur
'her effort He who refuses TO s;oop. who
eznnos be hribei by the promise Of slic-
cess II the fear Of failare-who walks the
highway Of the right and in disaster
stands erect, ) the only victor Nothing
Is more despicahie than 70 reach fame by
crzwling- position By cringing-
When real history shall be written by
the truthful and the wise these men.
these kneei=rs al the shTines Of chance
and fraud, these brasen idols worshippei
once as gods. viii be the very food Of
soorn, ehile those who bore the burden
ofdefeat, who earned and kept their self
inspect, who would not boS to man or
men for plAce or power, win war upon
their brous the laurel mingled with the
oak.
Roscoe Conkling vas a nan Of superb
o51rase
He not oRly acted without fear, but he
bad that fortiiEde Of soul that bears the
consequences Of course pursued without
complaint He was charged Hith being
proud. The charge was true-he was
proud His knees were as inaexibie IS
the -unEeigzbleana gnaried cal" bat be
vas no. vain Vanity rests on the spin-
ion ef others-pride, on our own The
source efvanity Is from wifhoat--of pride
from sithin Vanity Is vane that turns,
a willow thar lends wiih every breeze
pride is the oak that detcS the Storm
one is eiopa-the other roek One :
weakness other strength.
This irPerieus nan entered public life
in the dzEn Of the reforIaafion--a: time
when the country needed men of pride.
Of principle and courage.
wHEy Vac Vas THREATENED
The institution Of slavery had poisoned
all the springs Of power Before this
crime ambition fell upon lis knees-poii-
;ieians, judges, ciergymen and merchant
princes bowed low and hunbiy, with
tlseir hats in their hands. The real friend
of man was denounced as the enemy Of
his country the real enemy of the hn-
man race WAS called a statesman and
patriot Slavery was the bond and pledge
Of peace. ofnnion and national greatness
The temple Of American liberty Was I'm
ished-the auction block was the corner
stone
Il : hard to conceive Of the utter de-
noralizAtion. Of the political blindness
and immortality, Of The patriotic dishones-
~, Of the curiosity and degradation of
people who supplemented the incompar-
able Declaration of Independents with
the Fugitive Slave Law
Think Of the hon0rsi statesmen Of that
igneble time who wAllowed in this nire
and uho. decorated With dripping filth.
received the pIaudits offheir feIlo~-men-
The noble, the really patriotic. we're the
victims Of nos. and the shameless we're
clad in the robes ofossce.
But let us speak no word Of blame let
us feel that each one acted according to
his Light. according 70 his darkness
At last the conflict came. The hosts Of
light and darkness prepared 10 meet upon
the fields Of war. The question WAS pre-
sentea. Shall the Republie be slave or
freeT7 The Republican party had tn
uraphed al the polls The greatest man
in ou- history was President-eiert Tire
victo-s were appailel-they s,1rank from
the great responsibilities Of Success In
the presence Of rebellion they hesi,aied
they ofered 10 return the fruits Of gicfe-
~. Hopiag 10 avert war they were viii
inc that slavery sbo1ld become immos-
tai. An amendment to the constitution
was proposed to the effect that no subse-
qgent amendraenf should ever be made
thai in any way should interfere with
the right os man 70 steal his feliog-
men.
This. the most marvellous proposition
ever submitted to Congress Of civilized
men. received il the House an overxhel-
ming majority and the Necessary two
ihiris in the Senate. The Republican
party. IN the monen; II rs triumph, de
serted every principle for which It bad 50
CALAMITY con,ended, and with the trels-
bling hands Of fear laid is convictions on
the altar Of oompromise.
he BATTlKD FeE SATIex's EsFE
The Old Guard, numbering but sixty
Eve in the House. stood as frm as the
three hundred al Thernopylse. Thadde-
ns Steyens--as malicioasly right as any
other man was ever wrong-refused to
knesl. owea Boveioy, remembering his
brothers noble blood, refused TO snrren-
der, and on the edge Of disunion, in the
shadow Of civil war, with the air filed
wi.hsounds Of fdreadfal preparation while
the Republican party Was retracing its
steps, Roscoe Conkling voted Mo- This
puts wreath Of glory on his tomb. From
that vote 70 the last moment of his life
he vas a champion Of equal rights,
stannch and sfal~art-
From that moment be stood in the
front rank. He never waverei and he
never swerved. Bat his devotion TO prin-
eiples-his, courage, the splendor Of his
dicsiof-hy his varied and profound
knowledge. his conscientious devotion to
the great ea7se. and by his intellectual
scope and grasp he won ard held the ad-
nliTation Of his feiicx men.
Disasters IL the field. reyerses at the
polls. did not and could not shake his
courage or his faith. He knew the ghast-
" meaning OF defeat He knew that
the great ship that slavery sought to
strand and wreck was freighted with the
worlds sublimess hope.
He batfled for nations hfe-for the
the rights Of slaves-she dignity of labor