The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-06-07
Decoration Day.
TConcluded from First Page. |


carry in the streets small american
flag. and it was torn from the flag
staff and trampled in the dirt. What,
my friends, was the lesson of such an
hour? It's simply another lesson in
treason.
But | speak of Jefferson Davis,
merely as an educator He is no
worse at heart than hundreds of other
Southern leaders who aided in hurting
the South into the late civil war. and
he is in some respects more manly
than they.
When the war was over, and the
political disabilities, placed upon the
leaders of the rebellion by Act of Con-
gress, could be removed for the mere
asking, he wrapped the mantle of his
dignity about him and stood alone
too manly to take an oath he knew
he would not keep; too proud to ac-
knowledge either his error or defeat.
While hundreds took the oath for
the sake of holding Office, he stood
firm, and stands, to-day, the dignified
relic of the lost cause; the material
lied ghost of secession-but still "the
soldier, statesman, and champion OF
Southern rights"
Unpleasant as it may seem to be, it
is nevertheless true, that the educa-
ton of the coming man and woman
of the South is not always in the di-
rection of fraternity, charity and 10y
atty.
Year after year we meet as we are
met to-day, not to boast of our achieve
ments in war, or to reopen the
wounds of those sad days and stirring
times long gone, but for nobler pur-
poses. Still we should not forget
that we had war, terrible and fierce
for four long years, upon one side to
destroy, upon the other to maintain
the American republic.
Nor do we propose to forget its ter
rible lessons. We propose to assert
each year. and ever maintain and
teach the children of to-day, to believe,
aye, to know that the cause for which
] we fought, who fought for. the Union,
the cause in the defence Of which our
comrades laid down their lives, was,
is, and must remain forever right.
And that the cause for which the re-
bells fought so long and desperately,
was wrong and must remain eternally
wrong.
Loyalty, my friends, is the lesson
of the hour. Sickly sentimentality
may strive to obliterate the line be-
tween treason and loyalty; men who
lack love of country may speak sneer-
ingly Of the soldier, the Union and of
soldiers meetings and reunions. Sad
| eyed poets may sing Of ''The Blue and
the Gray, but, my countrymen, it
will be a sad day for this republic
when our children are taught to be-
lieve that traitors, living or dead, are
entitled to the respect, the lore, the
admiration of mankind equally with
the loyal men who wore the blue.
Christian charity may throw her
broad mantle over their faults, and
Christian grace forgive their crimes,
but patriotism, ever vigilant, will still
remember that treason is crime. LIE
ever, in the years to come, this grand
| national fabric shall fall into ruin, it
will not be through forces from with
out, but through forces within.
Liberty, in this land, is in no dan
ger from the governments of the old
world, but the danger lies in the sap
ping of the foundations of liberty by
instilling into the minds of our peo-
pie the poisonous sentiments taught
by communists, anarchists and seces-
sionists. The teachings Of these peo-
pie menace liberty in this country far
more than the armies and navies of
the old world. The majesty Of the
law, the dignity Of the State and Ma
tion, the authority of the Government
to rule the people, and the duty of
the people to respect and obey the
laws Of the land-these primary prin-
ciples lie at the very foundations of
our republic, and must not be disre-
garded. 1t behooves US all to look
we'll to our civil and political rights;
to guard well our liberties and all the
avenues of approach thereto. We
must insist, at all times, upon square
and exact justice to all men in all
their rights under the laws of the Ma
tion, everywhere in this broad land,
from ocean to ocean, from the lakes
to the Gulf.
| We must be brave and strong in a
pure, unselfsh patriotism, that the
Nation for which our comrades gave
their lives may ever remain firmly set
upon the eternal rocks Of liberty,
equality and justice. Less than this
we cannot do, and be true to them,
true to ourselves and true to the gen.
erations who will people this grand
country when we are gone.
must not be misunderstood.
The Grand Army of the Republic
is the friend of every man who is stri-
wing to make this country better, more
prosperous and happier, no matter
who he is or where his home; no mat
ter if he fought in the Confederate
army. In fact, we knew the great
body Of the rebel army only by their
endurance on the march, and their
courage in battle, and between the
rank and file Of the two great armies
excepting always ''bush- -whackers" and
''guerillas as"-between the true soldiers.
Of each, "the Yankees" and "the John
nies," there is feeling of respect,
akin to friendship
1.-THE brave are always generous"
So the men most ready to forgive
the folly and treason of the brave,
misguided soldiers Of the rebel army
are the men who confronted them, on
"a hundred battle-felds. The men
of the North most ready to extend the
right hand of fellowship to an honest
and brave, but confessedly whipped
rebel soldier. and bid him God speed
in an honorable struggle in the race
of life. are those men who witnessed
his wild and reckless valor on the field.
So of the South: those men who most
desire universal peace and harmony;
who are not afraid of Northern ideas
and Northern enterprise; who believe