Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-05-31
The UNION VICTORY
speech Al the Lincoln Monument In Brook
lyn In CONTAMINATION

oPoech Al the Lincoln Monument In Brook
Ign, in CONNIE mOration.
Following is the Grafton of Hon. Bernard
Peters, at the Lincoln Monument N Brook
iyn, in commemoration Of the Union vic
tory:
We are hoe to-day under the shadow Of
the monument set up by the city OF Brook
Ign to the honor and memory of the great
est martyr of the OWL War-Abraham
Llneolr-to commemorate the deeds and
services OF the men who herOicslly gave
Their lives TO their country in behalf Of its
preservation during the Civil War, in
which our martyr President wa so signal
ly and 20 deservedly distinguished.
In concentrating in this year of grace
the deeds of the heroes who preserved our
country, our minds naturally revert TO
the remarkable scenes of the recent series
OF centennial celebrations. by which our
attention was called to the establishment
OF our Governments ana to the men OF
mark who distinguished themselves in
that earlier epoch of our country's his
tory, and who in a kindred way with cur
later heroes laid us and our descendents
under lasting obligations for the blessings
We enjoy as American citizens. The CEN
tennlal celebrations we're instituted 20 sig
nalize the fact that as a distinct Nation
We had completed a century of national
life. And such century We
look in vain through the history
Of the past for any century that
can be compared with the one in question.
In the history OF the world II stands ALSO
lutely unrivaled and therefore without
peer. And while it might be Judged ex-
travagsnt to claim for this country and Its
free institutions all the credit which in a
peculiar sense belongs TO the past century,
the cslmest and most impartial Judge, if
guided by intelligence, would be compelled
to concede the fact that our country and
its peculiar institutions have had most
decided and the most overwhelming power
in making the psst century one Of far
reaching and benefcent influence, and this
upon all classes and conditions OF men, and
not only upon the people OF this country,
but upon the people OF every land and
every cline.
Az we stand here at the entrance of Pros
pect Park-On this charming eminence-
overlooking the landscape that surrounds
us, let us for a moment consider the
changes that have taken place since Wash
iDgtOn WIS inaugurated. The landscape
that Law here then was no doubt beautiful
and inspiring to the worshiper of nature,
and must have had some peculiar charms
to the lover OF hill snd dale, to the admir-
or If the salt sea air snd the roar Of old
ocean rs il dashed against and swept along
our coast Let us for moment contrast
the picture we now behnld with that
which cur fathers, who msY have stood
here q century ago, looked upon. TIE
strlgglirg hamlets, the few farm bouses,
the native forests, the acattered corn fields,
the spsrsely populated region, Nth i.s
meagre wealth aud It's haTd-fsted st ~
giles for mere living which then filed mp
the picture, have vanished: and by The
shifting scenes in Times magic lantern We
are TO-DAY confronted with the outlines OF
mighty city-the third in the Union
with q population apprOximating "a mil
lion, and with such evidences ct Thrift and
civilization that the grsndt 81 days OF the
ancient republics are ouidODe Ia lu-ire
AID glory by the wonders which we he
hold Now what has taken place here in
Brooklyn; the wonderful transformation
that has been wrought IN q century upon
this landscape has its counterpart eye-g-
where and in every State OF this
Uaion, and in tens Of Thousands
of individual localities over the length and
breadth of this Uoion, East and West aud
North and South the same magic trans
formations have been wrought WHAT did
lit? Is it necessary for me TO explain THAI
the Government founded by Washington
and his compairiots was the magic wand
that has thus transformed this continent,
that hsa pelptd this land, that has given
US theft. that has advanced Invention a1d
art, that has stimulated education and
f5s.ered religion-and that he1 made the
civilization # THE century IN advanced
and progressive civilization which IL sbso-
lutely beyond anything that the world has
ever known before?
There are three important ep9ch7 IN
every great nation's life. First, the strug
gle that brings the nation iato existence.
Second. tho struggle tina, preserves 1t
agains; the eacr0achments OF foreign AZ
pressiou. And, third, the important ond
irving and often terrible struggle that
must ensue when a government ia called
uDon TO resist domestic fOes-such enemies
as may he said TO srpiDg ou' Of ITS o"r
loine, end who have inauguraled what Is
known as a civil war
First-The frat 10 important in propor-
ton TO the Justice OF the cause which in-
spires the movement; the wisdom Of those
WnO undertake the revolution and the act
nal blessings which inheTe in the laws and
the government they aim for sud bnally
succeed in establishing. Ia our initial
struggle the colonies were involved during
the period of the American Revolution.
The people were then led by George Wash
ingion, and it was chiefly through his gray
ity of character. his single minded purpose
not to promote hi9 personal ambition but
to benefit the people, that we were led
through the wilderness of doubt, if not OF
actual dispare; 10 the condition of
a free and happy nation. The triumph OF
arms over the parent government, while II
WIS the first important work that led To-
the new and Independent Government the
real nature of the new Government was rs
yet incomplete and unsatisfactory. FOR
several years after the establishment OF IN
dependence the country passed through
most trying ordeal. BY many OF the most
intelligent leaders of that day this period
was regarded and no; without reason-ass
NEST critical and dangerous time TWAS an
era of doubt and depression, because 1t was
overshadowed by the fear that the jealous
les and rivalries among the colonies and
the imprudepce and ill-temper Of the pee
pie might imperil the chances Of establish
inga free and yet . strong government, ana
that chaos and disorder might enaue, and
end, as chaos and disorder always do, in
new despotisrn, as a necessity for the West !
ern Continent. There was reasonable
doubt % II whether the weak ard disjoint-
ed Confederscy that emerged from the rev
dictionary struggle, owing to the rival IN,
terests and local iealousies that prevailed
among the colonies, could really he held
together. The C0pfedeTacy was impotent.
It never could have commanded the conf
dence of our people at home nor secured
and held the respect of the nations abroad