The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-06-01

ceptible representation in those fields in which
its own interests should be preserved and pro-
tected
Surely, it is an evidence that the German has
completely disappeared in the citizenship of his
new fatherland, notwithstanding all his German
songs all his German customs and habits, all
his peculiarities and his language 1t is an
evidence that the German element, while rap
idly acquiring political majority, has neverthe-
less learned to subordinate itself to political
divisions, to pass out of sight within these po-
litical divisions, obedient to the advice of the
German prince of poets, Schiller:
Canst thou not be complete within thyself
Serve as link to that which is completem
Truly, it were better for the German element,
as well as for the fortunes of this nation, would
it but show less party fealty and more indie
pendence in thought in the political life sur
rounding it 1t would not then be placed, in
one part of the country, before the alternative
of having its youth compelled to employ, even
in acquiring rudimentary education, the Eng
lish language in preference or to the exclusion
of the language of their homes. 1t would not
be asked, in another part, to accept and respect
laws which originated in the narrow minds of
fanatics-laws, which, at best, are but ephemeral
and problematical. 1t would not be asked to
give its approval to narrow restrictions of the
free human right of migration by erecting bar
riers against any nationality by means of unjust
immigration laws fathered by unworthy class
spirit and nourished upon the breast of anti
quated preiudices.
Every nation upon the earth at all worthy of
place in the worlds history has produced men
worthy of the admiration of their time and of
posterity, men worthy to serve as shining exam
pies for all time to come. The language they
employed in their intercourse with others of
their peoples served but as tool to these great
minds. 1t can furnish no ground for uni ust bar
riers Lofty principles and IDEAS such as those
laid down in the American Declaration of Inde-
pendence, lose nothing of their beauty when re-
produced in another language. In the endless
realm of thought and mind there are no national
BARRIERS and woe unto the people who would
subordinate to material considerations their
highest, their spiritual interest
Butwe are assembled to-day only to show our
lasting respect and devotion for those citizens
of German origin who, in the nations hour of
need, offered their lives to save that of the
Union. More than they did no patriot of any
country could ever undertake to do. The sacri-
ice OF ones whole existence for the welfare of
others, or for the common welfare, is pictured to
us in poetry and history ia fairy tale and in his
torical tradition, the incarnate realization of
ideal unselfshness and mental greatness. Pop
ular life among all nations upholds such ideals
in its heroes, and the popular voice soon weaves
around their impersonations halo of supernat-
ural and mysterious qualities
The history of our own war is still too recent
to admit of such gorification of its heroes and
soldiers. But, when in future times popular
tradition shall sing thousand songs in telling
of the deeds of our brave, then will not be for
gotten those two simple sons of the German soil
who lie buried beneath these mounds. They
fell not in those great fights, those battles, of
which the history of this land will tell coming
generations in the far distant future The
thunder of a thousand death dealing cannons
did not lul them into that sleep from which
there is no awakening. Only the gently muir
muring falls Of the quiet Potomac were wit
nesses of their devotion, their fidelity to duty.
But softly murmuring waves carried the news
along upon their journey to the sea- they told
their story to the mighty waves of the restless,
endless ocean, and upon the crests of. its wild
waves the tale was carried further and further
until it reached the sandy shore of the German
Fatherland and told there of its faithful sons
who far, far away, had died for their new
country and for the starry flag which they had
sworn to protect.
| Whether it was accident or destiny that the
| first home defenders of the seat of Government,
| who should fall almost within its sight, should
have been Germans, should have been adopted
sons of the land-will their noble example not
ever be an admonition for the American people
that their liberty is destined to be the heritage
of the oppressed of all nations?
The courageous gladiators of ancient Rome,
when entering the arena, were wont to eXclaim
| before their ruler: ''We, who are about to die,
we greet thee, imperator % But we as we part
from this last resting place of those who have
VIGOROUSLY ended their earthly battle, we part
from them saying: ''We who return anew to
the battles and duties of life we greet you, sons
of liberty-Rest in Peace ~
And may all, as they leave this consecrated
spot, this temple of peace and of eternal rest,
return to their homes soaced, refreshed in mind
and spirit