Daily Republican., 1890-06-07
INGALLS, ON ..s.r.a

0sttysbu-g was crowded Hridsy By
th0usauds who went to participate in o.
witness the Decoration llay exercises.
The oneressiopal train bearing ths
memben Of the Senate and HouSs, ten
dered by tho Western Maryland Rail-
ROAD, steamed into the station at 1246,
stopped . moment and then pulled
rapidly out TO the railroad cut on the
arst days Held. Here che ststesmsu left
HE cars aud Hon. Edward HePherson.
clerk OF the National Horss, welcomed
them in behalf OF the Gettysburg Battle.
field Memorial Association, OF which hs
10 director.
Colsnsi Bachelor, government his.
tor.an Of the battle, then took chatgs oi
the party, and explained the battle Of
the first day, the death Of Reynolds and
the retreat of the First and Eleventh
Corps through the town. From here the
train returned to tho Round Top branch
aud passed on out this along the very
centre OF the battlefield to little Round
Top aud other noted pointT Of the his-
toric field.
Meanwhile the regulnr Decoration Day
exercises were held In the National Gene
terry. Senator Insails was the orator Of
the day.
Alter paying glowing tribute to the
dead Union soldiers the Senator said:
Now, in view Of the occurrences o.
the lsst Two days In tho extinct capital
OF the extinct contederacy, / wish to say
q lew words. l have no desire ON this
So acred occasion to revert TO any subject
that 10 incon sistent with the solemnity ot
the hour, but unless the ideas for which
our dead died were right, they have d.ei
in vain. But the only regret that seems
to be felt by our adversariss is that ir
the rebellion they failed to succeed.
Robert X. Lee was undoubtedly one Of
the greatest soldiers OF the age, lofty o
character, pure OF life and with lineage
dstihg beck to the morning OF patrio,ism
In this hemisphere. He was "wlthoul
fear and wit0ut reproach." Had he ad.
hered to the sentiments expressed short.
ly before the rebellion, he would to day
have teen the foremost citizen OF this
Republic. He was offered the command
Of cur armies. For 25 years his sword
had been under the flag Of tie Republic.
He had been educated at her expense,
and had taken the oath to support hel
Constitution and her laws; but he violat-
ed his oath, put aside his sword, and
took the leadership OF the most causeless
rebellion since the devil rebelled agains,
the sanctions ol Heaven, and vet In perjury
and 10 violation Of faith and honor, on the
day for twenty-five years made sacred
those who profess 10 have accepted the
results OF the war In good faith, select
ing this occasion 10 all the other ami
versaries of the 1865 days OF the year,
with an augmentation OF insolence, point
10 the South that this 10 An example after
which they should copy-a confederate
L d.. I. u - a. L.. a
(cries Of "Shamei' ''Shsmer) What
the s4crilegef We are told "God alone
knows which side was right" To make
the Cos stitution OF the Unitei States the
supreme law OF ireemsn, millions en-
listed md thousands gave up their lives,
wives were widowed, children orp phaned,
and yet one-half of the rising generation
is being taught that God alone knows
which was right" Carnage ragged on
hundreds of battlefelds Now tie sun
rises on no masters aud sets on no slave.
The shame OF the Republic Is washed
out. Liserty is the law OF the land, aud
yet "Goi alone knows which was right"
II we W., rc not right, II nationality 10
not better than secession, then these cere-
monies are without Significance.
The war Tor the Union was the great.
Get crime OF the country, and our soldiers
rank with the successful pugilists who
fight In the ring Tor the championship
belt of the world. II they were not
right, national morality Is fiction, 10y
atty name and patriotism o fatal
malady of the body polite. This ten
dency OF the South must be resented.
This Is a day OF instruction, . duty we
owe TO the Iuture that our relations to
that great conflict be understood, and
that our dead did not die in vain. II is
not necessary TO disparage the bravery OF
sdvtrsaries. Let item rear mon ume u ts
to their dead and cherish their deeds; let
them eulogize the lost cause; let them
worship their leaders; let them carry
| their stars and bars. These are matters
of taste which they must decide ior
themselves. There is no oth.r country
under the sun that woald permit sucl
transactions. They are our count.ymen
united to us by common heritage, q,
they say, but when they assert tha
Lincoln and Davis, Grant and Lee
Logan and Jackson, were equal, aut
that God alone knows which wa
right" 1t Ia sacrilege of the vilest tyr,
and needs yebuke.