The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1891-07-11
These We're Americans.

Tender memories must fill every
true AAcl.cal Eeart to-day. Ino
flowers that have been cast year
10y year, ug'n the graves Of oar
dead soldiers cover and hide away
the rancor OF the sixties. and now.
near t. the falling of the curtain on
orr con Ury We can hook back with
almost equal love upon til oe who
won and tho { who lost.
1t is Il spectacle the like Of which
tho world has never seen. how
frankly and loyalty a gallant pco-
pie accepted defeat how generous
~ and loving y a nation discounted
victory.
Nowhere III the annals OF or
time can the student point t. a war
50 fierce as ours, or t. Il rccomCi.ia-
ton Sd complete. Nowhere did
drawer mCn hide gaIiy t. death. 40
where d.d Drawer mCn pa! hand jr
haud and come back from stlitc q.
brothel hood.
What Northern heart is there
that does not pulse with pride at
the spectacle of zee holding grim
~ the lines about Richmond with
American fibre and American grit
against all oar might. What
southern heart that does not yi,l"
tcudPrly homage to the silent
Grant, fit foe for lit foe, ciosing
with relentless courage AMI mag
niliceut upon tie most dangerous
enemy and the nobIcst gentleman
that even Virginia, the mother OF
the heroes could produce.
Look where We Will, we NAV we'll
be proud that We have kin with
TIE dead, who G graves Will be
strewn with flowers TO- day.
See the reckless chivalry Of the
South coming wave on wave in the
mad heat OF battle only to break
against that steaIfa Rock o.
Chickamaugh, Thomas; or see
Pickett leading that dread charge
at Gettysburg that almost turned
the story OF the cenlury-thcse
were Americans these were your
kin.
See Custer, riding into battle
with the gay bravery OF a Bayard
or see Stuart whiriIng down the
valley with his paiadins-;hese
were Americans these were your
kin.
Look, if you will along the whole
panorama OF our war, note TIE
great figures that made it great,
sherman or j Ohnston, the relent-
less Sheridan or the dangerous
JaCkSon-tdke any of the names
that will live III song and story
while the nations life eniures-
these were Americans these were
your kin.
Go further still; loJb to the
thousands and thousands OF hum
bic, unknown men who for a prin-
ciple left the farm and the fac; orr.
left the sch dollhouse and the work
bench, lef; wile and left children, to
take up the rife ami fight for an
idca-anh what fighting they iii
Ask an old Federal veteran, whose
steady eye has looked death in the
face on many a stricken field, what
he thinks OF Southern pluck and
Southern fUrti,ude. Ask any who
wore the gray how he reckoned
the rush of Northern steel and how
he appraised the healt behind the
bayOnet. Each will tell YOU that
earth holds no Drawer men-no bet.
ter men-nO man Ter men than his
!ormer foes, and these were Amer
leans; these were your kin.
Across the continent their graves
are dotted. Here in Evansville
sleeping quietly side by side we
have soldiers from the beautiful
dales of the Wisconsin, soldiers
who came from the quiet reaches of
the French B;oad. Massachusetts
and Georgia, Illinois and South
Carolina, Minnesota and Florida,
each has her quota of sons among
the graves that we will strew win
flowers to-day-buried in the land
they loved. Buried too, are the
rancOrs and the hates. prciudices
and the mistakes Of the past.
Looking across the Ohio we can
see tue New South holding out her
hands to US in peace and love
ours. as we are hrrs-making one
people. one union, indissoluhle, |
Sieadtast, permanent. While there |
VIII be cadence Of sorrow in the
music that will ring in EvansvilIe's
streets to-day, there will be with it
note of triumph that should fill
very American heart, for it will
ell Us that these valiant warriors.
whom We homer have not died in
ain. Our nation, our future is
ounded on these graves and guar
nteed by them.
May the republics love and rev.
renee long keep them green.-
.rdHSrji!e Standard.