Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1891-06-10
The war of the rebellion ended just

Jefferson Davis and Alexander H.
stephens are dead. Hamlin IL still
living in green old age, but Chasr,
Seward, Stanton, Sumner and nearly
all the master spirits of the Govern.
mcnt during the war period have
passed away. The mortality among
the secession leaders has been equally
great. Benjamin, Toem BIS, Yanccy,
Wigfall Cobb and Hill rest with their
fathers. Death has been equally active
among the military leaders. Not one
of the irst rank on either side survives.
OF tho great Union commanders, Grant,
Sherman, Sheridan, Hancock, Thomas,
Logan. Meade. Mcclellan, Hooker,
Halleck, Blair lie IN hon0red tombs.
Howard, Slocum, Schoheld, Filzhugh
Lee, Gordon, Wheeler and others of
the second class are among the living,
but Lee, Johnston, Hardee, Cheatham,
Pickett, Kirby Smith, Hood and Hill
have gone to join Jackson. johnson,
Polk and Clsburn, who were slain in
battle. In looking over the casualties
of the war ono can not TAIL TO be struck
by the great number of officers OF
rank killed on both sides at the head
Of their troops. Sedgwick, Kearnty,
Baker, Lyon, Mcpherson, Lander-al
Union generals of note-were killed in
action. At the battle Of Franklin, ihe
bloodiest of all the war when the
number engaged and the duration OF
the action is considered, more than
half the brigade commanders under
Hood were either killed or severely
wounded, and one major general, Gle
burn, was riddled with bullets at The
head OF . charging column. Such
mortality in battle among general Off
GERS was never before known in
modern warfare. 1t is something Tor
the American people TO be proud Of,
because it is indisputable testimony
that the rank of the army did not
sbirk the dangers that confronted the
file
AS the veterans whiten and bend un-
der the weight of increasing years the
asperities sngendered by civil strife
soften. As rule the cembatants of
that lamsnIed struggle fraternize when
they meet and recall tho bloody scenes
of the past without bitterness. Slav-
cry, the great primal cause of the con
tentisn out of which arose the heresy
OF secession and the war waged for is
sxtirpation, is abolished aud the nation
rests to-day on a stronger industrial
and political basis than ever before
At this late day 1t Is useless to go over
the partisan disputes as to whether it
was justifiabls or necessary to violate
the Constitution in order to preserve
the Uaion. That question may be left
for the historian TO record and moral
ize over. Out Of the blood and travail
Of that fated time two great facts have
issxed. Slavery and the doctrine of
secession have both persisted. One
was the offspring of the other. Whea
slavery was abolished secession would
have lied a natural death, even If the
mailed hand Of war bad not throttled
1t Besides the great good the country
emerged from the fiery furnace OF war
saddled with some great evils. Leose
business methods aud governmental
extravaganza had obtained sway dur
ing the slack time Of strife, and some
thing of the rough ways and foraging
of the camp had been impaired to the
politics Of State and nation. Mere
power began to show a disposition to
assume a supremacy over law, and
public office and legislation took on in
u measure the character Of military
spoil. When the memories Of the war
were yet fresh and bitter and the
license of the camp WAS still strong
these evils formed little chick, but
with the temper of age and the rising
OF 4 new generation have come
changed conditions and revulsiou
The country is moving back to the
simpler forms and economical methods
Of earlier years, and violations or
wrenches Of the organic law are be-
coming more difficult and less defensi
BILE. 1t is strange how long it takes to
put down the extravagant habits which
come into fashion during period Of
militsry,sm, civil turmoil and partisan
rancor. But it is gratifying that the