Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-06-18

1Asif day cf ca0ne0o4aiiea = ue>toe euse
fhs NIX hsfeps tAa men vhe 1eundei
this gsvernmeas and thas bstose IL mss
Nh, duRing ~ civil var entertained ~
pr served Il y of vsslly di1sfsnt char
sctes. The one vas ta build up. ~ sshsi
- upheld ard sepaif; The one vas coestSus
tive, The othef pReesrsstive. Tho work oi
ths men of The Sevolatioa was 70 combin1
intsFsets widely separated By disccfds oi
political nsture and Jet ready for ssstls'
mens.
Union, with the cololies. vas "a ides oi
long stapdine. and for century and hal.
the coloDies had been training for indspen.
dencs. Governments are mot children oi
an hour bss are bssls Up ia the reason Of I
commu isy long before they assume fansi.
BILE shspes. Social .rd pelits al weakness
Ane eirors become more and more apparent
and men seek ont the fs0e6y. Al Length,
before 'he vhie hest Of necessity. the old
power mslts sway and { new one takes ii
place. Personsl despotisn, autoceacy,
monarchy and rspublicsnipm are aiiks
suitsd TO their dsy. All are but mildstoaes
in humsnity's progress. seadipg 10 higher
and pufef political life. Great changes
from one 10 the other take place BY the
sword. The eolonisss were prepared for
the revolution. Thsy hsd similar uisnners
and customs, oil rendering more feasible
the placing Of the colonies under one head.
The revelation did not materially change
their condition. It simply broke that lie
which connected them with England and
left them in other respects - II found
them They were changed merely from .
nominal colonial dependence into Q real
national Independence.
The work the soldiers of the civil var
we're called upon 70 perform WAS Of dlf.
fefent character. They, too, found mum.
Der Of ttsfes nominally under one dag and
owning allegiance 70 one governments, but q
governments seemingly powefless to protect
itself. Its army and navy we're gone, no
morey In the treasury. and no credit, ita
high plsces filed by men who secretly or
openly advocated its destruction. The time
for discussion or compfomise had passed.
and with sword alone could the questions
at issus be settled. That sword was In the
scabbard and all shfsnk from drawing it.
To this heroic treatment Of . long-seAted
diseaee on. people only came after long
suffering and mighty sorrows. That was
what the Union soldier WAS to do, no,
create. but restore, his task exeelling the
task Of the men Of the revolution iu vast
nees. The failure OF that work would have
been more disastsous 70 u and to humAnity
1t large than the fsilure OF the fathers to
form the Union In their day.
Had not the revolution separated the
colonies from the mother country .. the
time il did the tie which bound then to .
government 5000 miles sway would have
growp veskef ~ they incfeased lin power
and would have broken q last of its own
hand had secession proved triumphant, had
the union been dissolved and the govern
ment bssed on slavery - its corner stone.
destroyed government based on freedom,
The heart Of every despot would have
throbbsd with JOY ard the history of the
w0fli would not have shown failure more
to be deplored. The fret quarter Of a cen.
iury Of our national life, especially in the
relations to foreign powers, was one Of
weakness. Their internal prosperity was
increasing. England and France had
trsmpsd on our rights and almost annihi-
lated cur c,mmeYce snd IL Was not un,i, q
second var with Englard that our country
reslly took her place among the nations Of
the Earth.
After the FIRST quarter Of century the
condition of things was reversed. The
questions Of internal Improvements, OF
tariff Of foancial msthods we're dis
eusst i. xnd all WAS done psaceabiy except
ia one lDstAnce, that Of slavery, = qaes,ioa
upon which no lasting compromise could
be made. In the South IL was the basis Of
i;s political action, ths touchstone Of polit.
i,ai life. Notbipg interfefed with II uot,l
the North openly opposed 1t and said s'tbus
far shalt thou 60 and no farther" Tben
perfs ct union did not exss. The Hrst gun
which sept i,s hostile shot ct Sumpser only
put into visible shape what h,d long "
issed, to bresk shs- bonds which held the
Uoion together and to found anosher union
taen that the blood Of the North took FIRE ;
Conservatism was blown TO the wind. The
call to arms was iesued, call that rang out
Ike trumpet blast, and tho hosts Of loyal
men marched BY thousands to the front and
the war began. They rallied in
Al swer to every call, until two
million had aPrayed Themselves be-
nesth the stars and strices. Was that pur-
pose obtained for which they fought or was
Ill this devotion and sacrifice made in vain
The snswer is simple. The object Of the
South Was the breaking up Of the Union
that Of the North, ito preservation and each
put all their enei 81. into the mighty con
flict which followed. NJ man could have
called the union men to the front or bsve
kept them there. No mans failure or DE-
feat could swerve them from their duty.
Come victory or defeat they felt that thei1
cause must win. DsSest never brought the
idea Of submission Asat the final triumph
they passed in review before the Presiden,
they gave the gfandest proof Of the power
Of The sovereignty Of the petple for which
they had fought 10 ensure stable govern
ment. While the preservation Of the ution
was the great object Of the war ii YVES nos 4
geographical union but the preservation oi
government the vitsiiz:ng power OF which
should be the sovereignty of the people. II
was this principle Of self government which
proved our srk Of safety and carried us in Sc.
curity over the stormy sea Of civil war,
Each man scsed rot only for the general
good but for his own advantage. la the
work Of perpetuA:ing our government, VI
| must remember that the people are compe
tsnt ard are entitled TO govern fhemselvsi
and that such . government il the one
shich gives the greatest number, the crest
est happiness and ct the same time thu
greatest power to resist decay. No mar
reed feaf 70 compare our people with AMI
other the world over for public and private
purity AID prosperity, and - far ~ govern
| nent il responsible for evils existirg oufi
will compare most favofabiy with any othsl
in removing them As.she bayonet Of. tht
good solder sistened spotless above th,
ranks in var, let the ballot box Of the goot
citizen be held aloft bright and pure II
peace. The masses Of the people are 70 b,
trusted. II was the masses that upheld ths
arm Of Abraham Lincoln and be never los
faith ia Them. When by the assassin
hand he vas struck down, the Bssioi
stood aghs.t asd for . moment va
dszed but they took up the work where b.
had left Il ard the government went o.
vithoot any veskeDine Of iss ability. tn,
bighess dusJ for us al 10 10 carry on in on
| lives the work far which the men fought /.
tine civil var. Let our rivalry be - ses
who shall 20 fsrthess n devotion 70 Gu
country cur common hope and determin
alton tbst sha govesrment Of the people
BY the tfopls ard for ths people shall no
perish for The 6osth."
The entire assemblses joined In sieginl
the rasiopal hymn ..Anesir.~ and the exel
cises closed with the bsnedicsion by Rev
K. W. Jenkins Of G.fsinsf. Despite th
occasional showers which in.erfsred slighAl
| With the exercises and hi1deTed many Sfos
beng present, the Memorial day Of 1S9
viii 70 down in The history Of the eastsr
branch O. one Of The aost ssccsssfEl eve
held.
SIGNAL DuBvIcD
Wsetnss Ipdications 1os ~ Hsza .
| ROusA
Wan DwAnr1, n