Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-06-09

ending in the creation of a western
republic, was a conffagration too
great not to be dangerous to other
monarchies than England. The
French allies who hadfought for the
freedom in Americamus needs think
and talk of freedom in France. The
French revolution was such a ghast-
ly and grewsome horror that the sem
timental student may be tempted to
miss the real meaning of it. When
the fair sunny tresses of brilliant wo-
manhood and the silvered locks of
the loftiest of the ancient lords of the
land lay dabbled with the blood of
the fatal ak, we may sometimes for
get the long ages of heartless cruelty
and oppression of a helpless and
hopelessly wretched people for which
this was the stern and terrible retri-
button. 1t was a hideous thing but
it taught once for all to the potentates
OF the continent that divine right and
personal government were things of
the past. No Louis of France could
ever again say, II am the State"
1t was the beginning of the move
ment that has given more popular
freedom to Europe than we are gen.
orally aware of. In the last quarter
of a century the march of the peo-
pile toward freedom and power has
been rapid and grand. And the in
huence of this impulse is not limited
to the American continent and the
lands of Europe; it is felt wherever
the great Anglo-Saxon race has
planted its civilization upon the ruins
of old empires of Asia, and even in
the heart of darkest Africa, and
among the beautiful islands of the
southern oceans. We may claim
something of the glory of this politi-
cal regeneration for ourselves.
And if we have not always led in
the splendid onrush of modern
scientific discovery we have always
been ready to give an eager welcome
to all of it. And how stupendous it
all seems when we come to think of
it. What marvel have been wrought
in the memory of not the Oldest that
are here tonight. The electricity
that enlightens our assembly has
been compelled to bear our messages
in an hour to London or the burning
heart of India, or to carry our own
voices to the listening ear a hundred
miles away. In yourown military art
it is almost ludicrous to think of the
change that has substituted the ter
rible far-reaching precision of modern
small arms for the laundering flint
lock. Everywhere in everything
there is the swiftly increasing velocity
of change and improvement. And
in these changes new questions,
grand questions, all-important in
their consequence, are coming to the
front demanding solution and ready,
like the ancient Sphinx, to devour
us if we do not give the correct solu-
ton. Has the world ever present
ed to any generation such oppor-
tunities for trained thought and
manly heroic labor as it presents to
these young gentlemen who 60 from
their college walls to-night2
The opportunities demand first OF
all the trained mind, the disciplined
man. Here, it seems to me, is one
advantage of military training.
Spasmodic, hayward energy may
accomplish great things for des,
truction, but construction means pa.
tient, persevering labor upon the
lines of a well-considered, thorough
ly elaborated plan. The raw recruit
may make a brilliant charge, but il
is the steady, disciplined veteran
who covers a retreat or snatehes vic
tory from the throat of utter ruin.
Another need is earnest, serious
purpose. Perhaps one defect OF oul
national life is levity. We make a
joke of everything. Frivolous talk-
ers have TESTED away the glory of wo-
manhood reverence for age is a lost
art the highest official dignities Of
the nation are the object of ribald
scurrility. We can fulfill our duty
only when we lay at the feet OF age
and womanhood and the represents
tive dignity of the nation the holy
reverence and solemn allegiance thai
we would render to things that are
most sacred and dear to us.
Our service should be unselfsf
devotion to the great cause of hu
manity. One of the noblest words
in the English language is duty
When the gallant Sir Henry Law
renee lay dying at fatal Lucknow
he asked that they should inscrib'
upon his tomb only the words
"Here lies Henry Lawrence, VIII
tried to do his duty" No MAJ
could ask a nobler epitaph than that
But there is one thing more
When the long march is over; whel
the Pickering watch-fires are dy
ing into darkness; when the tire
soldiers have answered the las
roI call and the bugle notes ar
floating over the silent cam
- a.