Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-06-04

4
present time Is full Of interest, but W,
believe that the apex Of interest center
in that crucial period from 81 TO 65
The words of our constitution, "Tha
we, the people Of the United States, il
order to form more perfect union
establish justice, insure domestic tran
quillity, provide for the common de
fense, promote the general welfare, ant
secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and posterity, do ordaiu aud es
tablish this constitution for the United
Of America" These words would b,
meaningless 10 US to-day were il not foi
the heroisn, bravery and courage mani
tested when the war cloud lowered with
dark, ominous 70. ebodings, when the
nation seemed about to dislntegrate
The crowning work Of interest centert
in those years when there were being
riveted more firmly than ever the bonds
of liberty and freedom. From the time
when that ominous sound tha. broke
the stiffness Of that calm Apri. nay in
| 1861, the firing on TT. Sumpter, until the
surrender of the Southern Confederacy
| TO the Union forces we believe to be the
Crown Jewel in the diadem of American
liberty, American independence, Ameri
can freedom. And so we place this day
alongside the 4th Of July, on which we
celebrate American Independence, TO
day we celebrate in tender memory a
nation preserved, a nation preserved
without the loss Of a single star that
decks the galaxy ofblue. 70 this crucial
period We turn to-day with tender
memory and we hear the call for the
country's service. Let us turn back in
thought to the dark days of that fearful
conflict. We can hear from north TO south
and from east to west, the low moan as OF
distant thunder the gathering Of the
conflict, the dark cloud Of war gathers
in ominous blackness. From the chief
magistrate of the nation comes a call
for volunteers, a call for 10000 men TO
leave their homes and die if need be for
their country's welfare. Now comes the
crucial moment, has the spirit of patriot
ism perished with the fathers of the
Revolution, has the iron nerve Of soldier
daring gone to the graves of those who
70 ght in 1915. Oh, here they come
from city, from village, from country,
everywhere the martial strains are
sounding. No, thank God, the spirit of
patriotism has not perished, but lives a
glorious bequeathDent in the hearts OF
generations that have been only wait
ing for the opportunity TO demonstrate
the fact that they inherited the lion
heart and noble daring of their ancestry
who left them a goodly heritage for
which they now proposed to shed their
life blood, If need be, for God, home and
native land. For four long years the
warfare and carnage ragged until from
almost every home north and south the
cry of anguish went up, father, brother,
son, lover, fallen upon the field of battle,
or prey to some disease that swooped
down vulture like TO prey upon the
noble forms Of those brave men. To
the memory Of these brave men we
dedicate this day. and offer our tributes,
we deck their graves with flowers be-
lieying that the cause for which they
fought was a righteous cause, and farth
er, we believe that all we enjoy to-day
in the way of national prosperity, civil
liberty, social security, We owe 10 these
brave men whose memory We to-day
revere. While our minds are going out
in contemplation Of their yalorous deeds
and heroic daring, may we stop and en-
quire the motives prompting these men
TO such sacrifice. Down deep in the
undercurrent Of human experience we
can find motive, an inspiring cause,
moving us to every act of life, aud Civ
ing us courage and fortitude to accom-.
plish the end to which the motive
prompts US, aud think it not prcsunptu-
Gus for US to-day to enquire into the
motives prompting them to action. Was
il for wealth that these men left home
and friends and exposed themselves TO
danger and death2 We think not,
though we are fully conscious of the fact
that there are men who will do
desperate things for the treasure of this
world that perisheth, but here we have
no such inducements held out to the
volunteer, a mere pittance, and often
compelled to suffer for the common nee
essities of life. No, my friends, it was
not expectation of wealth that prompt.
ed these men to do and dare in the DAYS
of the Rebellion. Well then, was it am
bition that prompted them to take up
arms, was it this deceiver Of human
hearts that so often decoys from manly
aims and manly ends, was this the i'm
pelling motion that prompted such sacri-
fee? We cannot think so. IL is true
that few sordid minds might allow
the idea of fame and greatness get be-
army the chances of preferment were so
small that this could not be the motive
impelling them to deeds of chilvalry
and heroic daring. No, my friends, we
can not think that ambition was the
power, or rather the spirit, that moved
these men in this mighty cause What
then was the motive that stirred the
hearts of those men as they stood in the
front ranks Of the battle, and in the face
of shot and she'll nobly discharged their
duty, we search for the motives that in
spired them to duty, and must believe
that it was the true spirit of patriotism
that prompted these defenders of their
country to undergo the privations of
that terrible war. The true spirit of
patriotism that underlies and inspires
the actions of those who are alive to
their country's good and their country's
need. This was the secret OF their brav-
cry, this was the secret of their forti-
tude, and moved upon by these mighty
inspirations of loyalty and bravery they
gave their life's blood for their own
loved country's canse.
Then can we wonder at the venera-
ton in which the soldier ofth civil war
Is held? Can We wonder ut the tender
memories that come crowding into our
minds when we think of the daring
deeds of their chiyalric lives? or that
we to-day cast the chapiet of flowers
upon their graves as the only Offering
that we can give in return for all the
good that has come to us. as legacy,
bought by their suffering, their priva-
tions, their sacrifice, their blood? We
to-day have goodlv heritage, country
freer than any under the sun, a country
in which we can worship God, according
to the dictates of our own conscience. A
country in which we have the privilege
Of free thought. free speech, free press,
and all the civil liberties that fair
mind could demand, all this is ours, be-
cause onr fathers, our brothers had the
moral and physical courage to stand by
their convictions.
While we truly mourn for the brave
men who freely gave their lives for
their country's cause, we return thanks
Hiphest Of all In I,eaveninp Pc