The Republican journal., 1892-06-02

your own. We witness here tonight the
splendid engagement at Charlottesville,
where the dazzling generalship and strate-
gic acumen of Lee and jackson is almost
equalled by the readiness of the soldiery to
execute their plans.
And here the battle field of Antietam
seems to tell its lamentable story. Here
stood the fatigued and ragged sons of the
South Here stood those bare footed
boys, who upon the mountain road had left
the crimson impress of their feet. And
here both armies fought, preferring ex-
termination to retreat, until night i'll pity
threw down her mourning veil over the
winrows of the dead.
Again we look upon the bloody field of
Gettysburg on the last day of the fight,
when Pickett with his Is, 600 men made
that immortal charge. | shall risk no at
tempt to describe that scene of valor and
of carnage. 1t beggars all such efforts.
We see them, as with precision and dis
ciplined regularity, they move up the
slope Of Cemetery Hill, exposed to an un-
remitting blast of deadly fire. No halt,
no waver. On through half a mile of shot
and shell in quest of death they come.
Presently, wild cries ring out; the troops
are within the Union works. Garnett is
dead. Armstead is mortally wounded.
kemper is shot down. Every brigadier
in Pickett's division is killed or wounded
But still undaunted they press on. and
now the Confederate flag is lifted high in
seeming victory. The shout OF victory is
already heard, and on the distant hill of
observation Longstreet turns to congratu-
late Lee that the day is Won.
But all in vain. The Unonists converge
from every side. and all come bearing
death. These brave Nirginians are NOR
tai, and human endurance is limitable.
The Forlorn Hope is broken Overpower
ed and overwhelmed, the small remnant
falls back in wild confusion, and Gettys-
burg is won
Kindly look again. ladies and gentlemen,
upon that picture, so terribly grand and
sublime, and contemplate this peculiar,
yet gratifying, reality-that both those
who made that valiant assault and those
who as valiantly withstood it, We're one
and all--valiant Americans.
But now we behold a spectacle fair and
radiant and glorious 1t is the transfgu-
ration of peace. A deep and gloomy
chasm is revealed: its sides are inaccessi-
bic, and deep down in the cavernous pit
are mute cannon, speechless muskets, rid
erless horses, and all the accoutrements
of war. But 10. as we look, the pit
becomes gradually spanned hy an arch.
Slowly it assumes form and color, and
then breaks upon our vision. 1t is the
bow of promise. O. see it with those
forty-four distinct culors all blended into
one harmonious Cnion, And now from
the Southern end OF the bridge there
comes a man attired in gray. And from
the Northern side approaches man whose
1,,,
gulf they meet and as the light OF heaven
eagerly erasps the extended hand of the
other. and they greet each other as broth
els do after wears OF Separati"n And
cover the carnage rose prophetic Voice.
Be not dlshearttnttl, affection Shall solve the
problems of freedom yet
They who love each other shall become in
vincibie
They shall make Columbia Victorious.
In singing the praises OF the soldier vi
the South, desire my motives to be prop
erly interpreted. | honor the Southern
veteran for his valor, eulogize him for his
sacrifice. eXtol him for his chiValIy. |
plead cause of justice in the presence OF
men who know what justice is. But never
for a moment do | lose sight OF the moral
nature of this contest. The principles for
which the southern army contended-
States Rights and Slavery-were perni-
cious and communicating. The Lost Cause
was a wrong cause. And measuring by
this high standard in the scale of present
enlightenment, our estimate is this: That
as high as truth is above error, right above
wrong. and human liberty above chattel
slavery so high does the 'lumblest North
ern soldier transcend the mightiest OF the
southern brave.
Gentlemen of the Grand Army Of the
Republic: Mine is tonight an honorary
mission, indeed. for delegated by the IN
telligent masses of American freemen. |
come bearing to You the tribute message
ol a grateful people love. Gladly would
|. in behalf of the generation iuSt ahead.
employ those eloquent words with which
they have SO oft assured you that their
appreciation OF youl services is unfatlom-
able and eternal But it seems more fit
ting that voice Tonight the sentiment OF
those whose lips were dumb when yours
We're shouting victorious battle-cries: and
that, as Young man. speak for the two
generations born since the wal-clouds
passed.
And from my basket of coronal wreathS
| select these two garlands and place them
upon your browS.
This first garland is from the hands of
those on whom the togo riiilis of American
citizenship has recently descended. God
grant that we may wear it worthily and
tttingly. This generation knew you not
as warriors. When the bugle- blasts Of
war were resounding throughout the
North, and the land everywhere was shak-
en- by the tramp Of enlisting noblemen
our ears heard not the sound: and even
when as conquerors you marched triumph
antly back to home and peace, the APP
plause of a grateful people failed to dis
turb our yet unrocked cradles. Our eyes
first beheld the light of heaven beneath
the folds of a stainless banner whose only
blot had been washed away by your con
secrated blood. But as we have read
those historic pages which are immortal
lied by your herosm and sanctitied by
your sacrifices, we have associated with
you over and over again. and have learned
to regard the Soldier for the Inion with
admiration. reverence and love.
And we have met you daily in the civic
paths of life. The nations had gazed in
aStonishment upon the scenes which cul-
minated at AppomattoN, and then they
asked with abated breath: .'Nhat shall
America do now with these disbanled
thousands" To them disbanded armies
meant disorganized banditti But when
Grant turned back from Richmond. the
intricate problem was solved. Quietly
and peaceably: with no manifestations