The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-06-08
MEMORIAL DAY.

In accepting the invitation of the
Grand Army of the Republic to ad-
dress today the veterans aud the sons
and daughters of veterans who are
assembled here to pay the tribute OF
their esteem to the memory OF depart
ed brethren, of men who LETT nome
and family at their country's CALL
who sacrificed blood and life in thelr
country's cause, do not corAe among
you as an apologist for war or an ao'
vocate of war. Nor. on the othei
hand. do come to declare against
war or to cry it >down. TO do SO
would be folly War is no doubt an
evil in itself, and to be avoided by
every possible means; but in the pre-
sent state of mankind it is often a
necessary evil, one that can not be
avoided without superinducing ma
tional misfortune-the only means OF
re.ests blishing and securing public
peace and safety. That it is an evil 10
manifested by the untitled farm, the
idle factory, the ransacked city,
the devastated landscape; that it
is an evil is manifested by
the thousands of widows and orphans
who mourn the loss OF their malnstay
and support, who has severed the ten
der ties of affection and loving care 10
obey mis- cOuntry's call; that 1t Is an
evil is manifested by the bloody pat
tlefield strewn with torn and mangled
bodies and resounding with the
groaps of the dying ana the heartren-
dino shrieks of the wounded; ;that it is
an evil is manifested by thevery hor-
ror which seiZes our hearts at tne
mere mention of the name of war.
This evil has always existed IN tne
world and in spite OF all eXpeolents
for its prevention il will continue tn
exist so long as passion sWays the
heart of man, so long as injustice re-
mains to be resisted and punished, so
long as right is pitted against wrong.
The husband and father is the nat.
ural defender of the family; the
patriotic citizen is the bulwark of the
state. Oppression must be resisted,
wrong must be righted. NO douot
nations have been thrown into the
woeful throes of war through the in
iustice and villainy of individuals, but
the cause of war must be an emineBtly
lust one, and so long as palrlotlsm
shall be considered virtue go long
shall the patriotic citizen who offers
his life at his country's call be con-
sidered worthy of honor, of the high
est honor, ny his grateful countrymen
and by poslerity. In paying honor to
the
MEMORY OF THE COMRADES
who fell at your side you perform
what ought to be considered "a sacred
duty by every citizen of this nation.
You ara true to the character and
spirit ju which you once shouldered
arms and represented your peo'
ole in their struggle for rl2ht
as il was understood. You are max,
ing yourselves deserving of additional
honor by fulfilling hehation's cbliga
ton to keep in grateful remembrance
the deeds of her fallen heroes. Every
.Ioyal citizen, every man whose better
feelings are not deadened, admires
YOU in this yearly triLute that you
nav 10 ynuc brothers in arms. Craven
indeed must be the hsart that would
refuse this peed of justice, OF espect'
tul devotion, of warm admiration TO
the memory of those who became
martyrs to their country's cause. In
the history of the Machabees, which
embaIms the memories of the heroes
of Just wars, we read that When
the Hebrew general, JUDAS
Machaeeus, won q uec's-
i've victory and slew the invad..
er of Judea, Nicanor, it was ordained
by solemn decree that rhe anniversary
of the battle, the 10Th day of the
month of Adar-called in tie syrian
language the day before Mardochias
day-should be set apart and kept
with special solemuity as memorial
day. At another time, when Macha-
beus had gained two great victories
over rimotheus, and had slain So, 900
of the invaders, he sent 10000
drachmas of silver to Jerusalem 10
have sacrifice offered Tor his own
soldiers slain in battle. But we
need not the warranty OF Scripture
that patriotism is virtue; that wars
are necessary and just, and that the
patriot warrior is worthy of unf ing
remembrance, of all honor. We have
the testimony of the human heart
governed by the dictates of reason
Every nation has held in benedlctlon
the names of its defenders, From the
earliest sirnes the noble deeds OF ma
tional heroes were Kept before youth
as objects Of admiration and as IN
centives to emulation. And rightly
SO, for the greatness, security, and
prosperity of nation is conditioned
on tho patriotism Of its citizens. why
should not we also keep before our
youth the examples of patriotism
which are more illustri3us in Ameri'
can history than in the history OF any
other nation? II it was patriotism
that narved Hannibal 10 cross the
Aims and lay siege TO Rome it was
patriotism that uerved the early
discoyere7g and colonlzers TO
cross unexplored seas ana
erect the altars of civilization upon
the ruins of barbaTism. Ii 1t was
patriot.sm that drew Cincinnatus rom
ihe quiet retirement Of his farm TO
lead the Roman legions on to victory,
II was patriotism also that supplleo