The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-06-01
NUMBER %.

out grandly in this country, that our
battles are fought by volunteers, each
one realizing at least two Of the three
great duties Of every man, duty to God
to country and to family, and therefore
when our country calls her sons to
duty she meets a most ready 4
and willing response. Each man
knows when that duty is performed he l
can return to the quiet Of his home,
pursue the peaceful avocations Of life, L
respected by his neighbors and pro
tected by his country in all his lawful
rights and privileges; or should he be
crippled or die in the performance Of
that duty that a grateful country will {
care for him and his family, and see
that they do not come to want. In this
lies the safety of our own land. Other
nations are aware that a peaceful army
is ever ready to fly to arms and be,
speedily transformed into soldiers ar
rayed in the full spanoply of war; that
they cannot with impunity injure the
humblest citizen, or insult the majesty
Of our flag. What a lesson is here for
the great nations Of the world who are
impoverishing themselves with their
large standing armies. Men never
performed duty so we'll under compul-
sion as when acting of their own free
will; the volunteer was superior and
more reliable than the drafted man.
# Our American soldiers to whom is
opened the avenue through promotion,
as a reward for merit and ability. in
the army, as in civil life, has an in
centive continually before him for the
most faithful performance of duty.
Under the principle of equality, upon
which our institutions are founded.
there is no limit to the possible
achievements Of any citizen, no honor
SO great the worthy may not grasp it,.
no position SO high that the humblest
may not attain unto it. The whole bis
tory Of our country is full of instances
which prove n #
''That honor and shame from no condition rise
81
Nearly century apart two charac-
ters stand out prominently in American
history as pre-7eminently the greatest
OF their times Washington and Lin
col Eu the exact opposites in their
surroundings and advantages in life.
The former descended from a long line
OF honorable American ancestors. and
l4nl1hefitinggs, not rank, buttaE rtue. and
such advantages as moderate e wealth
and social position could give, pos
sessed with a manhood and courage
1 which faced every duty, and overcame1
every obstacle, whether as the young
surveyor in the woods of his native
State, or aid de camp to General Brad
dock in the mountains of Pennsylva-
MIA, engaged in Indian warfare: as
commander of the revolutionary army.
i sharing it's hardships and dangers, en-
during silently the .vituperation and
1alsehoods OF enemies, seeking wisdom
on his knees in the SHOWS under the
trees OF Valley Forge, or as the first
President of the new republic meeting
successfully questions which never. be-
fore were presented for the decision Of
human wisdom, and establishing upon
a: firm foundation this infant republic.
Having refused further office, with an
immortal farewell address, he retired
TO his beloved Mount Vernon on the
shady banks of the beautiful Potomac to
END his days in peace, while his name
and and deeds, the property Of his country
and humanity have encircled the
world 7'97 Id The late DR.. Tiffany in an adj .
dress before the Loyal Legion of Min
nesota, after quoting from numerous
writer's says, Z am furnished material
] for my chaplet-Von Raumer# brought
me German laurels; Kossuth contri-
! buted the dark Hungarian pine; France
sent her. lilies by Chateaubriand, and
4 imperial feur-de-lis by the great Ma
1 poleon; England's navy gave us royal
4 oak, while Erskin, Fox and Brougham
gave in turn holly and elm and beach;
a Nc [ntosh brought Scotia's thistle and
81 u
heather; while Phillips contributed
4 the shamrock and the eve Of Ireland Fl
J and he binds all these together BY.
i Thomas Jefferson who sale, Washing.
i tons fame will go on increasing until;
z the brightest constell ation in yonder
4 heavens is called by his name
. Lincoln was born the poorest Of the
4 poor, in a log shanty destitute of win
i dow, door or floor; Of parents, at least
q the father, shiftless and almost worth
4 less. He seems to have had a good
i mother and step-mot her, inheriting
i from his mother the good there was III
4 his hi; life-those principles which early
q distinguished him for his love of JUS US.
ticesand fair play Amidst all his early
strug giles, at the toughest and hardest
labor, he manifested a desire for learn