Evening journal., 1894-07-05

blood soaked ground was dedicated as
national cemetery by Edward Everett
and President Lincoln. Less famous
speeches, though more eloquent than
Everetts, were made in 1887, "a years
after the fight, when the blue and the
gray held their first reunion together.
On the very ground where the Union
cannon, loaded with pebbles, bayonet
points and fragments of shell, had pour
ed death into the faces Of Pickett's men,
Confederate and Union soldier walked
arm in arm and recalled the incidents
Of the Bloody Angle
After the Confederate General Armi-
stead was killed in Pickett's charge.
Colonel William b. Aylett succeeded
him as brigade commander and led the
men till the charge failed. At the FIRST
reunion Of the blue and gray in 1887
Colonel Aylett responded to Pennsyl-
vania's welcome to the Confederates in o
speech whose eloquonce has been rarely
equaled. In it these words occurred:
We have come forth from tho baptism Of
blood and fire IA which we were consumed as
the representatives OF new south, and we
have, long years ago, ceased 10 bear I'm our
hearts any residuum Of the feelings born OF
the conflict. Did an unmanly feeling lingor I'm
our bosoms we would not he here today %
grasp the hands OF those who have mot us with
a brothers greeting and brothers. love-
Above the ashes left by the war and over the
tomb OF secession and African slavery we have
created new empire and have built temple
70 American liberty In which you and l can
worship together, and over 10 We have run up
the star spangled banner. and we cling 10 Il
with all that ancient love which should ever
dwell in the hearts OF the men and women
from tho lands Of George Washington and
William Penn.
Last year, 1898, occurred the thirtieth
anniversary of the battle which was the
turning point Of the civil war. General
Daniel i. Siclkles and the governors Of
New York and Pennsylvania took part
in the exercises, and other eloquent ora
tions were spoken. General Henry w.
Slocum was there, too, among the most |
honored Of the visitors, in full health |
and happy spirits. But before another
Gettysburg anniversary rounded the
turn Of the year he was buried with a |
soldiers funeral.
And yet of all the words of eloquence |
uttered on the battlefield of Gettysburg |
perhaps only two short paragraphs will |
live as long as the English language is
spoken. They are the sentences which
fell from the lips Of Lincoln, Nov. 10, |
1868. They cannot be recalled too
often. Gray haired Americans in all |
limo will read them with tears upon
their cheeks. Bright eyed, eager boys
and girls, while their hearts thrill with |
pride and love Of country-as long as
the republic lasts-will recite the words:
Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers
brought forth upon this continent new ma |
ion, conceived IN liberty and dedicated to the |
proposition that all men nre created equal. /
Now we are engaged In a great civil war, test
ng whether that nation or any nation, so con- i
'eived and so dedicated, can long endure. We /
are met ON a great battlefield Of that war. We /
have como 20 dedicate n portion OF that field as /
4 final resting place for those who here gave /
heir lives that the nation might live. Il is al
ogether fitting and proper that wo should do /
his But in a large sense we cannot dedicate, |
We cannot coneccrntc, We cannot hallow this |
ground. The brave men, living and dead, who
struggled here have consecratcd 10 far above
,ur power to add or detract.
The world will little note nor long remom-
lor what we say here, but it can never forget
What they did here. Il is for as. tho living,
ather 70 be dedicated here to tho unfinished
work which they who fought here have thus
ar so nohly carried on. Ii Is rather for us TO
10 here dedicated 20 the great task remaining
lefore us that from these honorcd dead we
AXE increased devotion TO that cause to which
hoy here gave the last fun measure OF dovo-
ion; that we here highly resolve that these
lead shall not have died in vain; that this ma
ion, under God, shall have new birth OF free
om, and that government OF tho people, by
he people aud for the people shall not perish
rom the earth.