The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-03-03

TleeuOll Is HOT tne lHltIltdHC'
alone of the nobly born. 1t is tn,
birthright of every son and daughte
! of Adam. The mere thought of i
warns again the fast congealins
blood of age, quickens the pu'se o
youth, looks from the eyes of tender
maidenhood, with the eloquence o
a Peter the Hermit, a Bernard o
Clairvaux. So it was from the bcgir
ming SO it ever shall be, for nature
does not charge, and the p-st with
its luminous scroll is ever the teacher
of the present The camping ground
OF people may be fertile, may be
barren. 1t matters little; it is home,
sweet home; hence, the fairest spot
on earth. The clank of fetters may
be heard there, the trophies of the
past may be dust, but thought is free,
| and the naked hands of UNIV illiny
thralls will one day prove more
powerful than the very bayonets Of
tyranny. We of America, we of this
ocean laved Republic, we were born
with the same uncomfortable longings
the same divine birthrlght. Thai
we were true 20 their promptingS,
the battletieids of the past bear
fitting testimony, battleheids where
men born in different clines, speak
ing different tongues, rushed under
a common banner, and with a com
mon purpose, TO death or to victory
On heroism, such as the word d
seldom witnessed, the foundations OF
our country were planted, and the
4malgamatlon of many peoples
formed the freest, foremost nation of
the world.
Here virtuous public service alone
makes man superior to his fellow
tor Americas citizenship wisely
recognizes neither class or caste.
Her primal fetters were severed by
lovers of freedom from many lands,
and her glorious flag has been The
shroud OF champions from every
quarter of the globe, united in lie
and in death by the all embracing
word "America. "
In the consideration OF our coun
try's champions, color, race and
creed should be carefully avoided.
The sternest defenders of the flag are
often studiously ignored because no
lovely Esther comes forward to ask
Justice for her people. And SO | am
here this evening by your kind
invitation to lay before you the his.
tories and chronicles Of the heroes of
American backgrounds, without
distinction to color, race or creed. l
speak to you, Veterans of the Grand
Army, as the Jewish girl spoke to
Ahasuerus. l speak to you, citizens
OF Elkton in behalf OF the
matchless valor OF the American
soldier. And who am l and for
whom do | plead? l answer with
the lofty pride of a Regulus, ~ am
an American citizen! This is nv
patent of nobility; this, humanity
speaking, is my all. And yet, |
would not barter the right to call
Columbia my home for the proudest
diadem of the Caesars! An Ameri-
en- citizen! 0 words of beauty,
words of grandeur! Climb to the
summit of our Rocky Mountains,
and shout them on the frosty air,
and crag ard peak will catch up and
repeat again and again earth's proud
est title! l am an American citizen
And l plead the cause of nv people,
the matchless valor of the American
soldier.
Hurrah tor the men, the rugged
farmers who quit the scvthe, the
plow, to break the shackles of the
tyrants! Hurrah for the heroes who
sleep at Lexington and Concord
Monmouth and Eutaw Springs
Hurrah for those who on the banks
If the Brandywine and by the cane
brakes of Savannah met and put to
fjshr England's hired soldiers. "Bv
their fruits shall you know them, "
said tie Incarnate Wisdom, and BY
this infAllable test Judge we tn
valor of the American soldier. Wha'
say you, gallant soldiers of the Grand
Army; what say you of those heroe,
whose spirits still man our frontiers,
watch over our wave crests! Are
they TO be torgotten By answering
! allegiance to the flag, they gave theil
lives, their all, for American indepen'
dence. This record is such. as the
world has never witnessed. Men O
the Grand Army. if one great deco
outweigh a multiplicity of treatiSes
if one splendid action supply lays
for bards yet unborn. what shall we
say OF this mighty record of the past
l sing their praises not because an
an American, but because of thei
marvellous fidelity to a land that
next to God. has my warmest atfec
ton. Such memories as these shoult
not be allowed to perish. Nay, the,
should be treasured as priceless
things while mountains lift their for
heads to the sun, while rivers sing il
their journey to the sea.
Turn we now with thoughtfu
mein and bated breath to the conhIc
of the giants-our own great Civ
War. O men of iron mould, {
women of tender hearts, bear with m
when l say the story OF this tratricids
contest is to me source OF unutter
able pain, and yet of unutteraDle JOY
f Pain, because of the glorious dead
, whether blue or grav; joy, becaus