The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-12-14


the heartsof brave people, Yet MI. President while
paying due tribute to the soldier not intending Ia the
least to sIeak dsparaging Of him Wishing to detrac
word which be said in his praise, it does
somewhat strange that the who have mastered
the different sciences that contribute much to the
building of the human race the inventors who furnish
the comforts of modern civilization the students of
hygiene and sanitation who protect our lives and the
authors who contribute much in literature to soften
and make better people, should be of so little
note compared to Tie who stand the forum Of leg
sativc debate and the soldier who wore epanettes and
became famous the field of battle
As the cycles roll by in the life of nation it is inter-
esting to observe how often its Of the
product conditions which they have control
say renowned because any who participates in the
councils of the greatest and most progressive nation the
world has SEEM necessarily by such participation
noted They do not, in many control
the incidents that make them of note fame. Vol
canoes throw up rocks revolutions throw up Napo
leon Bonapare the child Of the French Revolution.
So were his marshals produced by it. While Napoleon
advantage of Incidents everybody knows he not
the author of the conditions that gave him the and
opportunity to go forth and transform the iron heel of
desposm governments with constitutions and plant
in almost every capital of Europe the r-coors Of France
Alexander, who conquered the known world was abso-
utely ignorant of the conditions that afforded him this
opportunity. He made his first campaign with only
thirty thousand men, without preparation and without
any other design than harassing adjacent empire.
Napoleon and Thomas Jefferson took advantage of
conditions to accomplish premedltated design, and of
these two public Jefferson alone consummated
idea altogether his The plan and routine of the
American being created without pattern But after all
they themselves the product of conditions over
which they had CONTROL but they took advantage Of
these conditions of which they not the authors You
will perhaps say this of predestinaon but this
not what mean. The thing does not imply that. What
is that condition is the result of preceding
and the whole the sequence of mmutable law Pre-
destination the contamination of the designs of an all
omnipotent power.
1t also might be thought that being the pro uct
conditions which they have control that effort
would unnecessary. This is not the case for nature
endows us with will power and the conditions of life
produce the inclinations that direct the will II our
desires lead acquire knowledge become soldier or
scientist and to violate these ncnations which have
the power do would be to thwart the accomplishment
of desire the very governing principle of life and we would
violate Interchangeable law of nature which would make
miserable So it reduces to the mmutable law of
cause aud eec which inauguated by the Designer
of the universe Conditions necessarily changing,
even nature itself, including his physical
body.
We have said and we concede Mr. President that the
soldier is entitled to his renown We honor love
his deeds of valor and true loyal and CRATE
full citizens would anything ask affect us SO deeply
could we behold beautiful sublime,
grander sight than yonder memorial where, gath
cred around the grave of Federal Confederate
hero who the gray the blue and whose
name closely associated with the bloody of 81
SO, people from all sections of this country streWing
the graves of these departed heroes wreaths of roses
and forming arches of trumphs out of flowers of love and
remembrance.
Some orator. recountng the deeds of valor of Lee and
Grant, of Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln, pro
claiming to the world that it their martial spirit and
valor and heroic deeds that nations glory All
Could the people of this country manifest patriotic
spirit than the rendering of these testimonials that they
revere the memory these dead heroes and still keep
green their graves? Is it of qualification to
all of know that the mention of the names of Lee ard
Grant still stir ard touch the hearts of the people of
this country? Though most of the who the
gray and in rags and taters followed Lee unquesoning
through the bloody of Gettysburg the Wilderness
and Appomattox have long since passed away, their
honored fepose and mingled in the dust upon
the battlefield beneath the rays Southern
Yet is this great hero orgotten No! the emphatic
answer. All! The mention of this immortal still
reaches the Utmost soul of the Southern people Indeed
this is all WE'LL for nation that forgets its dead is
without patriotism nation without patriotism is
without honor. Rob life of sentiment and love and it
becomes cold and as remorseless as the grave.
Ladies and gentlemen, memorial exercises have
now drawn to close. We that regrets lend
ing their presence this OCCASION As look this
bright and intelligent audience tonight many
faces who the children of those honored who
herocally and without murmur followed the leaders of
the Confederacy defeat and disaster and where the
of the Confederacy sank forever behind the hills of Apo
mattox turned their backs upon the battleelds of old
Virginia. went work and made of this desoate land,
beautiful reunited nation, welded together by
the blood of one million heroes
now thank you, ladies and gentlemen once again,
behalf of the Ocala Literary and Debating Society for
your careful and apprecave attention We also wish to
thank the Metropolitan Band for furnishing with such
inspiring music.
The memorial exercises will close with that beau
tiful and grand old piece of music" Dixe''whch has
yet failed to inspire every Southerner with deep
feeling of love and patriotism.
And now all honor to the flag of this nation, whose
eslo
the gray and the blue and reunited people, and
whose and stripes inspire within patriotism
and love for the pure holy and lofty things of e and
with a spirit which knows North, South East nor
West bidyou, one and all, good night.
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