Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-06-09

day the song of deliverance is chanted
by six millions Of freed men, hymn
ing the praises OF the men whose bay
onets executed the emancipation proc
iamation.s
Such deeds, nobly wrought. by our
citizen soldiery, have given us high
rank among the nations Of the earth.
They have given to our flag a sig
nifcance that challenges universal re-
spect. They have put forever away
! the danger that it shall again, by Gym
les be called a "ilaunting lie" l look
upon that flag to-day, and methinks
its very stars have been frightened and
its colors intensified by their noble
deeds That white is purer because
Of their heroism and sacrifice. That
field of blue reflects more clearly the
smile of heaven. because of their 10y
atty to country. Those stars shine
out with rays ~ofbrighter hope because
these men were ready to die in the
cause Of human liberty. These are a
few of the benefcent results achieved
by the strong arms and purchased BY
the precious blood of our citizen SOL
diers.
1T may help us to a better appre-
citation of these blessings If we recall
some of the sacrifices that were made
to secure them. The average citizen
soldier served his country for so cents
a day. when he might, by manual la
Dor at home, have earned from four
to ten times that much. He came
home poor to find his stay-at-home-
neighbor had grown rich by reason of
commercial advantages offered to him
by the war. He sacrificed the COM
forts OF home for the privations of
camp and field. He exchanged the
sweets of domestic, and the amenities
OF social life, for the demoralizing life
of the soldier. The music of living
voices gave way to the whistle of bull
lets, the shrek Of shells, and the thun-
der of artillery. He closed his eyes on
scenes of peace and opened them on
wars dread carnage. Most of these
mel were comparatively young. In
entering the army they cast aside all
those dreams and aspirations Of a per-
soual future which so enrich the life
of young manhood" l look back to
those dark days and see the boy, the
first born of the family, giving the
parting hand to father and brother,
the farewell embrace to mother and
sister. hear sobs and see tear-stain-
ed cheeks. l see the lover for the last
time embracing his sweetheart. see
the young husband and father unlock
ing the arms of his wife who clings
swooning to his neck see him kiss the
unconscious lips of wife and sleeping
babe and hurry away. Such sacrifices
are just as real aud harder to be borne
than loss of life or limb. We are
prone to think only OF the sacrifice Of
blood and treasure when we estimate
the price paid tor the salvation of this
country. We need to remember that
every intelligent patriot who entered
the army, gave up all that made life
dear. save honor. What, though in
many instances this sacrifice was never
actualized? What. though life and
limb were spared and all that was laid
upon the altar was restored to the Civ
er? Did not these men suffer all the
mental anguish Of actual sacrificed
Was not Abraham justified when he
had demonstrated his loyalty to God,
by binding Isaac on the altar, even
though his hand was stayed from ac-
tualizing the sacrifice his heart had
made? Let honor be given to whom
honor is due. We all honor men who
died for the flag. Those who snatched
the flag from the hands Of falling ON
rades and bore it on to victory, are
lone the less worthy because they
survived the danger OF battle. That
which gives merit and honor to a sac
riice is the spirit and purpose with
which it is made.
And yet there are men and parties
who look be~grudgingly upon the pen
sion of the Union soldier, and whine
and fret and pare and scheme how
best to take away from him even the
little that he is now receiving. These
men are too low and miserable to no.
tice. They are among the stay-at-
homes. They have forgotten the
time when they stood shivering in the
fear of an expected draft. They have
forgotten how with trembling knees
and chattering teeth they offered Office
and emolument to the survivors, hon
ors to the dying, support tothe widows.
education to the orphans. anything
and everything to save themselves
from the perils OF military service
| am not of that number who believe
that because a man has been a soldier
he must ever be fed from the public
crib. But ! do claim that his having
worn the blue should be no reproach
to him. Other things equal he Should
be given the preference in the distri-
button Of Offices. There is heard in
this land to-day a whine which is sick
ening to loyal hearts. it is I'VE are
tired Of the soldier element in politics"
What makes this whine more nau-
seating is the fact that it is largely
voiced by a class OF striplings. who
were in their swadling clothes when
men were fighting and dying for their
country. There was a time, and the
sun fthat day has not fully set. when
only secessionists and their sympathi-
zers were tired OF the soldier element.
| am not here to upbraid OF criticise
unfairly. ! speak this portioh Of my
Grafton after mature thought and with
love for every part of my united coun-
try. IT'S not the part of wisdom
or humanity to misrepresent the
convictions Of the Southern peo-
pie. Naturally warm hearted and inn
~pulsive, with hot-headed leaders, the
abolition Of slavery presented TO them
the idea of an infringement and inya-
sion Of established rights. The inva-
sion Of practiced and INDUCED inheri-
tances never has occurred and never
will occur without arousing resent
ment and strife. Therefore, when the
institution Of slavery, the very life Of
the South, sanctioned by centuries OF
indulgence, was threatened with de-
struction. the Southern people needed
no prophet to tell them OF the revolu-
ton which would follow. When all
legal and judicial p~arlance failed to
stay the onward sweeping opposition
to slavery, smarting under imaginary
wrong and insult, the South seeded.
marshalled her armies and threw
down the gauge of war.
More than a quarter OF a century
has passed since then. The shot on
Sumpter flashed like lightning