The record-union., 1895-05-25

aliens from the commonwealth of which
Washington was the father. Mutual
jealousies would make standing armies
necessary, and war clouds would ever
have lowered upon the political horizon.
1t was the valor of our soldiers and the
bravery of our soldiers mothers and
wives that stood between the people of
the United States and these evils. United
we stand; divided we cannot be. E pluri-
bus unum!
Who has lifted the flag of our Nation
to its present lofty eminence? God !!
God Let earth and skies proclaim il.
Henceforth we look upon that flag as his
chosen emblem of Christian as well as
civil freedom. Did he seem tardy in CIV
ing it back to US? Was it accomplished by
such fearful expenditure of the best
blood of the Nation, North and South
It was only that great truths might be
impressed upon US and upon unborn
millions. The lessons taught amid that
baptism of fire are to-day the evidence of
his love and the occasion of devout
thanksgiving.
He has taught US that justice is the
true foundation of civil empire. He
taught this long ago by the words OF
David, ''He that ruleth over men must
be just, ruling in the fear of God.' This
truth, partially entom bed for long GEN.
turies, was restored in the life struggles of
our republic We hold it now in our
deepest convictions-not as a mere gilt
tering sentiment. Keen prejudice, blind
sensuality and party spirit may conspire
against 1t, but Ii has entered into the
structure of the Government amid the
woes OF National discipline, and 1t can
not be forgotten. History will record the
fact that at the voice of Gods servant, a
whole Nation arose and marched along
the open highway OF emancipation. The
act was not from any inspiration Of our
own. God was in it.
Justice between man and man neces-
sary to stability in Governments-this is
the truth God has proclaimed for all fu-
ture ages. Hence the black spot of hu-
man slavery had TO be wiped from the
lace OF this Nation. So the war COM
menced and continued, and had to con-
tinue, as Lincoln well said, till the wealth
piled by unrequited toll had been sunk
and every drop of blood drawn with the
lash had been expiated by another drawn
with the sword. So true and righteous
altogether arc the judgments of the Lord.
Not till President Lincoln issued that
proclamation which electrified the world
and emanclpated 4, ,000, 600 people did God
grant victory to the armies of freedom.
Lincoln, the statesman, the hero, the
most individual man that ever lived, al
ways himself. champion OF the right,
lover OF MS nelRnDor, man OF prayer
and faith, strong and courageous. Abra-
ham Lincoln was given US of God. So
was General Grant. So were the other
leaders, both civil and military-such
men as Stanton and Chase, Seward and
Sumner, Sheridan and Thomas = men
raised up for our dellverance as plainly
as Moses and Joshua and David were
raised up to emancipate the enslaved
Israelites and establish the Jewish nation.
Justice between man and his brother
man! ! Gods will concerning this nation
to be maintained or the nation to be de-
stroyed. Is Gods will being accom-
plished? Or must we have another bap-
tism of blood? There is a tyranny of
wealth which is disintegrating our social
compact and breeding the elements of
the commune. Too often is a Shylock
found, living by his unjust extortions
and upon unlawful interest, and chatting
because all men will not come under his
thumb of oppression. The masses feel,
perhaps unjustly in some cases, that great
wealth has been wrongfully gained, that
in the prosperity OF the last thirty
years there has not been fair distribu-
ton Of the products of capital and labor,
and that there has been too little legisla-
ton tending TO give full protection to the
meager investments of the poor man in
great corporations. He has too often
been frozen out, crowded to the wall and
made dependent on these corporations
and manufacturing institutions for a
place to work, and upon wages alone.
The age OF steam and electricity and
machinery, which has greatly hastened
our civilization, has brought some disad