The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-09-28
Gen. GOrdon's Address.

, A'fNN ~ al anu vi NhAth you lOuHuL 50
bravely, now blossoms with abundant bless
ings.
Gen. GOrdOn's Address.
Gen. Gordon, of Georgia, opened his
address by quoting THE Illustrious
Charles Summers proposal in the
United States senate to strike frcm
the battle flags of the Union all me-
mentoes of our civil war. He eulogized
the broad and catholic spirit of pa
triotism which inspired that PROPOSE
ton, though he said Mr.. Sumner rea-
soned as a classical student rather
than a practical statesman. But MIR.
Sumner, he said, was not the only
statesman who then believed that the
preservation of war memories was the
perpetuation of war passions. He was
not the only one who failed to appre-
ciate the mighty changes which were
to be wrought in time; or the hollow
ing effects of great trials and sorrows
upon the tempers of a people; or the
elevating, enrolling and unifying
power of our Christian civilization and
free institution. All Christendom was
amazed that the end of the struggle
found the men of both armies and the
people of both section favorable
for the DEGREES of battle and
all for the cherished constitution of
their fathers. Then Ger. Gordon said:
rs this fraternity to last? Is this
unity to endure? If yes, then liberty
shall live. If no. then the republic is
doomed, for in the womb of our coun-
try's future are mighty problems, i'm
bued with life and power and danger,
to solve which will call into reauisi-
ton all the craftsmanship, all the
manhood and loyalty to law of all the
sections. The patriotic American
who loves his country and it's
freedom, and who fails to discern
these coming dangers and the
urgency for united effort to meet
them is not n statesman; and the
statesman, if ! may so characterize
him, who. realizing these dangers,
and would still, for personal or party
ends, ALLEVIATE the sections or classes,
is but half a patriot. Perish then,
forever, forever perish from our minds
and hearts all distrust. all class
and party and sectional bigtOry and
alterations: but live, long live, forever,
live, as the last hope of the republic,
mutual trust, confidence, brotherhood
and unity between their children, who
are the heirs of their immortal honors.
Forever live the spirits which ami
mated the American congress and
government in making possible this
inspiring hour and may the spirit Of
this hour abide in the hearts Of our
descendants through all generations.
Gen. Gordon closed an imprisoned
and eloquent p%eroration as follows:
Every uniform worn by the brave. whether
its color was blue or gray; every sh, ct OF fame
from the ranks and rifles OF both: every cam |
non that shook Chickamauga's hills or thuu-
dered around the heights O; Gettysburg: every
whizzing shell that tore through the Wilderness,
at Charlottesville or Shiloh: every buIlSs- !
rent flag that foated in victory. or went doSn
IN defeat on any field; every patriotic song or
prayer waited heayenward from the north or
the south: every loving and tender miniStra-
ton at the dying soldiers side; every agOniz-
ing throb In wOman's heart or burning tear on
20 the upbuilding of a
loftier American manhood for the future
defense of American freedom And now. by
the authority OF the American congress and
the executive department of the government: !
in the presence of these survivors OF the great
in the midst of this historic
whose leaves were Redeemed
heroic blood, and whose giant
oaks still bear upon their shivered
trunks the visible trace Of shot and she'll: by
these flowing fountains, whose crystal waters
symbolic the purity OF purpose which con-
venes us in the presence Of all these witnesses, :
and in the name OF this great republic and its
people We set apart. As the American Mecca,
and conSecrate for all time, this immortal bat
tie ground, made forever glorious by American q,
Talor.
To the strains of the band the
gathering dispersed. Most of them re-
to the city to attend the re-
of the federal and confederate
survivors of the Army of the Tennes-
see, to be held at night, but many
to revive, by a sight of the old
memories of the bitter sweet
.ong ago. '