Evening star., 1895-05-30

y
Rev. DIR. Gurrigan.
lean patriotism, In the best and broadest
meaning of the word: patriotism they de-
mand of Us; love of country next to love of
God. Love of country from a natural and
conscientious motive; because the God of
nations has implanted this noble sentiment
in the human heart, and has commanded
that we give to Caesar what is Caesars by
the same obligation that we give to God
what is Gods. Yes. next to God is country,
and next to religion is patriotism. And
this is the true principle of national life;
the vital spark Of national honor: the pure
well-spring of the peoples prosperity, the
shield of the nations safety. 1T is sub
lime" says patriot prelate. 'n its en-
thusiasm and heroic oblations on the field
of battle" "Oh glorious is he eXciaims,
in Homer. the Trojan warrior. who for his
country falls" 1t Is sublime in the Oft
recurring cares and labors of dutiful, hon.
est citizenship. 1t is sublime in the exer-
else of the franchise through the honest
vote of the humblest citizen may balance
and even counteract the tainted ballot OF
the nonopolist or syndicate millionaire.
Such patriotism pure. large, unseltish and
intelligent. and akin to religion. call the
virtue of patriotism: and this virtue in
their living comrades have made the pass
word of the hour, and the characteristic of
true Americanism.
Demand for Patriotism.
And 1t seems to me that the demand
from the living and dead defenders of our
common country for patriotism was never
more timely than now. For seldom, indeed
never in our history. were We subject to SO
great and unhealthy influences, foreign and
domestic, as today. The spirit of anarchy
or defiance of law; the greed Of wealth at
any cost. eating the heart Of corporations
and individuals; the servile seeking after
Stt tv,t1, IF trr1a cflf a
and ational legislatures: the avoidance of
such municipal and civic duties as offer
neither high honors nor great emolument-
all these reveal our aristocratic tendencies
and contrast our present state sadly with
the honest, unSelfi5h, loyal citizenship that
distinguished the republic of our fathers.
Many of these abuses are corrupttonS or
decadent monarchtes and are foreign
growth on social and economic life,
and like diseaSed or disabled emigrantS
should be returned in the next ship to die
on their native soil and rest with their
fathers. They are an unnatural graft on
our young republican tree. and they will
deform the fair growth Of American life
and manners and taint its golden fruit.
There is patriotism in the sectional
legislation from which the country has
suffered for the past few years. During
these years our domestic industries were
almost paralyzed. standing idle month after
month, with thousands of operatives
starving. and the whole country waiting
and pleading for national legislation, which
alone could bring relief. The relief came
not from Congress, and it Is doubtful If
those representatives of a free and fntelli-
gent people yet understand that the well
fare of the whole country is of greater inn
portauce than that Of a part or section,
and "a fortiore'' Is above the interest of a
trust or syndicate. Our legislators and
public officials too often forget that their
positions are sacred trusts. conflded to
them by the people. to be discharged con-
scientiously for the benefit of the whole
country, and not for section or for self. It
was not with this mind that Washington en-
dured the hardships of Valley Forge, and
founded the republic; 1t was not in this
spirit that grant and Sherman and Sheri-
dan, and. 1 dare add, Lee and Jackson.
fought their campaigns. 1t was not on
these narrow lines that Jefferson, Clay and
Adams laid the foundation of our national
and legislative executive Offices No; these
were ali statesmen and patriots, who were
actuated by one pure motive. and who had
one high purpose always in view; they
duty and honor, and they rever lost sight
of the welfare of the whole commonwealth
Now. this is what the password Of the cit
izen-soldier, living and dead, demands of
us today. This is true patriotism and true
Americanisnl And the veteran has right
to demand this of US, because he first
taught us. and still teaches us, lessons of
the highest and purest patriotism. Indeed
he is patriotism itself personifed. In the
hour of his country's danger he left home
and all that the heart of man adores and
ioNeS, dItu, TAKING MS place IN the VOlun-
teer ranks, wen< to the front, and there
offered his noble young life to save the re-
public from the shame of defeat and the
loss of dismemberment. He forgot self
interest and ease; he gave willing obedience
to military law and discipline; endured
heroically all the hardships of camp and
battlefield; bore defeat and victory with
equanimity and evinced a morality and in
telligence rarely. If ever, found in an
army of such vast and diverse proportions
The soldiers of the war of the rebellion. like
enter the army for gain or conquest. They
brought no local Issues into the contest
made ro bargains. They fought for every
state, and section, and class; they fought
and bled and died, pro aris ct focis," for
our affairs and firesides for the whole
country; for the maintenance of the federal
Union in all it's native integrity and splen-
dor.
A Rebuke to the Traitor.
Their intense love of country, conse-
Grated with their blood. is a silent but
eloquent rebuke to the traitor who sells his
vote, whether at the ballot box or in the
halls of Congress. Their broad, unseIfsh
patriotism should silence and shame, If
shame be in them. the few noisy, fiery
zealots. as ignorant of true Americanism
as they are Of true Christianity, who seek
every opportunity, and even an occasion
like this, to sow seeds of dissension in our
land, to revive the dead issues of lost
cause" to range section against section
and class against class, and all this, as
they would have US believe, through love
of country. which country, in their opin-
ion. belongs exclusively to that portion Of