The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-05-31
Mr. Commander, Comrades, Ladies and

Gentlemen.
The causes of the great rebellion
can almost be traced in the physical
zones which belt the nation. About
277 years ago, MilesStandish, with 1O3
devout and heroic men, planted a
colony on the shores of New England.
The Plymouth settlement sprang from
the followers of Cromwell. They be-
lieved in the unfetuered sovereignty
of conscience, in liberty for all men,
and they planted those colleges OF the
people, free schools. From these men
and such principles, came forth gov
eminent dedicated to the idea that
all men were equal before the law.
Thirteen years prior to the coming
of the pilgrim fathers, ship landed
at jamestown, bearing 120 slaves
Those who received these human
chattels, also established a colony.
These two distinct civilizations grew
and widened, and divided the land be-
tween them on iSothermal lines.
Thus the labor, the products, the
habits and the climate of the south,
bred a population essentially different
from the people of the north. These
conditions begot social and political
ideas and interests, vitality divergent,
and generally hostile.
African slavery, aggressive and en-
largings, came steadily to the front to
defend its own injustice; and out of
its relations to the government, came
the doctrine of estate rights" so in
geniously taught by Calhoun, its or
iginatOr and mOsts maSterful teacher.
Finally eleven states of the union,
throwing off all DISCUSSES, determined
to seceed from the union of our
fathers, :and establish a confederacy,
whose distinctive feature should be
human slavery. The first act in the
bloody drama was the firing on Sump-
ter by the Sovereign state" of South
Carolina. That fatal shot electrified
and aroused the north. The flag had
been insulted and the constitution
outraged. Public meetings were held.
The drum and fife beat those thrilling
notes which called loyal people to
arms. The president called for troops.
The young men Of the north promptly
responded to the summons. Armed
hosts were soon meeting in the fear
full ranks of war.
RED Battle stamped his foot" and
forth came Bull Run, Donelson,
Shiloh, Charlottesville, Vicksburg,
Petersburgh, together with hundreds
of Skirmishes and scores of pitched
battles. Fraternal blood flowed on
frightful fields of carnage. Those
dismal attendants Of war, marches,
malaria, fevers, hospitals and prisons,
followed only too soon. The youthful
volunteer had become a veteran. )"
The sentiment Of a sixty days con-
test had died into an echo, and the
contending sections settled down to
an internicine war, in which brother
was arrayed against brother, and all
friendship and affection seemed to be
forgotten, and bitterness and hate
north there fell days of gloom. The
disasters OF Charlottesville, Fred
ericksburg and Chickamauga seemed
to envelop the nations life in dark
ness. Then it was that Lincoln spoke
those immortal words of liberty to
the slave, and through the rifted
clouds Gods countenance shone upon
the cause of freedom, and there fol-
lowed those Sunbursts of victory, Get
tysburgh and Vicksburgh! The loyal
nation beheld the star of hope, and
with fresh energies the contest was
renewed. The blood-red panorama
moved on. The earth seemed to rock
beneath the tread of mighty armies.
They charged and re-charged. BATTLES
were lost and victories won. War had
become familiar thing. Northern
heroism flung itself against southern
valor. Such battles were fought, as
with other nations and in other times,
would have determined the fate of
empires. The power of Austria lay
at the feet of Napoleon by the battle
of AusterlitZ. The tri-color of France
went down in gloom at Sedan before
the trained soldiery of Prussia. The
strength Of Austria was again broken
by France and Italy on the single
field Of SOlferino. But such contests
as these were fought over and over
again in our civil war, and only served
to arouse the combatants to renewed
VIgOr and determination.
The southern cause was maintained
and defended by consummate skill
and prOdigous valor All that Spartan
courage could do was done by the men
OF the south.
But blessed be the God of liberty.
1t was not written in the book of fate
that slavery should triumph; and at
last, Northern courage and endurance
was permitted TO cruelty the sin of
human bondage on the bosom of the
very state that bad given it birth.
A man. of silence and devoid Of am
bition arose IN the west. His COM
mission was signed at Fit. Henry,
DOnnelson, Shiloh, Vicksburgh and
Mission Ridge. With these seals Of
victory he came TO the army of the
Potomac, and to the control of all the
military forces of the Union. Avon
derful judge of the fitness of men, he
sent Sherman to sever the vitals of
the Confederacy, cutting it in twain
from Atlanta to the sea. He dis
patched Sheridan with his glittering
sword to fall upon the rebel flank in
Hateful yalleyof the Shenandoah; and
he gave it to that "Rock of Chicka-
mauga," Thomas, to hold the enemy
in the west. He, himself, massed the
noble veterans of the Potomac in the
front of Lees serried lines. Thus he
drew the anaconda Of the north in