Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-08-12

were spoken in sincerely fraternal
and Christian spirit Next Thursday
is not only the anniversary of the great
Declaration but also the anniversary
of the fall of Vicksburg. Thirty-two
years ago at Vicksburg Gen. Grant
was endeavoring to make good the
logical proposition Of 1776, when
few old-fashioned, middle-aged Amer
leans had declared that God had made
all men free and equal in their rights
of citizenship. The first gleam> of light
that rifted the dark cloud which hung
like pail above the Union was the de-
feat Of Gen. Lee at Gettysburg. The
historian has well said that Lees de-
feat would have been less decisive had
not the news of VickSburg's fall Undue
ed him to retreat The fall Of Vicksburg
meant the opening of the great Mis-
Confederate strength. 1t meant un-
questioned and ultimate victory for
the Union cause. Had it not been for
that sagacious man of destiny, Abra-
ham Lincoln, Gen. Grant would have
been relieved Of his command before
the backbone of rebellion had been
broken at Vicksburg.
''There must have been profound wis
dow that made Lincoln deaf to the pro-
tests of the War Department and the
popular clamor so that he held the
taciturn and stubborn General in his
place. America needed the plain,
blunt, almost speechless man, with a
sort of bulldog pertinacity OF purpose,
to pound his way through to victory.
A man who, if defeated, would not
expedition, one of the many which led
up to the heart of Vicksburg, could go
without horse, oyercoat or blanket;
could partake of his rations and sleep
like the commonest soldier in his COM
mand, with no covering but the can
opy Of heaven. The citizenship of
America to-day, the Christianity Of the
modern church, the army of the LORDS
hosts, need the same stern stuff in prl-
vate and official ranks. The American
church and State need men to-day who
love righteousness and peace so we'll
that they would die rather than COM
promise principle. At his weeks an
niversary of Grant we are reminded
of a man with positiveness enough in
his character to command the respect
alike of friend and foe"
Stonewa11 Jackson aud the Students.
In the winter Of 1861 there was
much excitement at the Virginia Mill
tary Institute The majority OF the
students were from the South, and as
consequence were SecesSiOniSts,
while the sentiment of the people of
the town at THAT time was almost
unanimously for the Union. AS the
'boys'' from the institute were fire.
quemt visitors att the village, which Fay
something like a mile below the school,
they often came into conflict with the
villagers. The matter finally became
serious. Both sides were in earnest
and bloodshed was not unlikely to re-
suit.
One day two of the students came
back much worsted in fight with the
villagers, and the whole school reso1v-
ed on vengeance. Selling their guns,
a large number eff the boys started to-
ward the town. On their way they had
to pass Prof. Jackson's house. Word
of tire affair had somehow reached fffn1
and ne came out just in time: to inter
cept the students, who were hurrying
down the road, wildly excited mob,
intent on mischief, and totally without
organization.
jackson stepped on a horse block
i'm front OF the house, and just as the
foremost of the students came abreast
of him he called out in his most com
nranding tome, HALT; FRONT face"
Almost instfnctively they Obeyed, and
after waiting for the stragglers to come
up, he said in his mildest tone: "Well,
young gentlemen, where are you go
ing?"
One of the men explained in very
excited way that two of ''the boys"
had been maltreated by the villagers
and they were determined on revenge.
"Well,'' said the Professor, 'that may
all be very well; but whom have you
for leader? You can't go on an expe-
dition without leader"
They had not thought of that, they
said.
"Well, suppose I lead you" said
Prof Jackson.
Nothing would suit them better.
Gall right" said the Professor; ''but
before we start we must get little
better organization"
To that end he marched and counter
marched them, wheeled them up and
down the road and, in short, carried
them through all the evolutions neces-
sary for his purpose, which was to cool
them off, That being accomplished, he
halted them before the horseback,
and having lectured them on the dan
ger and the crime, as well as the use
1essness, of such a fight as they had
proposed, he wound up by advising them
to go back to school and be good boys.