The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-10-17
LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS.
Commemorative Tablet to the Two
Patriots Unveiled,
Also a soldiers Monument, ut Galesburg'
uI.-Addresses by Hon. Robert I.
Lincoln and Hon. Chaun-
cey NJ. Depew.

iege honored the memory OF Lincoln
and Douglas by the unwilling OF a
bronze tablet commemorative of the
thirty-eight anniversary of the great
Lincoln-Douglas joint debate. Great
preparations have been under way for
a year, and a large crowd
was present to witness the eX-
e~rcises. During the morning a
beautiful soldiers monument in
Hope cemetery was unveiled. Shortly
after ten o'clock a parade composed of
the local G. A. R., and visiting posts,
the Veterans league, several COM
panies of state militia, the police
and fire departments and Woman's
Relief corps of the G. A. R. passed
through the principal streets and
was reviewed in the public square by
the mayor, Chauncey NJ. Depew, Sena-
tor Palmer and other distinguished
guests. The procession then marched
to Hope cemetery, where the o
ment was unveiled by Hon. Robert L.
Lincoln. AS the monument was I'M
yelled it was saluted by a number of
rounds from two brass field pieces.
Hon. Robert T. Lincoln then delivered
the following address:
Mr.. LincoIn's Address.
The question debated here In 1858 was one as
to which it now seems almost incredible that
there should be opposing parties, and yet that
question caused the longest and most bitter
war of modern times. Human slavery had
been protected by the laws Of the United States
In Is states Of the Union. The republican
party was formed by those who
believed slavery to be 4 heinous
wrong to the enslaved and economically
injurious 10 the community in which it existed;
but the party was formed, not to attack slavery
In the states where 1t was hen lawful, but to
prevent Its extension into other states. The
candidate OF that party was elected president
in 1850, and as chief magistrate he was at once
confronted by the attempted secession from
the Union OF, at first seven, but
soon eleven states with q population
OF five and half millions OF whites and
three and a half millions Of slaves, occupying
d territory nearly four times as large as France,
and having Il sea coast Of more than three
thousand miles. In spite OF the most solemn
and the most authoritative assurances to the
contrary, the people Of the seeding states
claimed that their rights and property we're
menaced by the new administration they
formed a separate government as q nation, Gre
sted armies, seized all national property
within their limits: defed the constitution
and the laws of the Union. The gloom OF those
threatening days can never be forgotten by
those who had passed the age of childhood.
Week after week 1t lasted, but finally 1t
seemed to be diSSipated as by a fash OF light
ming. The flag of the nation had been fired up
on at Fort Sumter All DOUBT and hesitation
disappeared. The world saw the uprising OF 4
great people. Before the little garrison of Fort
Sumter had marched from its ruined walls, u
proclamation was drawn by the president call
ing for 1900 soldiers 10 suppress the inSurrec-
tion, but ere there was time to issue it, there
came TO him, 10 pledge the earnest support of
his great ability and widespread intience in
re-establiShing the authority of the national
government, the great democratic leader
who had been his lifelong political an
tagonist, Stephen A Douglas. In the
peril Of the republic, the contentious
of democracy and republicanism we're by him
and the president put aside, and for the first
time in their lives they claSped hands as allies
in the public cause. In the election then just
past, more than a million devoted blowers in
the north had cast their ballots for Mr.. Doug
las, and TO them and to all others whom his
voice could reach, he did not cease to cry until
his Untimely death: Every man must be for
the United States or against it: there can be
no ~neutrals in this war-only patriots and
traitors"
Upon the appalling events which crowd the
history Of the next four years there is here no
time TO dwell. We enjoy the blessings of the
liberties and Of the great nationality which
the valOr of our defenders has made enduring,
gratefully honor the names Of all OF them.
whether living or dead. And for this we come
to-day to the graves of these dead soldiers,
who were OF the men willing to give their lives
that their country might live.
One great lesson 20 be learned from the lives
Of these men and their comrades Is that no
danger to the republic is so great that it may
not be oveI come by the union of patriots. The
republic may have banded enemies who are
not armed hosts. In the mind Of a lover OF his
country there is no difference between an
attack upon its territory and an attack upon its
honor. When either is lost all is lost that
gives the pride Of citizenship OF n great
country. In the defense OF one, as in the de-
Tense OF the other, there must be q sacrifice of
all private intereSts-a sinking Of all mere
party feelIng-each citizen must listen, not to
the sophiStries addressed 20 his base selfish.
ness, but to the voice OF his conscience. This
is what was done by the patriots of 1861, and
this is what will be done by the
patriots in every national crisis. Their
union then was invincible, and their
union will always be lnvincible. And nov let
Us dedicate this monument to the memory Of
these patriots Of GaleSburg and to patriotism.
Ii is not a monument of pride, put up by the
victors III the flush of their conquest. Since
the close Of the great struggle which il COM
memorates victOrs and vanQuished have by
thousands and tens OF thousands fallen into
the sleep of death under the peaceful shelter
of their homes. With few exceptions
the names of those who we're in high places OF
state on either side or who led armies, or
corps or divisions in battle. or commanded
squadrons on the sea, are in the great cata-
logue Of the dead. To those who survive the
memories brought up by an occasion like
this have long ceased to recall the exu tation
Of victory on one side, or the grief Of de-
feat on the other. The reflections of
more than thirty years have turned the once
bitterly warning streams OF sentiment into one
broad river. on whose current is borne in
safety and in glory the ship of state, and no
one lives under the protection OF its flag who
does not at heart rejoice that the rock OF dis
Union was exploded from its path and the
tanker OF human slavery torn from its frame
work.
Addresses were also delivered by
W. G. Cochran, department COM
mander of Illinois q. A. K. and Mrs.
Marie E. McCaulev, department presi-
dent Illinois W. r. C.
Shortly after l o'clock an address of
welcome was delivered by Col. Clark
Z. Carr. This was followed by an
address by C. E. Nash, president of
the Lombard university The ami
versary Grafton vas then delivered by
Hon. Chauncey NJ. Depew.
In opening his address Mr.. Depew
-z.-l +la conditions ,,,lar yrhioh