Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-06-04

less sweep, proclaming to the nations OF the
world and to generations yet to come, the SOW
erignty OF God, the permanently OF the govern
ment at Washington and the perpetuity OF a ma
ton whose blood-Dought banner might never
more bow I'm shame and disgrace, In tatters and
in rags, to oppression and wrong.
| My friends the rebound from that shock
came. 1t was the moment Of the supreme test
OF our ability to self government. Men came
from the battle fields OF Lexington and Bunker
Hill, from Saratoga and the Brandywine, from
the fair plains of the Mississippi, and the his
toric Tippecanoe, from tempted hills and Sc
questered wales, from city and country. Men
from all vocations The farmer left his pillow In
in the furrow, the mechanic his plane ON the
bench, the merchant his mart OF trade the doctor
| exchanged the lancet for the sword. the lawyer
briefs for battle, preachers the robe for the
vestment OF service, pedagogues left their desks
students their books. Fathers looked into the
fair faces OF their children, babe their brave
wives farewell. Mothers in heroic sacriHc of.
fered in their devotion upon the altar of their
country, their sons as did their illustrious kind
OF yore.
Then said the mother to her son,
And pointed to his shield,
Come with it, when the battles done,
| Or on 1t from the field. ..
Young men came, the blood OF heroic ances-
tors bounding In their VEINS enthusiasm in their
step, courage in their heart, fire in their eye,
and determination in their attitude. They all,
swinging into line, clad in the nations blue
heroic multitude, "ofrerlng their bodies a living
sacrifice" to their country. their God and truth,
came singing,-"We are coming Father Abra-
ham, a hundred thousand more" until million
bayonets sprang from the ground and million
men rushed to the defense OF a nation, not for
personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT not for spoils of vic
tory but scause the integrity of the nation had
been aSsailed, the sancity of the home invaded
and their destiny imperiled. These are the men,
a.small remnant Of whom are before you, whose
deeds we arr met here to memorabilia, whose
virtues to recall, whose memories to cherish and
perpetuate. May these flowers be to them the
incense OF our praise, may our voices he the
echo Of our hearts To them we love to bow our
heads in homage. and in memory of those
sleeping on a thousand hills, made sacred by
their hallowed dust, until every bush Is fame
of fire, breathing, the spirit of their devotion.
1t is recorded that faith was accounted unto
| Abraham for righteousness" in that,
"when he was called oheyed to 20; and he went
out, not knowing WHITTIER SO these went out
not knowing, the long weary marches, the hot
burning sands, the hunger and thirst, the biv
iouac on wet and frozen ground, under stormy
skies; not knowing the murderOus hail iOf bat
teries, the suffering and distress, the lingering
fever in hospitals, the wasting death, the graves
marked unknown" not knowing what was in
finitely worse, the slow starvation, disease, the
| horrible inhuman torture. the living death Of
| the prison pens OF Libby and Ande sOnville, yet
faithful to the end.
| For the heroic we need not search the annals
OF Greece or Rome, nor 20 the battle field of the
Crimea nor ransack the records Of Lucknow,
here every village has its heroes, every hill
sings their praises, a REASONED nation tells the
story OF noted sacrifice and prncely valOr
Chicamagua vies with Thermopyae, Gettysburg
ranks In history as does Marathon, while Look
out Mountain Outrank in enthusiasm and dar-
ing valor battles ancient or modern.
Much fain would tell did time permit, of the
yalor the victories, aye, and the defeats Of Shiloh,
OF Pittsburg Landing, of Vicksburg, Of Sher-
mans triumphant march, OF Sheridan's resist
! less raids Their deeds are written in poetry,
while tie Nation most inspiring lyrics COM
memorate their achievements.
| Upon the monument erected at Thermapylae,
| In memory of the brave three hundred who fell
! there, LeOniGas, inscribed this epita Pill.
died for our country and in obedience to Jer
laws" With greater cause and greater graft
tude let us erect monuments enduring to the
end OF time whose peerless shafts Of mar
BILE and FURNISHED statues of bronze shall say,
go Pilgrim-citizen proclaim to all people,
'that we, the soldiers of the republic fell in de-
Tense of its laws, its liberties, its life, died
that all might be free. Go tell that though its
resources are illimitable. that though there is
room for Seething millions yet to come, that
while its merchant fleet may float in every sea,
and its products enrich the world; while the
one who would predict its future would be con-
sidered visionist, indeed; yet With all its re-
sources all its compass, it is too small TO con-
tain two nations. Its area Is too compressed
for two standing armies, for two national ri
valries with keen sectional jealouSies, for two
sections with increasing liability to foreign com
plicatiOns land decreasing power OF assertion
No!"Un!ted we stand'-Apart we never can be-
| pronounce no empty, meaningless eulOgy,
when l state that the present condition Of this
country has been made possible through you.
Its wonderful growth, its developing resources,
its unrivalled prosperity, its proud place among
earths great nations, its position for the future
as arbitrator of International complications
this a:lnonument to your deeds.
oOlulelS vi the republic, your uceuS were
wrought in blood, but they are treasured in the
hearts of grateful people and inscribed on the
imperishable pages OF history, while generations
yet unborn will rise up to call you blessed. The
The enduring names OF Grant, Thomas. Sher-
man Sheridan and many others will blaze bright.
| ly upon the armament of national history, yet
believe me, that the record shall not fail to re-
| count the supreme devotion of the ranks, the
private soldiers, who arose supremacy In their
might making thelrscountr'ys preservationIpos-
| sible.
In the midst of this am impressed with the
fact that in the onrushing tide of affairs, In this
practical age, the expression of appreciation Is
often post-morten. We erect monuments over
the grades of our loved ones, and inscribe there
sacred to the memory of devoted Wife
Placing In epitaphs what ought have been
spoken when ears were open to hear and hearts
sensitive to feel the impulse OF love. An
| old Scotch woman lay dying. The sor-
rowing husband sat holding her worn
hand in his, and seeing she was soon to leave
him, broke through his life long scotch reserve