Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-01-08
GETTYSBURG.

her House of Burgessess pass
ed an act to abolish slavery within her
borders. She was then a subject of the
British King. He had a veto OH her
every act. He exercised his veto. The
result was that slavery, with all It's at
tending evils, remained and became so
rooted in VlrginIan soil that Virginia,
so inclined from the first, became more
aud more aristocratic, more and more
different from and alien to the colonies
of the North. During the intense
struggle for National Liberty. during
which Virginia did her part, and more,
this mattered little; but after the indie
pendence of the colonies, Virginia pre-
scented the unfortunate and homogeneous
spectacle of free republican form of
government protecting and fostering
the system of personal bondage known
as chattel slavery. Political liberty
was accomplished: personal liberty was
not
This system in the South naturally
engendered race believing in aristOc-
racy, despising labor, and thoroughly
convinced of their natural right, be-
cause of race supremacy to rule. Mean
while in the North, slavery being I'M
profitable, their industries requiring
more intelligent labor, people thor
oughly democratic, honoring labor,
End believing in the right of the popu-
lar masses to rule had developed.
Southern rulers, her white lords, look.
ed with dlsdain and contempt on the
plodding Industries of the North. The
Northern rulers, the plodding indus
trious intelligent people, looked with
contempt on the inhuman, unjust sys-
TEN of chattel slavery in the South.
This unnatural feeling of contempt be-
came more intense and bitter as years
rolled on; and was aided by the agita-
ton of politicians, until it became a
bitter hatred. How much or this,
English tyranny was responsible for,
in vetoing the wishes of the early col
onists of Virginia it is impossible to
tell, but we know that England aided
and abetted the slave holding power to
the last.
Well, as result, armies were raised,
campaigns were organized, brother
fought brother, and father fought son.
1t was struggle of the giants. Great
battles were fought. But military au-
thoritIes all agree that Gettysburg was
the turning point of the struggle.
Up to this point, the champions of
slavery, the army of Virginia had had
almost a trlumphaI march, under the
leadership of that great general, Lee,
ably supported by Ewell, Jackson, Hill
had suffered surprising defeat at Bull
Run. Mcclellan had been vanquished
before Richmond. Pope was defeated
at Manassas, Mcclellan at the End bat
icksburg, and Hooker at ChancelIors
vile, and now the triumphant cham
pions of chattel slavery were invading
loya! territory. Only defeat seemed
to perch on the banners of the army O
the Potomac. But it is q question
whether all these defeats were defeat
of the brave men or defeats of thei
generals, caused by incapaclty, jeal
ousy, intrigue and disunion.
Gettysburg was peculiar battle
While this general and that genera
attempts to reap glory therefrom, W,
believe the most glory belongs to tn
brave men in the ranks.
One peculiar feature of this battle /
| that it was unprecedented. It wa
neither expected nor desired by tn
generals on either side; yet Lee mus
fight or retreat; Meade must fight o
Washington was lost. The Fedora
forces chose their ground, but wer
driven back ali along the line on tn
first day. They then threw their cente
about Cemetery Hill, and upon tn
possession of this one hill depended tn
fate of the day, while the key to tn
situation seemed to be the possessio
of Little Round Top, on the left fans
a comparatively Insignificant hill be
came the centre around which the battl
waged, the possession of which decide
the issue of the day.
Around this center the battle wage
the second day, and the federal line
remained unbroken. On the third day
the most terrible cannonading that eN
er shook American soil poured its Leaf
its confusion and destruction upon til
Union forces about Cemetery Hill, TO
lowed by that wonderful charge, b
Pickett with his division of Virginian
three miles long. The crisis was reach
ed. The climax came. The feder;
ranks stood firm, Pickett was hurle
back.
From that hour aud that day, tt
champions of chattel slavery retreatet
and victory after victory perched @
the banner of the champions of person
al liberty.
Not all the battles of this woIl,
however, are battles of blood. Polit
cal battles as great as Gettysburg ha,
been fought, without the loss of sill
gle life.
A Gettysburg lies before us. Ca
we see il? perhaps not, Even fl