The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1897-06-11

to die in its defence, half million shed
their blood in that fearful conflict to pre-
serve the Union. In thinking of the
losses Of war, we generally speak of
those killed in battle as constituting the
major portion of the-loss. That is not
true. or the 100000 three-year men
who enlisted in the war, 100000 died.
or this number only from ITO, 900 to
120, 900 died on the field of battle or from
wounds received in battle, while twice
that number died from disease contracted
in camp or on the awful marches. That
is the number that died from the imme-
diate effects of the war; but when you
think of those who in the long years
since have died of disease contracted
then, when you consider the thousands
who to-day are dragging out painful
existence, hourly feeling the smart of
their wounds, when you take into ac-
count the weakened bodies, those in our
asylumns whose reason has been de-
throned by the anguish OF noisome pris-
ons, the widowhood that cries, the Or
phanage that pleads-when you look at
all these things, who will write down
the suffering that was made by the war.
A study of the pension lists of the Gov
eminent gives some idea of the havoc
which the war wrought. IL 1894 pen
sions were paid to 737, 1908 invalid soldiers
and to POS, 430 widows. Counting in the
pensioners of the navyaa grand total is
reached Of 500, 544 pensioners, nearly a
million; and do you know what this
means? 1t means that the pension
ers who were on our rolls in the
year 1894 were as many as were included
in the entire muster rolls of all the SOL
diers and sailors of the United States in
THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION,
in the war of 1912, and in the war with
Mexico combined; and this number of
pensioners On our rolls in 1894 comes
within $4,000 of being as many names as
were contained in the enlistment rolls of
all our armies in every war from the Rev
olution to the Civil War. A great PEN
sion list, do you say? All, yes but we
shall not have cause to complain of its
vast proportions many years longer. 1t
has touched high water mark. 1t will
fast decrease now. 1t will never be so
follow the battered flags, fewer sleeve
less coats in the professions to-day, fewer
who were with Sherman on his march 20
the sea, fewer who stood with Hooker
above the clouds, fewer who marched In
the National Capital through Pennsyl-
vania avenue in that last grand review.
All this was fearful sacrifice, but it
tells us very plainly at what price our
peace was won. To-day the land is not
Jared by the wheels of the rumbling car
of war, to-day the weight Of 4,000,0 900
CALLING letters does not rest upon the
conscience of the nation, to-day we are
brothers in happy, united peace from
Lake Passamaquoddy to Lake Pontchar-
| train; then ought we not to maintain that
| peace? Grant hated war he only fought
so much like lion that he might the
sooner enjoy quieter times. Lincoln
hated war; he accepted it as fearful
necessity when to stave it off longer was
cowardice and folly. All the great lead
ers on both sides hated war, and yet
there was this difference, too: AS Mr.
Lincoln expressed it, s'Both parties dep
recated war; but one would make war
rather than7let the Nation survive, the
other would accept war rather than
let the Nation perish" This
Memorial day celebrates not war; it
commentaries hard earned peace.
The Jewish national memorial day was
recognition Of the hand Of God in the
nations deliverance. Our great Memo
rial day is recognition that this nation
and all nations are accountable to God.
While this nation harbored the wrong of
slavery, there could be no peace. Com
promises could not bring it; setting one
territory off for the occupation OF free
man and another territory for the occu-
patton of slave holders could not bring
il; postponement, vacillation and delay
could not bring 1t. Slavery was the
child that stirred within the nations
womb, and there could be no rest until
the child was cast out. Slavery was the
ogre that frightened righteous men In
the night. Garrison could not rest. and
Lovejoy could not rest, and Beecher
could not rest, and Whittier, the Quaker
bard, could not rest, and the North could
not rest until slavery was throttled and
killed. II was misapplication OF terms
TO call that rest when all the while the
hidden passions were stirring and the