Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-09-21
MIR. shirIey's Debate.

Our yotlngcountyman Geo. P. Shirley,
who was admitted to practice in the Su
preme Court of Appeals at its term just
closed here, and who will locate for the
practice of law at the enterprising town
| of Parsons, in the county of Tucker. was
a participant in the inter-society debate
at the West Virginia University last
June as the champion of the Columbian
Society. AS apropos TO his embarkation
upon his chosen avocation we reproduce
his remarks upon that occasion:
Resolved, That the standing army OF
the United States should be increased
The sentiment that in time of peace we
should prepare for war has been trans
mitted from distant ages when brute
force prevailed.
1t is a terrible inheritance, which pain
fully reminds the people of our day of
their relations with the past. 1t belongs
to the rejected dogmas of barbarism. 1t
is a companion of those measures by
which tvrants rule the world and put their
own selfish aims before the good of the
people. This is sentiment founded in
ignorance and barbarisrn unworthy an
age of light and disgraceful to christian
and civilized nations. 1t creates suspicion,
and Is a forerunner of violence. What
need have we to prepare for WARP Why
burden the people who are now groaning
under the weight of heavy taxation to
support a large standing army when we
are at peace with the world? Our ships
of commerce gaily ride the waves, carry
ing our products to all peoples. Our flag
is respected abroad and other nations are
sending thousands yearly to this, the
freest land on Gods eanh. They come
often to escape the tyranny of kings and
monarchs and even to avoid serving in
the armies of those rulers. Our govern
ment springs from the hearts of the peo-
pie; no janizaries are needed for its sup
port. 1t only remains for it to declare
war and from the north and from the
south, from the east and west will come
men armed with the love of liberty, of
their homes and country sufficient to re-
pei any foe who dare invade her. The
words of Bozarris, as he cheered his men
to victory against the Turks, are needed
only to raise discrimination within the
hearts of the Americans to win or die.
"Strke till the lass armed foe expires,
Strike for your affairs and your fires.
Strike for.the green graves of your sires,
God, and you native land"
These are the words which thrill every
heart and make the weak man strong.
When he thinks of his home, the place
held by all most dear, and feels that home
in danger,a courage will spring up within
his heart which no drilling nor training
can give, and push him on to victory.
Thegreat civil war clearly demonstrated
this. Show me better soldiers than both
armies had during that struggle. The
men who marched up the heights at
Fredericksburg, who faced certain death
as they went were not men drilled in the
arts of war, yet on they tramp their num-
Der each moment becoming becoming less
and less uuder the fire of Lees entrenched
army until they We're almost annihilated
before they rereated.
These men thought the preservation of
their country depended upon them and
when the call came they were ready to
fight, yea to sacrifice their lives if need
be for that cause.
Now the scene changes; on the fertile
fields of Pennsylvania surrounding the
little town of Gettysburg is intrenched
the army of General Meade. For two
days the battle has ragged and now comes
the time when the issue of the battle
must be determined. Men must be found
to drive them from those breastworlSs or
all is lost. From the ranks of General
Lees army comes Pickett's command to
perform that hazardous task. Up the
hill they go, right in the face of the Sc
verest fire from thousands of muskets,
while the thunderous tones of the cannon
shake the earth, strewing the ground with
dead and dying men until from the hills
runs blood almost like water. Still they
stagger on undaunted until they reach
the works and scale the wall, when bleed
ing and discouraged they are forced
down the hill. No truer courage was
ever shown, and yet these men had moth
ing but the cause they thought right to
impel them
General Hooker after witnessing the
Franco Prussian war said: 1T would be
down hill work to whip their armies COM
pared to the men who fought against us
in our late struggle"
Did those men come from the regular
army? No, the farm, the store, the Of
fee and shop, furnished soldiers for both
sides, and no truer and braver men were
ever found than were furnished by the
north and south.
Chauncey Depew has said:
The experiment of the civil war ha.
shown that in three months we can draft
mobilize and instruct over 5000, 600 0
soldiers. All the transports and navie
OF the world could not land on our shore
an army which could march one hundred
miles from the seaport, or even return 1
their ships. With all the world in arm
against US the vast interior of our cont
nent,. except in its industrial and ecc
nonic phases, would know nothing O
the trouble. and never see foreign uni
form except on a prisoner of war. Sc
cure in our isolation, supreme in our re