The San Francisco call., 1897-06-01

peusatiOn ef our free government, the second
coming OF the Messiah OF human liberty; pa ges
on which are recorded the marvellous changes
Ia oar constitution, giving meaning TO the
Declaration OF Independence and m aking il a
consistent foundation on which TO rest our
scheme of government.
I My comrades: Your share in this glor ious
epoch of American history will never be for
gotten. Memorial lay has made your fame
secure AS The years roll on you and Will
have passed out OF the personal reco lection
of men. few immortal names will forever
remain as household words. TAe names of
Lincoln and GRAFT ana Farragut Will never
die. Around that of Lincoln VIII De grouped
the statesmen who stood by his side, and the
hi ehty host OF loyal men who supported b i'm
and the noble women who sustained 10y their
prayers and gave him their fathers and nus
bands and sons a willing sacrifice upon the
altar of their country.
OBJECTS OF ORGANIZATION
And now, my comrades let me speak briefly
OF the objects and purposes of our orgeniza-
tiOn, and OF some OF the duties deyolved upon
US as members ana as citizens.
In the stupendous conflict OF the Rebellion
over three millions OF soldiers OF one blood
and one kindred were engaged. That portion
OF this vast army in which you bore so honor
able part carried the flag which typifeS ;he
grandeur ana glory OF the American Union to
final and lasting victory In that great
struggle over quarter of million brave men
LAID down their lives in defense of the Union
while many thousands returned to their homes
shattered and broken in health, and soon alter
field.
Tnis ives q mighty holocaust-an unprece-
dsnted sacrifice 10 country and to principle.
The ReYoIuuJnRry War cost in blood ana
treasure less thHn the single camp pRign of the
Wilderness and the invesnture of Richmond
By he immortal Grant.
Looking back along the thrty-two years
which have elapsed since the closing scenes of
the Rebellion at Apomattox it difficult to
rescue tnat glorious period from the oblivion
to which third of a century of most remark
alb e material development has tended to con-
sign ii.
. THE C. A. RS WORK.
] will not so ar impeach the patriotism and
the gratitude OF the Americai pc0p.e as 70 say
that without your organized effort the Rebel
lion would long since have pas ed out of the
memory Of man, except as historical episode.
But dc say that but tor the Grand Army OF
the Republic and Its associated auxiiiarics,
and, more than all, the annual memorial
which we here to-day celebrate, the American
youth would have had but little conception OF
the true significance of the most remarkable
page in The wor DIS history.
IT was logical sequence that out OF COM
radeship of lour years around the campfire
there should arise an organization such as
ours, and IL was also logical and natural that
some memorial should he instituted to keep
fresh the memory OF those who had given their
lives that the Nation might live.
1t is common history tnat the Rebellion had
its rise in Ihe fundamental misconception that
our Government was voluntary association
or confederation OF states, any one o. which
cOu d, on lis own motion, withdraw from III e
compact, and that the General Government
possessed power TO compel obedience 10
Federal laws against an unwilling peop4e or
TO coerce q State TO remain in The Union.
After fighting our years 10 overthrow this
destructive and dangerous heresy, al the end
CT which the South yielded only to superior
hum bers, but did not then Yield the priuciple,
IL was natural that the soldiers of the Union,
who had boIne the brunt Of the struggle
should desire TO ntain a civic organfza-
ton. not only 10 perpetuate associations of
comradeship, but 10 keep alive a spirit Of
loyalty to the Government
AFTER DIsBANDMENT
Who could foresee what might follow the dis
bandment of our armies a ii the return of the
rebel soldiers to their homes, where the uni
versa sentiment was one of hostility. TO tie
Union? Who cou,d predict that q princi ple
deeply i'm bedded in the popular minds of the
people of the South and that had crystsllized