The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-05-20

ment to Abraham Lincoln, situated a. 10 10
among the historic scenes and classical sur.
roundings of the ATHENS of the North"
"Twice," he says, "have spent the glorious
anniversary of our Nations Independence in
the land from which came the brave Gen.
Hugh Mercer, who fell at the battle Of Prince
ton, n j.. Jan. 3, 1777, in our war of the Revo.
luton; the land from which came Gen. John
Macarthur. of Chicago; the forefathers of James
B. Steedman. Of Ohio; James B. McPherson
and Ulysses 8. Grant, and there recalled how
much was due to each for preserving this Ms
ton in the civil war of 1876"
And to these he might have added long and
mighty roll of Scotch or scotch-Irish heroes
and patriots, descendants of the soldiers and
martyrs of Scotland, who gave new emphasis
to the valor Of their forbears not only in the
struggle for American Independence in 1776,
but for freedom, emancipation, and National
unity in 1876.
Many of these are prominent in the civil, re-
lieious and military annals of to-day; the Me-
Kinleys, McCooks, Allisons, Campbels and
stalwart men innumerabe, the names Of whose
birth and kin are written on the monuments at
Gettysburg. Chattanooga, Andersonville, and
in the multtudinous cemeteries and monu-
ments, great and small, scattered all over this
great land of ours.
How fitting it is that Abraham Lincoln, look.
ing down from the slopes of Cation Hill, should
remind the descendants of the men whose
heads were put on pixies and stood up on the
walls of Castle Rock because they dared mako
stand the moore and the mountains for
civil and religious liberty, that there is . land
beyond the sea governed by the principles for
which they fought, made possible by the
achievements of the men in whose veins their
blood flows strong and pure.
Beyond the Castle Rock is Grass Market,
where so many heroes who escaped the sword
tI,ah C1or I'D. oy,A
further is the old walled Enclosure of Gray
Friar's Church, where 1000 prisoners from
Boutwell, Bridge were huddled together like
cattle in a pen. deprived of their blankets and
denied any roof or cover exposed to the mists
and frosts of the Scottish climate, denied all
food but morsels of coarse bread, until within
four months 600 of them had been carried out
side of the Enclosure and buried in trench in
q corner of the churchyard.
few took the oath never to bear arms in
the cause in which they had enlisted, but the
vast majority chose death or Punishment; and
of the latter, $50 were exiled to the American
colonies only to be overtaken by shipwreck, all
but 40 meeting death in the briny deep.
The monument to Sir Walter Scott stands in
the heart of Edinburg, and is one of the prin-
cipal sights Of the new city, towering up from
almost every point of view; but on Cation Hill
is the monument to Robert Burns, and the Ma
tionai Monument in memory of the heroic Scots
who fell in battle in the great French war, an
exact copy in form of the reproduced Parthenon
at Athens. And among such surroundings Lin
coin stands, hope and promise for coming
ages.
The monument to Abraham Lincoln was
erected during the consulate of Honorable
Wallace Bruce our Scottish American poet,
from funds solicited by him from representa-
tive Americans, but the civic authorities Of
Edinburg showed their approval and sympathy
by participating in the dedication, headed by
the Lord Provost of Ediuhurg. After the
monument had been unvaiIed by the Consups
daughter it was formally given over to the
keeping of the City of Edinburg.
Gen. John Corson Smith is himself splen.
did type of the Scottish American soldier. He
belongs to q very old Scottish family, promi.
nent freeholders in Ayrshire. Alexander Smith,
the Scottish poet, and, more recently. Robert
Louis Stevenson, the Scottish novelist, are to
be identified with that family.
In the great struggle for civil and religious
liberty in Scotland. the Ayrshire Smiths TOOK
a conspicuous part, and at least two OF the
names are enrolled on the monuments TO the
Scottish martyrs.
Gen. Smith was born in Philadelphia, Pa,
Feb. 13. 1882 In 1861 he left the office Of
Assistant superintendent of Construction of
the Custom House, of Dubuque, Iowa, to be-
CAPTAIN of Co. l. goth Ill. He was promoted
Major, and successfully Colonel and Brigadier-
General He was Chief OF Staff to Gen. James
B. Steedman at Chickamauga, Lookout Mount
ain, and the battles around Chattanooga, and
was severely wounded at Kenesaw Mountain.
He was twice brevetted for gallautry. Gen.
Smiths ancestry, ON Scottish and English
Sides served in the army and navy OF Greas
Britain. His father and two brothers were In
the Union army, and both brothers were
killed in battle.