The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-31

LCIAACC4i4O SO14AlOb eA6CNJ AZ t4i4S hNNA AA0-
the hearts Of the people are thrilling and
throbbing as never before, at the bugie
call of the worlds humanity and the ma
TONS duty we will offend no American
when we fittingly honor our dead.
My countrymen, these men who died
may not have known. but you and
know now, that the roar of their battles
was but the echo of Gods footsteps marcn
! ing on. L am a believer in an over-ruling
j Providence, in the Infinite Wisdom that
! guides the destinies OF nations, as of men.
( [ am deeply impressed with the thought
/ that this great western hemisphere OF
ours is under the especial guidance Of
! Gods great plan; that we as a people
are struggling onward and upward to the
| fuldlIment of a supreme purpose. 1t was
! Gods providence that kept the new world
( In ell its virgin strength and beauty until
the restless races of men had reached
a civilization fit 20 be transplanted here.
II was Gods providence that gave
strength and courage and victory to the
little band of sturdy patriots who
wrought the mighty miracle of American
independence. 1t spoke in every line Of
the Declaration of independence, 1t in
spired the pen of Emancipation, and the
sword Of Appomabox Columbus, Wash
lDELOl, Lincoln, NTTdQll DtQ chance S04SGl
them each for his glorious work so glori-
ously performed? Let the fool answer
how he will. prefer to see the finger of
supreme design. That finger. may be, is
even now moving toward another man;
a man who shall lead our triumphant
osts to glorious victory for liberty and
unanity, who shall wreak Gods ven
geance on wicked, cruel, mercilsss Spain.
and drive from this hemisphere the last
vestige Of tyranny and oppression. And 1t
may we'll be said that some sword, sheath
ed in defeat, by the judgment of God, that
liberty might be the heritage of every
American child, will now by command of
Jehovah himself leap from its scabbord
to give liberty and self-government to
the oppressed and down-trodden people
of the beautiful island Of Cuba.
What an inspiring sight to see those
who once fought against each other now
rallying under the one flag, exulting and
rejoicing that the azure field of the Union
banner holds in equal honor every star of
statehood. and singing together the re-
arranged music of the Union-Yankee
Doodle and Dixie-the favorite airs.
After a third Of a century of peace
and prosperity all the children of our
common country kneel at the altar of
reunited faith. The blue and the gray
lie in eternal slumber side by side. He
roes all, they fell face to face, brother
against brother, to eXpatiate nations
sin. The lonely fresides and the unknown
graves; the memory of the loved the
yearning for the lost; the desolated affairs,
and the broken hopes are past recall. The
wings of our weak protest beat in vain
against the iron bars of fate. But through
Tho T1oirp1ad hot 20 Ill + a
honored dead of both. the north and south
turn hopeful eyes to that new future of
prosperity and power, possible only in the
shelter Of the dear old flag. To the con-
querers and 20 the conquered. to the white
man and the black, to the master and
slave, the result of Gods providence. I'm
der normal conditions, I am opposed to
sermonizing, to the reading of homilies
and 10 the discussion of public questions
on Decoration Day. I believe our service
should be love service; of prayer and
praise and song, that out of the heroic
Of the past we should draw new
Inspirations Of patriotism and find new
ardor for the preservation of the free
Institutions which came to us through
the baptism of fire and blood But, nv
countrymen, for the first time in the his
tory of Decoration Day. we are at war.
Once more upon the soil of old Virginia. |
the federal bayonets are agleam. From |
day to day the boys in blue pass by; the |
reveiile. the bugle. call is heard even in |
this city Of the silent dead This time.
thank God, the war is not sectional There /
are no brothers arrayed against brothers; /
no Americans against Americans. There /
s only one uniform IN all the land, one /
Tag in all the sky. one sentiment in the !
breasts OF all the heroes of the re- /
public.
War Is a terrible thing, TO be Stunned /
and avoided whenever and as far as possi- /
Die But have no sympathy with those /
who believe that war should be avoided /
At the sacrifice of national honor, at the /
expense OF humanity or the loss OF uber- !
y. l can not love those who turn deaf |
ears TO the unceasing cries of the victims I
u tyranny inhumanity and barbarity. be- /
,ause liberty ard relief can OILY come
trough the shedding of blood If I read I
iod history Alright. civilization and /
christianity have not come from the sur
'lVaI OF the tittest, but by the sacrifice
II the best What puny human intelu-
sence dares TO assert that the blood of
lexington was not sacred. even as the
blood Of Calvary. Warren at Bunker Hill
Baker at Balls Bluff. Bagley at Cardenas
al gloriously died to hasten the coming
If Gods Kingdom on earth.
Yea, and Dewey in the harbor Of Ma
lila, was the blessed messenger Of Gods
uSt wrath.
I do not know when this war with
spain viii cease I do not know what I
aeFifces We may yet be called upon 10
make / do not know how many head
tones may yet be added TO this CITY Of
ma dead co not KNOW now many moth
rs hearts may mourn. 90 uot know
low many affairs may be desolated. But |
do know that. v AaJayer the cos. the |
of the new world from, the bar-
'arIty and inaumanity OF SPANS nerci-
ess despotism VIII be worth Il al. 90 /
now that the cementing together OF IN.
.eSrts OF all the people IN enduring friend
hip and abiding love; 90 know that the
onsecraEoa OF American energies the
phIung OF American sentiment in so
nselftsh and holy cause: / % know that
his touching ~ elbows under the me
lag by the men and the sons Of the men
Who faced each other on our battlefelds
nder two hags; I do know that This s,,-
omplishment OF Gods great purpose VIII
ring 70 the American people Ged's ehoic-
st blessing ana reward And l have
aith 20 believe that from above the
peheo heavens the great war president
abraham Lincoln. loks down approvinxly
2 our great war president William AIc-
Ninley. while Grant ard Lee, could they
ut speak TO Us today. would FIRE the
carts OF their Old heutenants now in /
OF the armies OF the tinted
iates with the Inspiring cry: on 10
'uba-'
Rest In peace. mighty dead. The
ause for which YOU fought can never be