The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-05-31

His warfare was an idea armed with fire
and sword. From Manassas until the las,
remnant D. the rebellion had been bro.
ken and crushed, he followed the for.
tunes OF the flag
nis great commander was the personi-
fcation Of the spirit of the north Up
from the ranks OF the poorest and hum
blest he rose to be veritable demi-God
Of war He was unknown at the begin
ming OF the war. and was entirely its
creation out OF the mouth OF che hurri-
cane he sprang. from the earthquake he
was evolved TO lead the triumph lie
combined precision. foresight. prudence.
frmness. the ancient classic courage. with
military genius. His was the mystery OF
q profound soul In its association wita
destiny. His soldiers loved him with n
love that stemmed the tide at shiloh and
found a path up the slippery slopes OF
Lookout mountain. Great in battle. hs
was supreme In final victory. At Apo
mattox in the name Of the north he held
out his hand TO the south lie told them
that il was IN sorrow rather than Ia an
ger this war had been fought between
the states. that henceforward they would
be brothers as Gods destiny meant them
to be. "He who stoops above the fallen.
stands erect" II he had done nothing
else than frame the terms OF that surren-
der. that fact alone would make the name
Of Grant immortal.
The northern soldier expected it would
be a short war. How many times have I
heard 1t said at the time of enlistment
they thought It would all be over but the
shouting in ninety days. An the men
who stood against them were the des-
cendants Of those who signed the Dec
laration OF Independence-wh crossed
the Delaware with Washington, whose
feet left blood-stained prints In the snow
at Valley ForRe-who made Burgoyne
surrender-who were at Yorktown and
felt the first wild joy of yictory-wlth
Commodore Perry on Lake Erie, or tho
gallant Lawrence or Paul Jones-wlth
Jackson behind the cotton bales OF New
Orleans, who had charged at Matamoras
and stormed the heights OF Chapultapec
who had scattered Santa Annas armies
to the winds and placed another star
upon the flag An easy victory? II was
a foeman no other force could have ov-
ercome who was never conquered until
every resource was exhausted and all
hope fed. Men who made Gettysburg
Antietam and ,amauga possible. Men
who could be transformed into incarnate
demons OF war that history might tell
of Picketts charge and Malvern I'm ana
the tempestuous battles Of the Wilder
ness
And II the lot OF the soldier Of the north
was hard what shall l say of the soldier
OF the south. He believed the institution
OF slavery had been sanctioned by the
q N.as a a.
fathers father had been shareholders
from the earliest dawn of civilization into
the Western Hemisphere. AS he inter
preted the constitution, as dear to him as
to his brother in the north, the right to
hoo and own slaves was recognized
there That industry comprised almost
half the entire wealth OF the south. lie
looked upon slave-holdng as an inalien-
able right He resented the interference
OF the north. which he said knew nothing
about it. lie regarded the most honest
as religious zealots and the most cor
rupt as seeking TO despoll him OF his law
fu. property. But more than all, slavery
being protected ana upheld by the constl-
tuition, he regarded the movement to-
wards its abolition as a blow at the con-
stitutlon itself. Eacn side had grown to
regard its view as power delegated In
trust commission from the Most High,
with the sanction Of Divine right Each
felt It was a Holy duty 10 arm against
oppression, that indifference was treason,
and patience nothing less than blasphe-
my.
The southern soldier marched and
fought with the stubborn courage thar
animated our forefathers at Concord
Bridge and Bull Run They fell In the
charge. before the abattis, impoled by
bayonet. torn by shrapnel. grape and can
lister, blown TO pieces in the red glare OF
the cannon's mouth, I'm the vortex OF he'll
with smile on their lips, with a des-
peratlon eQualled only by their combat
ants. and never surpassed In the history
of the world. They went without pay,
without suitable food, without proper
clothes or equipment, without bases OF
supply and without supplies 10 form
base, for more than two years without
hope. until finally hemmed In. surround
ed, overpowered, they laid down their
arms, took on their ragged caps and gave
a cheer for General Lee. Then they went
back, what was left of them, TO the place
they once called home. Back, SCARED by
wounds. wasted by privation and dis
ease, they find their fields laid waste,
their stock run oh or killed, their loved
ones scattered or dead-back TO the ash
es Of their homes and there they have
Duilded q new south, rich, prosperous,
puissant. with the bow OF Gods promise
above 1t, and Axed forever in the archl-
lecture OF the republic
There Il no part OF the union more Loyal
than the south. Our nag foas above q
free nation, and It gives no prorhise It will
not fulfill
AT last, at last, each glowing star,
In that pure field OF heavenly blue,
on every people shining far
Burns, 10 its utmost promise true"
A few days ago, in the capital OF a
great southern state, all business was
suspended and all civil and military au-
thority united In a pageant that passed
in imposing sOlemnity through ITS streets
Throughout the nation the flags were az
half mast and our guns doomed salutes
from all our naWes on the seas. That
procession was a fnreral cOrtege and on