Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-06-03

to Gen. Lee IN Virginia. Their,
magnaminity won the hearts 81 the
enemies they conquered IN arms, and.
there was wisdom and statesm an
shtp:in their broad policy Of con-.
Citation. It was wise to treat the
conquered enemy kindly. wise to
make him feel that this is his
country, and this government his
government. It is this policy that has
reunited our nation, and that today
presents to the world the spectacle
Of the men who wore the blue and
those who wore the gray, rival
colors under conflicting flags. now
standing side by side and unitedly
sustaining the honor of American
arms, American spirit, and American
institutions. But, my friends, can
we not, as 1 have said. justly claim
that it was the success and the ma
ture of the national cause in the late
war that makes the position of Am
erica before the world today a pos.
sibility.
Briefly consider the great questions
at issue. Although our nation was
at first established on the broad
basis Of equal rights to all, human
slavery became dominant element
in the direction of it's affairs, and the
original principle OF equal right was
lost sight of. AS President Lincoln
said at Gettysburg. "Four score and
seven years ago our fathers brought
forth upon this continent a new ma
ton conceived in liberty and dedi-
Gated to the proposition that all
men are created equal. Now we are
engaged in great civil war testing
whether that nation or any nation
so conceived and SO dedicated can
long endure" Iu the Declaration Of
Independence it was broadly as
serted as a self evident, axioma tic
truth, that all men are created
equal; that they are endowed by
their creator with certain inalieanble
rights, amongst which are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness;
and that to secure these rights
governments are instituted amongst
men deriving their just powers from
the consent OF the governed" But
at the same time that this grand
celebrating was grandly made
human slavery existed amongst US
as domestic institution and a po-
litical power. 1t was indirectly but
plainly recognized in ourfundamental
law. but our early patriots and
statesmen confidently expected it
would naturally die out here as it
had done in the mother country, but
through modern invention, the ex:
tension of commerce and manafact-
ure it became more profitable, and
while it died out In; the original
Northern states. 1t extented In the
South until it became the dominat-
ing idea of the whole section. 1t
claimed and received recognition and
control OF the great states of the
South and boldly and arrogantly
demanded extension even into north
ern territories naturally and po-
lit1cally free. This arrogant claim
was denied. Then, at slavery's die
tum the south withdrew from the
union and sought to establish a
confederacy based on the Institution
of slavery as the corner stone of it's
political ediffce. Here two: great
fundamental principles are claimed.
both antagonistic to our national
greatness, the permanent establish
ment of slavery, and the dissolution
of the federal union.
Another principle fundamental to
national success was involved in the
great questions at issue. tO-wit:
State VS.. National Supremacy. We
have then, as the great questions OF
the fierce contention of the eos:
First, slavery as opposed to free
dom; the dissolution as against the
permanence of the national union;
and the supremacy of the states
separately as against the national
government.
Slavery is relic of barbarism, alb
horrent to the enlightened Judgment
of mankind, and happily it's powers
were consumed in the cOnflagration
itself evoked. - -.
@ The union of these states is the
secret of their peace and their power.
Had secession succeeded in the war
of the COS who can say where it
would have ended? Or what the final
adjustment of the Earring fragments.
"a thousand years scarce serve to form state,
An hour may lay it in the dust;
Who can then its shattered splendors renovate,
Recall its virtues back and vanquish time and
fate! 81
History presents it's most pathetic
pictures in the ruin Of great states.
On the ruin of their nation the cap