The Princeton union., 1898-06-02

demon OF war, which this act Of yours (the act
OF secession) will inevitably provoke. when orr
green trees. and waving haryests. shan he
trooden down by a murderous soldiery. our
temples OF Justice laid in ashes and every hor
tor and desolation Is upon u.s. who but this
convention, will be held responsible for it. and
VINO put him who has given his vote for this
unWlse, and ill-timed measure shall he held Ia
| q strlct account for this suicidal act by the
present generation, and be cursed and ex-
ecrated by posterity, in all coming time for
tne wide and desolating ruin that will newt
ABLY follow this act you now propose to ne,.
petrate? Leaving out of view
Tor the present. the countless millions Of dol
iars you must expend in war with the North
Win tens OF thousands of your sons and BROTH
ers, slain In battle, and offered up as sacrifices
on the altar Of your ambition for whats ask
again. Is it for the overthrow of the American
government established by our common an
cestry-cemented and founded on the broad
principles of right, justice and humanity? 7
must declare to you here as have often done
before. and it has also been declared by the
greatest and wisest statesmen and patriots OF
thls and other lands, that the American gov
ernment is the best and freest Of all govern
ment, the most equal in it's rights. the most
just IN It's decisions, the most lenient in it's
measures and the most inspiring in it's princi-
pies to elevate the race of man. that the sun
OF heaven ever shone upon" But the newspa
pers ana the congressman Of the South were
almost unit for secession and so the warning
voice of Stevens was drowned in the mad crv
for war, and on April Il, 1861, South Carolina
turned her cannon against the walls of Fort
Sumpter. For moment the great heart of tine
nation stood still: but on the 18th day of Anril
! came President Lincoln's call for volunteers
hundred thousand loyal men promptly re-
sponded to the call The war of the slave
holders rebellion. had begun against the
Union, and the constitution framed by the
Federal convention. of 1887 adopted by the
patriots of the Revolution, and committed to
the keeping Of the loyal men of '6l War con-
tlnued for four years: it cost the nation nearly
four thousand millions of dollars in addition
to millions appropriated by the several states
and by the cities, towns and villages through.
out the land. It cost the Union army half a
million lives: it left it's whitening impress on g.
million more; itwas proportionately disastrous
10 the men who began it. Lincoln in his second
inaugural address thus spoke of it: ''Fondly do
we nope, feryently do we pray, that this mighty
scourge OF war may speedily pass away Yet
II Goa Wills. that it continue, until all the
wealth, piled by the bondsman's two hundred
ana hfty years Of unrequited toll shall be sunk
and until every drop of blood drawn with the
lash shall be paid by another. drawn with the
s"ocd as was said, three thousand years ago.
SO must it still be said. the iudgments of the
LORD are true and righteous all together''..
MY friends. our comrades living and dead
took issue with this treason and rebellion on
the held OF battle: and because of this and of
their fortitude and heroism the living come to-
day. to do honor to the dead. Without one I'M
Kind word, or even bitter thought of those who
forced this unnoly war upon US with onlv re-
gret for those whose lives or health were vain1v
sacrlhced in waging it against u.s. and with
humane sympathy for those who mourn their
| trends or kindred so vainly sacrificed we new
ertheless, most solemnly protest against the
cause for which they fought and deem it fortu-
nate that it was lost.
What were some of the results of this mighty
conflict? -Four million of slaves were made
treemen. Slavery was crushed to earth never
to rise again. National supremacy was de-
termlned We became conscious of our power.
and the world after witnessing with wonder
the transformation of a nation OF farmers and
traders and manufacturers into a well organ
lzed. we'll disciplined well directed army. saw
with equal anlazen1ent at the close of the war.
million veterans quietly go back to the ayo-
cations OF peace. Not only did we become con-
sclous OF our national power, but the nations
OF the world also recognized it. They We'd with
each other in doing honor to the military gen.
lus OF our great captain: they promptly ad-
Justed any national differences with U.s. AS an
instance Of his.~let me remind you that ma
tlon kindred with us in language literature and
rellglOn; nation that before the war of the
feoeIllon from our first existence had treated
US with arrogance and insult: nation that
was seldom known to do a just or generous act
TO weaker power: a nation that while we
were struggling in death grasp with the slave
holders Confederacy drove our commerce from
the seas with its piratical cruisers sailing un-
oer the rebel flag: that nation, within five
years after the close of the war, submitted to
arbitration our claims for damages caused by
It's piracy and promptly paid the Judgment
awarded therefor. To-day their public men
and public prints openly express their sympa-
thy with us in our war with Spain. The war
MADE us IN fact as we'll as in name one of the ma
tfons OF the earth strong enough to protect our
SAoAHOiio dG uou1C tbuu dDfOdQ. BuC the rule that
from those to whom much is given much will
be required'' holds good in reference to nations
as we'll as to individuals. 1t was not enough
that a man was a good soldier and at the close
OF the war received an honorable discharge
1t was and ever will be pre-eminently the duty
OF brave soldier to become an honest and
honorable citizen. So must the nation which
becomes powerful in war be just and wise in
peace. Its perpetuity will ever depend upon
the Valor, the virtue, and the patriotism of it's
citizens. These essential qualities of good Cit
lzenship are necessary in peace as we'll as in
war; peace has it's conflicts as well as war:
conflicts which call forth the highest qualities
OF manhood and citizenship. The fortitude
With which we meet these conflicts may not be
as conspicuous as when shown upon the field of
battle but every man who bravely does the
right as his conscience dictates deserves well
OF his country. Let US merit* this approbation
Within the past year it had seemed to the
careful observer that the United States had
reached that high plain of civilization which
submits all questions of International differ
ences to arbitration where such submission can
be made without national dishonor; but this
dream OF universal peace has been rudely de-
StrOVeQ, TODAY we find o11rca11oc +,