Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-06-01

an altogether righteous judgement against
an offending people. And many of you
doubtless remember one of Grant county's
pioneers. man of sublime courage and fer
vor. who, just as many whose names now
appear on yonder shaft were leaving. never
again to return. wrote to his southern
countrymen that the north entered upon
this war "hopfully, joyfully. enthusiastical-
", believing that the contest
which the Southern people have
precipitated in their blindness. will be the
richest boon to them that Heaven can grant.
Though blind they have seen clearly. In
her wild delirium the patient has called for
a medicine more efficacious than the sound
est doctor could have prescribed Yes
the dense darkness of the south has led her
to eternal day; her apostasy has brought
her into the presence of the true God,-eyen
as she falls she rises She ascends with
the bloom of immortality on her cheek. and
the JOY of eternity in her eye-her dross all
consumed, her weakness and her fever de-
parted. Though she must yield her
sword to the invaders She receives in turn
the key of power-tle great truth that free
dom alone can unlock the citadel of great
ness. that peace and not war can impart the
distinction which she coyets'
These memorable utterances of our Grant
county patriot and the martyred president
are joined by four years of history whose
chapters are written in human blood and
tears and when the millions Of our country
men walked to the alter with their sacrifices
of life. fortune and worldly happiness no
wonder that those four years call for many
years. YES, generation. to bind up and heal
the nations wounds. The South and the
North were speedily reunited under one
one power. but we know that time itself
often seemed weary OF its trials to re-es-
tablish the hearts OF each within the other.
The surrender Of arms, the crushing of re-
bellious power, could not at once allay the
the feelings of malice and resentment a
reused by drenching nation in blood.
Yet, my friends. the workings OF Time as
an arbitrator. as a solver of problems. as a
healer Of wounds, though seemingly slow. are
sure. And so wondrous have been his work
ings. that we. of today, see the fulflment OF
great prophecies and join with these sur
vivors, in making this day not only for
Teverent respect and generous tribute to
fallen heroes, but day Of praise and nation
al Thanksgiving. 1t would seem provident-
ial. while so many heroes fell or have since
passed away. that SO many others should
have been spared TO feel the warmth of
noontide of cay which dawned through
their sacrifices; it would seem that events
of the past few years had been hurried on
so as to crowd them into the lives of you
survivors, as if in that way to testify to
your work and worth. and to the memory OF
your absent comrades. And while the COM
mander and the founders of this order
doubtless hoped that this day and its cere-
monies might aid in reuniting the national
household, and fervently prayed for the re-
turn of self banished children, let US hope
that in their dreams, at least. they may
have had a vision of what you have lived 10
realize. Let US hope that they at least
dreamt, that within three decades from the
timeDecoration day was first ordered. a re-
united nation should command the spirit OF
Old David Farragut in the person of George
Dewey. to open the doors of the Orient to
admit new civilization; or that on hide
pendsnce Day 1898, Fighting Joe Wheeler
and Fitzhugh Lee should be on the island OF
Cuba, there to plant as the emblem of the
only civilization which this western hemi-
sphere Will tolerate. the flag, which once
they avowed should be forever furled. Let
US hope that they have learned that on this
Both dav of May 1899 people in other lands,
hitherto not of our selves. as one of the first
acts of their new civilization. join Us in hon
oring heroes who saved nation SO that it
might in turn save these people
Ny friends. these things we realize today
and though We praise and revere the men,
DRY of our dead. though the day is given not
10 discussion of questions which stir up
mems passions. we may nevertheless carry
our thoughts to the new position we hold
among earthly nations-a position founded
upon the results of the conflict whose heroes
we honor.
With the return OF peace ana good will
came the feeling if not the boast. that we
are a peace-loying people. and it is not long
ago that a war with foreign power @as the
subject of bitter controversy. Men could
with Justice say Why trouble ourselves
with other peoples quarrelss Why inter-
fere in business not our own Let them light
it out" But the cries Of the prosecuted. the
starvation IN land OF plenty the burning
homes. the torture of men and women. these
made formidable plea. which required
better answer. And when our nation. al
most as one man, arose and demanded war
against the kingdom OF Spain, believe the
historian passed everlasting credit to Us. for
making the right answer-and in time To
come we must and gladly will find our justi-
feation for this act of our national life in
the brief words. For humanity's sake.
So it seems strange that having made war
and proved our superior arms. any question
should be made as 10 whether that alone was
our duty. Indeed if the cause Of humanity
simply called for the sinking Of the Spanish
feet and renouncing her soverei gnty. our
duty was performed. II it called for more
Il is our duty 70 respond.
We hear great deal these days about
Imperialism. militarism. expansion.
and the ike These words have 3 double
eEect.-they make some reopfe appear
learned and tne~ alarm others And the