The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-06-15
Patriotic Words.

coming from a man who has risked his
| life hundreds of times in the front of bat
tie and is willing and anxious to do so
again when duty calls upon him. In his
case patriotism means something more
than mere enthusiasm, and it contrasts
strongly with the mean opposition to the
government made by men who ought to
be American patriots also. Speaking of
the efforts of these men, and his an
dress was made in the home Of Atkinson,
Norton and others of that class, General
Wheeler said:
Certainly no good and only evil can
come from words and acts which tell rival
nations that even portion of our people,
however few, are not in full sympathy
with our government, or what is worse,
that any Americans actually do sympa-
thize with our country's enemies. Such
course cannot fail to weaken confidence
and embarrass the executive power.
Those who insist that the power of the
United States is so great that it must al
ways triumph will admit that difficulties
or obstacles created by some of own peo-
pie will have the effect of retarding, at
least in some degree, the prompt and
happy restoration to perfect and lasting
peace
This sets close and comes from a source
that makes it terribly effective. Replying
to it the Springfield Republican says:
Brave old Joe Wheeler! The other
children of destiny had the discretion to
maintain an air of deep mystery on being
asked to explain their confidential relations
with the divine government of the world.
Is it not to be feared that the popular
applause has unsteadied the dashing and
intrepid cavalry commander.
We think the nation at large can be left
to Judge as to whose head has been turn
ed and who needs regulating in this bust
ness. The Republican has been playing
into the hands of the enemy in every way
possible since the trouble in the Philip
pines began, and upon the character of its
course the popular judgment is not likely
to be very wide from the mark, and it is
safe to say that "Brave old Joe Wheeler
will not be left in the lurch Nor is it
likely that any of the notable men, North
and South, who on May Both testified to the
strength and glory of the reunited repub-
lie, will be discredited by the carping of
the crowd whose fad it is to cry down
everything patriotic and to sneer at every
thing that is distinctively American. As
General Wheeler stirred the popular
hearts in Boston so Henry Watterson at
Louisville, Kentucky, did the same thing
4
matter of the past into the following glow
ing and eloquent Words
The issues that envoked the strife of
sections are dead issues. The conflict,
which was thought to be ilreconcilable
and was certainly inevitable, ended more
than thirty years ago. 1t was fought to its
bloody conclusion by fearless and honest
men. To some the result was logcal-to
others it was sappointing-to all it was
1inal. AS no man disputes it, let no man
deplore it. Let us rather believe that it
was needful to make us nation. Let us
look upon it as into mirror, seeing not
the desolation of the past but the radiance
of the future; and in the heroes of the
New North and the New South who con-
tested in generous rivalry up the fire
swept sleeps of Fl Caney, and side by side
the waters about Corregidor Island and
under the walls Of Cavite, let us behold
hostages for the old North and the old
South, blent together in a Union that
knows neither point of the compass and
has flung its geography into the sea.
The Boston Globe, which is what may
be called a liberal Democrat, So far as
its political preferences go, acknowledges
that the presence of General Wheeler in
Boston on Memorial day was even more
significant than his patriotic speech. 1t
says:
When all is said, however, that can be
said about the southron' 5 Grafton OF of the
other features of an observance of Memo
rial day that helped to make it worthy of
being marked with a white stone, the
great, the overshadowiDg feature of the
occasion unquestionably was the presence
OF General Wheeler himself, SO welcomed
aud SO honored as few men have been in
any time or generation, in famous old
Boston town.
The Herald, which is an Independent
journal, but is broad guage on most pub
lie subjects, says
He spoke noble and fitting and thor
oughly patriotic words in his address to
the veterans who had invited him to come
TO Boston, and left the best possible i'm
preston as the effect of his appearance
here. 1t was as emphatic testimony to
the complete union of the nation in this
era of its history as could have we'll been
afforded.
The Post, Democratic, puts the case in
hardly less emphatic words as follows
The situation was almost dramatic.
Massachusetts,, and especially the city of
Boston, represented the ultra sentiment
of the North in the issues on which the
Civil War was fought. General Wheeler
represented the ultra southern side in the
quarrel. But at the invitation of an Or
ganization of the men who fought against
him, this old enemy speaks the eulogy on
his antagonists of the Civil War, the Com
monwealth welcomes him as fitting ora
tor on this occasion, and the public gath
ers to listen and applaud. History may
be searched in vain for parallel incident.
These opinions represent public senti-
ment almost universal at the North,
and one that it growing more and more to
be the feeling of the whole country