Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-06-03
Roman empire dead, Did she lack war

Roman empire dead. Did she lack war
tiors? No. Behold her Pnmpcy and her
Julius Caesar bid She lack lawmakers
and lawgivers? M. Think Of the mas
tcrs of Roman Jurisprudence. our Amer
lean attorneys today quoting those laws
in our cuurtrnomS more than - centuries
after thcs were enacted. In poetry did
she not have her Virgil and Ovid: In
history did She not have her Sallust and
her Iivy? In clnqucnce did she not have
her Scipio and CiceroE In satire did she
not have a .IuvrHal aud a Horace What
pens were welded by her Cato. and her
Terence. and her Pliny. All nations
heard the cry of her war eagles, the voices
Of her oratory and the chime of her can
tos. but the day of Judgment came for
that nation. and Hannibal crossed the
ApcnninrS. and the GothS and Nandals
swoopcd. and the Carthagnian feet as
called. and \umidian horScmcn gallopcd
and nations combined. and Rome sank
The tourist now on the banks of the Ii
Der secs the ruins Of her forum, the ruins
of her Coliseum. the ruins of her art, the
ruins of her aqucducis. the ruins of her
catacombS. the ruins Of her palaces.
The Nations Duty.
Ii our nation fnrgctS lis duty To other
nations and practices injT 'tice against
other people. however insignificant. II
will not take another Edward Gihhon ~
ycnrs and through four great volumes
10 tel the story Of the dccliE" and fall
of American institutions. by ;" much
as our opportunities have been create
than any nation that ever lived. and the
mission to which she has been ordained
is more stupendous than any bestowed
by the Almighty upon any people II W,
forget our God and enact wickc'lncSs our
overthrow will be- quicker and NOR" ire
mendous. and yondcr capitulinc hill. with
its architectural magniiicencc. will he
come heap of gigantic ruins. To he Wis
tied by the people Of other times ana
other nations. who viii ;"ai in letters Of
crushed and crumll.d marble that which
David wrote many hundred years ago
upon pars.hn cnt. The way of the wick
cd he turneth upside down.
We concluded n few days ago the an
nual decoration Of northern and southern
graves. Three years ago. NJ this season.
in memorial sermon I proposed the twist
ing of two .arlands. one (" hc put upon
the grave Of the northern soldier and the
other 10 be- put on the grave Of the south
ern soldier. but this year we need three
carlan,ls, the third Ia Ice put upon the
graves Of those who fell in this America
Hispnnic conflict The third garland
needs To he quite rs fragrant and as
radiant ms the other two. These last heroes
hravcd more than hayonets and bomb
she'll: they hravcd the pcstifcrous breath
Of the tropics. whole hattalions. whole
regiments. whole brigadcs. whole armies
Of beautiful maara. They confronted
those nppusitions of the torrid climes
which no sword can pierce. no agility
climb. no siraiagcm flank. no torpedo cN-
plosic. no courage conquer. Under the
awful charge az visible and invisible
hosts about 5000 men went down. som"
Ia instant death and others through lin
gering pan.S in hospital.
II in this third wreath you twist the
crimson rose. suggestive Of sanGuinary
sacrifice. and the white Gala lily. sug
rcstive of glorious resurrection. put in
MISC few fnrgctmcnots. suggestive of
remembrance mud few passion flowers.
suggestive 81 the love that m"urns the
slain. and few hcli",rorcs. suggestive
OF the fragrance Of their memory. Then
lot the nights dew put the tears Into the
blue eyes Of the violeis and all the sol
dicrs' cemeteries be- So many censcrs
burning incense before the throne nf that
God who has been the friend of this m
ton from the time ~ Lexington to the
time ~ San Juan hill from the guns of
the United States warshipS Constitution
and Constellation. NJ the beginning Of the
century. to the guns "f III" United States
warShips Olympia. Oregon. Brooklyn and
other loaded thuulcrS. at the close oi
this century.