The National tribune., 1900-05-17
MEMORIAL DAY.

patriotism. Each passing year brings
to it far greater appreciation of all that 1t
means to every man and woman who loves
our country and her glorious institutions.
As they get farther away from the gigantic
war its immense proportions become dis
tinctly perceptible. They realize more
fully the bitterness with which it tried
mems souls. The courage displayed seems
superhuman, the strength Of courage and
fortitude almost divine-the wisdom not
of this earth. They begin to understand
that where other Nations have put into the
field men by tens Of thousands, we put
them in by millions; that where others
fought scores of battles, we fought thou
sands; that where in other lands and other
wars men fell in hecatombs, here they fell
in myriads; that where other peoples have
sacrificed their first-born on the altar OF
country and principle, we offered also our
second and third-born, leaving our hearth
stones desolate, that the Government OF the
people, for the people and by the people
should not perish from the earth.
In that terrible four years of war more
of our sons were slain in battle than Eng
land has lost in the 500 years that she has
been a Nation. We fought more awful;
bloody battles than any other Nation now
in existence, or that ever existed, no matter
how long her history or how numerous
her wars.
| 1t is these facts which take the war OF
| the rebellion out of any classification or
comparison with other wars. 1t was the
mortal agony of great people, and of all
the people. TWAS life and death struggle
| for existence and the perpetuation OF in
stitutions which they held dearer than life.
Even our War for Independence fell far
short of stirring every man and woman in
the country to the depths and calling for
the utmost sacrifices, that the war of the
rebellion did. In the Revolution it was a
matter of opinion whether we would be
better off under British rule than independ-
ent. A very large portion Of the people
took no part in the struggle, and still
larger. sympathized with. and remained
loyal to the Mother Country. Each one
only took such part in the struggle as he
felt inclined to.
But the firing on Fort Sumter was like
| the cry Of fire in the nighttime in mans
own house. 1t was an intense summons
to him personally to save his most cherished
things from destruction. Itsummoned the
20, zoo, 900 loyal people to meet 10000, 900
disloyal in contest which has no parallel
in history for duration, fierceness and
stubborn determination. It was such a
clashing as comes in the great elemental
convulsions in Nature when the seas run
dry, continents are upheaved, and noun
tains and volcanoes rise.
Some statistics will help us comprehend
the magnitude and the far-reaching char
acter of the struggle.
On an average, the loyal States sent
forth 1211a per cent. of their population to
do battle for the Nations preservation.
This enormous percentage meant one
fighting man for every eight people in their
borders-men, women, children, aged and
infirm. 1t meant one fighting man for
every four males-infants, school-boys,
old men and cripples. Never did such a
proportion of the men Of a country go forth
to Battle in any part or age of the world.
Out Of every nine men who put on the
| blue, one was dead before he took it off
| again.
More than 125, ,0O0-a larger army than
ever stood under one flag on any European
| battlefield-were actually killed In battle.
| Nearly 100000 were wounded, 900
died of disease, and 1000 died in rebel
prisons.
The mere statement Of these aggregates
is appalling. Their proportion to the
whole number is much more fearfully
striking.
More men were actually killed around
Fredericksburg than on any similar extent
of ground in the world-even in Belgium
which is the cockpit of Europe" and has
been battle ground for 1 900 years. More
were killed there than on the famous plain OF
Esdraelon, on which have fought in the
thousands of years that 1t has been the
battle-ground Of Asia, Europe and Africa,
the armies of the Assyrians, Medes, Persi.
ans, Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, Romans,
Saracens, Crusaders, Turks, English, and
French, struggling for mastery in the
Orient.
Since last Memorial Day $4,000 new
graves have been added to those we covered
with flowers last year, and probably a
| quarter of million more of our people have
now deep personal interest in the GENE
teries visited, since they now contain theil
representatives in the great struggle of the
Nation for existence.
Thus the deep interest in this gloriously
solemn occasion widens with every new
grave added to the long rows of tombs of the
Nations sacred dead.
TWO QUESTIONS.
The questions of paramount interest in
connection with the amended law are:
4 WI, tbo ,,,:tt