People's voice., 1900-06-07

patriousm and independence taught to
succeeding generations in American
homes from the revolutionary war on
down to the civil war, the speaker then
said in part:
Through all those years Of our prog
ress and growth as hation unfortu-
nately the system Of human slavery was
fostered IN some sections Of our country
and during the same period our churches,
our schools, our institutions Of learning,
and the press were growing more nu-
merous and more effective N educating
the people along the line Of moral and
social Obligations devolving upon them
as responsibilities OF citizenship thev
must meet in the management of public
affairs. Among other great questions
considered By you, old soldiers, and
your fathers from the early SOS to 81,
was the question Of slavery extension.
The more you read, studied and analyzed
the construction and the Declaration Of
Independence, the more convinced YOU
were that slavery was antagonistic to
the great principles OF liberty and free
dom and therefore you affirmed that
slavery must not be permitted to expand
and grow in free America. You know
by experience, and history tells those OF
US wto are younger, how intensely
aroused were the people at the time over
the discussion Of this all-absorbing oues-
ton. The logic, the power, the hon
esty end the craftsmanship Of the I'M
morts. Lincoln in contending as he did
that tie federal constitution was supreme
and must be upheld caused yeu and
others OF your countrymen, by your bal
lots, to declare that the position taken
by Mr.. Lincoln was right and therefore,
you, in 1850, elected him president Of
our country; while, on the other hand.
others OF our countrymen reused by the
burning eloquence Of Breckenridge in
his contention that state rights were su-
preme, with which the federal govern
ment ought not TO interfere, resulted in
South Carolina passing an ordinance Of
secession in December 1850, followed
soon after by Mississippi, Florida, Ala
bama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.
Then you remember how, in February
/ 1861, delegates from these states met in
convention in Montgomery, Alabama,
and formed what they called the Con-
/ federate States OF America as their
nationsl government, 50 that when on
March :, 1851, Lincoln was inaugurated
| president, he and his cabinet stood in
the very shadow Of approaching rebel
lion. Upon the bright horizon Of our
nations peace there continued to gather
dark and threatening clouds OF civil war
which materialized into a horrible fact
when, at hall past four O'Clock on Fri.
day morning, April 18th, the first gun
I Of that tenIble war was fired OF our
] country's flag floating over Fl. Sumpter.
The news rapidly spread throughout the
length and breadth OF our land and
when President Lincoln made his call
for seveuty-hye thousand volunteers
here again those inherited characteristics
OF patriotism, courage, self reliance and
determination OF purpose prompted YOU,
my old soldier friends and your com
rades from all political parties through
out the nation. to respond three thousand
strong TO your commander in chief in
defense OF our common country. By
that response, with an affectionate en-
brace, a parting kiss and hurried fare
well to mother, wife and children, YOU
gave up all the comforts Of a happy
home to endure the hardships Of the
march, the privations OF the camp, the
ravages Of disease and the dangers Of
war to meet in mortal conflict on the
field Of battle your own misguided.
though brave and determined, country
mrn, your own kith and kin, that the
flag you followed and the flag We love
might forever wave over an unbrokeu
union Of states.
The historian can never describe in
detail the terrible scenes Of pain and
suffering through which YOU passed in
that conflict and I shall not attempt to
describe the horrors Of that war; YOU
know them all by experience better than
words Of mine can possibly express
American against American; brother
against brother; to say nothing Of the
grief and heartache of the Lowell ones at
home anxiously awaiting for the return
OF husband, father and son, who were
doomed by the fortunes Of war 20 never
return"
After reviewing further in detail the
history Of the civil war, he continued:
"Old soldiers, it may never be posi-
bic for a grateful nation to repay YOU FOR
all that you accomplished in that war by
your bravery and your loyalty to the
principles OF liberty and freedom, and
your courage and devotion to duty in
the hour OF your country's peril, vet
feel that on this Decoration day, in the
closing years Of your honored ard hon.
orable lives, that you realize that your
active seViceifrom 1851 to 1855, IS held
in grateful remembrance by your coun-
trymen today. You have lived to see
the greatest glory Of your military
achievement-that OF sectional strife
banished from our land forever; no north
no south; no east; no west; but one
grand glorious country under one flag
and long may It wave o'ei the land Of
the free and the home Of the brave.