St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-06-06

lty' EOI popular HSeuOn ana uD6ral
ideas of government have made more
progress since the surrender of Lee at
Appomattox, than during any century
IN the worlds history previous to that
time. Hence we say the struggle was
heroic, because the cause was sublime.
Heroism is not a mere dare-devil-spirit
which exhausts itself in maintaining
some whim or caprice of fortune. Hero
ism is something which catches its
brightness and glory from great cause
to which men give themselves in willing
sacrifice 1t not only leads men forth to
meet danger whenever duty calls, and
gives them power to practice endurance
which renders them superior to pain; and
makes them accept with cheerfulness
whatever fate comes; but it involves the
subordination of the material to the
spiritual, which renders the will master
of the appetites and passions, and causes
men to forego every personal benefit for
the sake of honor and conscience.
| How shall we measure a nation
How shall we take the dimensions Of its
real greatness? Shall we estimate &C.
cordlng to the length and breadth of it's
territory? Shall we count its mines, and
fields of waving grain Shall we depend
upon the census and reckon nation by
its millions of inhabitants? No! No ma
ton is built on such a foundation. Take
account of its heroisms, and you have
found the right standard OF measure
ment!
Erase the heroisms of the past, and
there would be no thrill in the name,
| . LII L
sepulchral as that of China.
Suppose a stranger should come to
these shores with an inquiry concerning
our right and privilege to be called great
among the nations of the earth. "A
great deal is said about America he
says, and | want to know just what en-
titles your nation to Importance. If
there is anything worth mentioning, let
US have the benefit of it, How should
we be able to show him that we had
some worthiness as nation? We would
say, stranger, come with us, we wish
you to visit our national cemeteries. We
desire you to look upon these graves.
'Ah, yes, he saws, / see the graves, but
what OF it? There are lots of graves
everywhere
we duSWCl uCSC SldNCo COuL dlu
the dust of our heroic dead. More than
thirty years ago, an attempt was made
to destroy this Union. The hand of
treason was lifted against it. 1t was an
awful crisis in our history. And when
the struggle came there were more than
a million of men found ready to leopard
ize their lives for the old flag, so bright
with the stars of hope. For four years,
they fought and bled and several hun
bred thousand never left the field till
they poured out upon their country's
altar the last drop of their precious
blood. Stranger, these graves are very
dear to us now! We step softly above
their silent dust. And every springtime
when the flowers are sweetest and
brightest, we move in solemn procession
to these sacred places and decorate with
tender hands their graves with these en-
blems of love and beauty. We would
ever keep their memories fresh in our
minds. For however rich we may be in
mineral store, or material resource, we
are richer still in the legacy of patriotic
devotion bequeathed us by these men
who took their lives in their hand and
faced the enemy unto death to maintain
the flag without a stripe erased or a
star pollutedI
stranger, if we have any elation or
pride as nation, we point not to our
teeming prosperity, but to the days of
adversely, when men were found, not
wanting in courage, patience, steadtast-
ness, to respond to their country's need.
"They marched and never halted,
They sealed the parapet,
The triple lines assaulted,
And paid without regret,
The final debt
"Do you think that it is matter of
little Importance, that there has been
woven into our history, the heroic deeds
of that four years of war? What have
they done? They have created for us
great public sentiments and expanded
the historic sense of the nation. A great
sentiment is the child of thunder! 1t
comes crashing in upon us, and sets aside
all our little plans Of selhshness, and
saws, what are these in face of a national
danger? What is wealth, when hand is
raised to tear in shreds that old flagl 1t
is only when we are rallied by a cause,
and in that cause receive great inspira-
ton, and in that inspiration give our
selves to the death, if need be, that come
the possibility of great thoughts, great
sentiments, and a great nationality!
Things must be done, and grandly done,
nobly done, to create lofty public con-
seriousness. Now say, that it is mat
ter of infinite value, that we have his.
tory at last, that can preach to us in the
language of noble actions, and magnih-
cent heroisms.'
"Wel, my comrades, there have been
some happenings since the time OF the
Civil war. Another chapter has been
added to our history as a nation. We
have had a war with Spain. 1t may be
said, that war might have been avoided
that it was none OF our business how
Spain treated the Cubans. But we never
could say that as long as there was
heroic element in our national lite.
Heroism cannot stand aloof, and see a
man abused without making protest
We should have been veritable poltroon
of nation, if we had attended strictly
to our own business, and let our neigh
bors suffer and groan and starve, saying
to them, you Just look after your
affairs, and we will look after our own.
That sort of an attitude might do tor
some nations, but it would not do tor
America. What is great nation good
for, if it lives in selfish isolation and never
lifts a hand to help the oppressed and
downtrodden? 1t was the heroic element
in our national life which resolved to set
Cuba free and to pledge its fortune and
+he lives of IFS sons. We did not take