Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-01
A LESSON FOR AMERICANS.
A Sermon From Mr.. elders InScr1p-
ton for the Buffalo Fair.

column of 5000 men across the Potoma a,c
to Richmond. and burn the rats nus
there: another column to CAIRO, se'AaS
the cotton ports of the MISSISSIPPI am ~
retaining the remaining 2o,uW, 1hcluusu III
MIR. Iincoln's call for 5000 men III WIS., WIS.,
ington. not because there Is need OF then 1
there. but because We do not require tIe,r
services elsewhere" Could the autnor
of those words have seen the lo.Wo Union
men stretched writing on the sou VI SUI
in death in twenty minutes OF Coiu iiaI
Dor. three years later. IN that s" Wis no
deavor to take Richmond that was SO
jauntily referred to. he would nave maue
different calculations. IN peace ,,n INA M
mond was n few hours ride from tne ! M
tional capital: in war 1t proved terripi.
journey with long and painful STOPS a, q
Fair Oaks. Mecharicsville. Galness MIL
Frazier's Farm. Malvern Hill. Freder,eks-
burg. Chancellorsville, the Milderness'
Spottsylvania Cold Harbor. PETERSBURG
Fort Stcadman and Five Forks. An old
resident of Washington says that the peo-
pie her went out in carriages to see the
first battle of Bull Run. much as tneN
at the Johnny Rebs was expected, anu
as an exhibit in target practice al rapluiy
moving objects, it was thousht 70 De
worth seeing. 1t took quite NUMBER OF
Bull Runs to undeceive North and South.
or 10 overcome the Astounding American
feeling of assured superiority and or easy
a Chicago newspaper which led in de
claring the war against Spain as already
begun soon as the Mdtit tNplpdtu, was
at that time true to its patriotic i'm
pulse Although Chicago then had pop
ulation of only about $4,000. II wanted
to fight the war alone. or at least to nave
the way it generously suggested. This
war is for the West. Illinois can whip
the South by herself. We insist upon
having the matter turned over TO US.
Each section made great tactical mis-.
takes through despising the prowess or
the other. The short term of Lincoln, $
call was perhaps as a disadvantage more
than offset by the failure of the South 70
bring in a sufficient quantity of ammuni-
ton and military supplies before It's ports
were closed. 1t neglected TO do 50 be-
cause great preparations were believed 10
be unnecessary But the war came; It's
bling boastings of the Charleston Is. G.
Mercury sound queer beside the inscrip-
ton on the soldiers monument at Column
ba. written after the test was really
made: 1T is no trouble for us TO whip all
creation" was the sentiment beforehand.
After a few years trial. they wrote on
memory OF those who have gloriiied fal-
len cause by the simple manhood of their
lives and the heroism of their deaths ana
who. in the dark hours OF imprisonment
in the hCpelesSneSs of the hospital. in the
short. sharp agony of the field. found
support and consolation in the belief that
speaking of South Carolina it adds: Tina
from her broken fortunes she has pre-
served for her children the priceless
treasure of their memories. implying
that this Is all nat is left.
The South is filled with beautifully pa
thetic monumental Inscriptions. Why di'i
they not think of these things before, Is
the thought that unavoidably suggests it
self? They were not lacking in wise
counsellors. Ex-senator Donelson caifery
of Louisiana used to relate that in lS6l.
and there We're hundreds like him. he said
everything in his power to persuade his
people away from their folly, but III vain.
The prison. the hospital the sharp as-
onies of the field were not then realized.
| recall the inscription on gravestone
over two Patten brothers at Winchester,
in the Shenandoah Valley. and doubtless
many like it could be found North ana
South q Relies Nj ,ba, be- rlt'9m thS
wounded in the charge OF Picketts divis-
ion at Gettysburg. near the twenty-ninta
year Of his age" His last words Were:
I'm Christ alone perfect content" The
other side OF the same stone tells OF his
brother. who year later fell mortalll
wounded in command Of his brigade. ana
in defence OF Winchester. The POSSIBLE
ity Of such legends as these is never
thought OF by the people who DO the
shouting behind the intriguing war pol
iticians.
from monarchies. have done little to les
sen the war impulse. The newspaper, the
public servant. and sometimes even the
clergyman who leads in despsng other
peoples is popularity commended as gen
timely heroic. No doubt the Chicago
newspaper that said in 1861 that Illinois
could whip the South alone enjoyed i
large accession of subscribers. Probably
Donelson Caffcry became exceedingly
distrusted and dislikcu by his ncighburs
about the time he was trying to persuade
them that the people of the North were
not SO much to be despised they
thought.
We shall probably never have another
civil war. but the disposition which The
North and South then exhibited toward
each other in bringing on the greatest
conflict of modern times is almost sure to
produce a war with some other nation.
When ii comes there Is a possibility that
the United States may find somebody OF
its size" as the Schoolboys say. or at
least of size to make the contest de-
cidedly costly. But the control of all
these things is with the people; they may
blindly snout for the carpet heroes OF
politics or they may sustain those who
believe. in the words of another of Mr.
elders inscriptions, that Between ma
ton and nation, as between man and
man. lives the one law OF right. No bet
ter employment of the Memorial day of
the future can be found than in studying
the real meaning of war. OF its Costumes
as means of settling disputes and of its
comparative use eSSncss wherever thu law
of right is respected, and wherever in
loving our own country we do not deem
- essential to despise all others.-Boston
Transcript.