The Republican journal., 1901-06-06

| uo hnSW ne could rely upon tnem. He
sary~ Smem snat his ability rested where the re-
tne cltlzen-s0ldier. Bravely did they re-
spond to that call. / remember their going
lorIh 70 nght the battles OF that war,-their
new uniforms, their bayOnets and sabres
gnStening in the sun, their flags clean and
new'-tne grandest sight ever saw, save
one, ana that was the Homecoming of what
were left of these men after four years Of
DIloouy war their uniforms SOlled and worn
tnelr races sunburned and brOnzed, the old
NJ iag solied and t0rn,-but every star was
tnere,Ia roll of honor to be cherished by
tnem through life, and when in few short
roll to be transmitted to their posterity, to
De guarded and cherished by them Laying
as trophies at the feet of the Goddess of
Liberty, the shackles from four million
human beings, the Union restored, free in
lacI as well as in name-a victory which
as the years rolled by, until today it pre-
sents the spectacle of a country of almost
6oundiess material resources, with a people
N0rth and South united as never before,
whose energy and genius, patriotism and
heToism, nave never been excelled.
we DO we'll, my younger friends, to honor
the memory of these men. 1t will be a sad
day 1or this country when we forget to hon
or these men, and l believe that we shall
not forget. | believe that as long as We
celebrate the birthday of our independence
on the fourth of July, as long as the nation
winch these men saved endures, and graft
tude remains in the hearts OF men, so long
upon this day the loyal citizens of this
Great Republic will repair to the places
where they lie and deck their graves with
the flowers of springJ
1t IS said that an honest confession is
good Tor the soul, and | may as well here
admit that in, my leisure hours l tried to
write an address, which, to myself at least,
should seem appropriate for this occasion,
and l failed L read and wrote. The words
upon the written page seemed cold and
dead,-dry historic facts, sentiments clothed
in platitudes and the stock phrases which
have become so commonplace to you. 1t
would not do. l tore up the manuscript and
resolved that / would speak on this Occa-
sion, relying upon my memory for material,
and upon the occasion and your presence
anc attention for inspiration, and if what l
have said has seemed somewhat broken
and disconnected, it is because since made
this determination, have not had sufficient
time to properly formulate in my mind and
logically connect what wished to say.
The lesson to be drawn from all this is
the lesson, as have said, OF heroism and
patriotism, heroic patriotism. These quail
ties do not belong exclusively to war. There
peace. How easy it is for all of us to be
borne along on the high tide of popular
favor, trimming our sails to catch every
passing breeze,-easy and pleasant, the
pleaSantest thing in the world, but how
hard, at times, it is for us to stand up
what we believe to be right, against our
party, in politics or our neighbors and
friends. 1t is hard, and yet that is what
our country demands of her patriotic citi-
zens. The cause of right needs the support
of every good citizen and requires every
n 20 mot only ING cfpi1
our government, but in social life, sustain
ing the principles of virtue and right
against the vices which threaten to sap and
undermine our national life.
commenced my talk with a quotation be-
side the soldiers grave; | will end at the
viii Carleton's poem entitled "Our Army
of the Dead"
Fast asleep the boys are lying, in their low and
narrow tents,
And no battle-cry can wake them and no orders
call them hence;
And the yearnlngs of the mother, and the anguish
of the Wife
Cannot with their magic presence call the soldier
And the brothers manly sorrow, and the fathers
mournful pride,
Cannot give back to his country him who for his
country died.
They who for the trembling Nation in its hour of
trial bed.
Lie, in these its years of triumph. with our Army
of the Dead.
When the years of Earth are over and the cares
of Earth are done,
When the reign of Time is ended and Eternity
begun,
When the thunders of Omnscence on our wakened
senses roll,
And the sky above shall wither and be gathered
like a scroll;
When, among the lofty mountains, and across the
mighty sea,
The sublime celestial bugler shall ring out the
revelle,
Then shall march with brightest laurels, and with
proud victorious tread,
To their station up in heaven, our Grand Army
of the Dead