Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-06-04

~
The struggles against oppression con
tinued through centuries, laid the foun.
dation for a mighty republic, which
in the arts of peace was designed to
world leadership.
More than one war has marked the
history of our nation since her estab-
lishment, and her soldiers have always
fought with an invincible will to pro-
tect the principles upon which she was
founded. When British oppression
threatened the peace and liberty of her
searen, the American citizen again
took 10 arms to compel an under
standing so complete that she should
no longer be dist. bed in the tranquil
pun suits of her people.
All the early struggles of the Ameri-
can so.uier were against a foreign foe,
but now we come to time when he
was to engage in a civil struggle in a
conflict whore brothers of the same
fatherland stood opposed to one an
Ger, and feelings of bitterness and
! jealousy were dominant.
| In the South were four millions of
human beings deprived of the rights of
| human beings and subjected to the
yoke of slavery, They were treated as
| beasts of burden; sold to the highest
bidder and riven to work under the
! lash. All the sacred relations of the
family were disregarded; fathers and
mothers were separated from their
| families; children We're torn from the
arms of mothers and all the outrages
of unrestrained might were allowed
full sway. And THIS in land which
stood for the equal rights of man, a
| land of freedom, land of peace.
| Since the framing of the constitution
| the question of slavery mas been the
apple of discord; the struggle between
the slave and the free states had been
continuous. The Civil War brought
| the matter to crisis, and many saw
that at last the matter was to be set
tied irrevocably and in matter to in
sure between the warning sections a
definite understanding.
The liberty loving spirit of America
cried out against the crime Of human
bondage. Those very rights for which
our Revolutionary soldiers had fought
were being violated. Agitation AMI
strife grew in intensity till the awful
| days of 81. Thus again came a, great
crisis in our history and not only in
our history but in the history of the
world. All eyes were directed towards
us and the question of the ultimate is
sue was upon the lips of all. Was the
first real test of a republican govern
ment to prove it's failure? If this was
to be the outcome, tAen all the blood
shed in all the centuries. for human
freedom, had been in vain. But such
was not to be the outcome. The Am
eIican citizen again became the Ameri-
can soldier and as his ancestors had
fought for independence, he was ready
to fight for it's perpetuation.
1t is difficult to realize the emotions
which moved the hearts of those gal
liant defenders of the nations integ.
rity, as they parted from those theJ
loved Yet with "a heroism sublime
husbands, sons and fathers, left all be
} hind, and, without hesitating one mo
men, gave all to their country
cause,
The world has seen great warriors
but it never has seen greater men thai
: those men of America. who left thei
peaceful homes and took up arms fol
the cause of freedom and union Thei
: patience was tried by miles of wear.
marching; their endurance tested b!
hunger, thirst and cold and theil
courage proven on hundreds of gor,
battle fields.
No greater illustration of the peace
full inclinations of the American soldie
5 can be found than that shown by thu
conduct of the Civil War veterans af
ter the war was over. AS soon as tn,
OIuGI lOI ulSDdHulllS ndu DeeH gwen, /
was vexed question in the minds o
many as to what would be the resul
wnen three millions of men, trained t.
arms were turned loose in the country
Those who knew the conduct of tn,
, soldiers OIL other wars, and of othe
nations, looked with forebodings upol
the coming deluge. They recalled tina
after the Napoleonic wars, France wa
alive with beggars and cripples; ina
the end of the Thirty Years War fille'
: Germany with marauding bands o
musketeers; that the close of the Ital
ian wars made Italy unsafe for travel
so infester were her hills and valley
with brigands.
Unjust comparison! Unnecessar
fear! They did not know the heart
= of the veterans. They fought whe
u they had cause. but when that caus
was removed they were ready to la