Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-05-30

had neither school nor college educa-
tion, but he had better than either.
! He had n deep unquenchable love OF
country, which underlay his every
thought and prompted his every ac-
tion. With all the gentleness of a
woman he possessed all the flrmness
and perseverance OF the statesman
and the soldier. IL ever a man was
perfectly free from selfishness he sure.
ly was. His sole, single aim and oh.
ject was the preservation OF the union
and when the stress OF war came he
developed a giant intellect and power
Of capacity for labor which astonished
and wearied his younger compatriots
in field and council. Short as was the
time between his Inauguration and the
clash OF war he had gained the conf
dence, and better still, the love, of the
plain people" as he loved to call
them, the people, whose faithful ser
want he was, and for whose cause he
was ultimately TO die n martyrs death.
While the echoes of the cannonade In
Charleston harbor were yet ringing in
the air, Lincoln called the country to
arms to defend the imperrilled union.
and from that moment until the last
noStilt Suot WhS uItu nt HtNtT WAY
cred from the path Of duty. With
sublime confidence In the immutable
justice of our cause, with abiding trust
In the patriotism of the people he
marched straight onward to the goal
Of victory. When every breeze from
the south was loaded with tidings OF
defeat-when clouds OF disaster hung
like pals of death over the threatened
capital. when hope itself had almost
deserted us. every loyal eye was turn.
ed on glorious Father Abraham. whose
sublime virtues beamed bright and
hopeful amid the prevailing gloom
like blessed beacon lights on a storm
beaten coast, restoring hope and conf.
dence to our sinking hearts. And. oh!
how we'll his confidence in the people
was placed-how grand and generous
the response. The world never wit.
messed such an uprising Of brave, de-
voted. self sacrificing men as sprang
to arms at the call of the beloved pres
ident. No sacrifice was deemed too
great. no suffering too horrible. no ex-
pense too heavy, to pay for the saliva.
tion OF the republic which had been
purchased for us by the holiest blood
that ever flowed from heroes veins in
tho cause of human freedom. oh, my
young friends II we old men. who will
soon answer the last roll call OF God,
leave in your hands the most free,
most enlightened, most powerful ma.
tion that the sun of God shines down
on, you owe II all (under that Cod
to the Incompatible soldiers OF the
union armies. living and dead. III
they had not borne the bloody stress
Of battle. the long weary exhausting
march. the horrors OF wounds and
hunger and thirst; II they had not
looked death In the eye unblenching
and welcomed the grim conqueror as
American soldiers know 80 well how
to do, all the precious blood which
was shed in both wars for our inde-
pendence would have been shed In
vain. The sacred light OF liberty
which was enkindled by the hand of
the God-like Washington. would have
gone out In night and darkness. The
union which we love so well would
have been rent and torn into dismem-
bered, dishonored. wrangling frag-
ments and our flag. our almost wor-
shipped flag, with its luminous galaxy
OF blessed stars, would have disap.
peared for ever from the armament OF
America. Oh! my God, Il Is too hor.
rible to contemplate what our present
condition would be, II the demigods
OF the union ranks had not stood like
living battlements between us and de-
struction. Oh. holy and beloved flag,
flag OF Washington, and Montgomery,
OF Jackson and Lincoln. OF Grant and
Sheridan; oh .unconquered flag which
fiuttered high In triumph over the
glorious battles Of Saratoga, and Mon
mouth, and Yorktown. OF New Orleans
and Gettysburg and Appamattox, and
Santiago and Manila bay. Oh meteor
flag, whose war eagles scream struck
terror to the hearts OF England's BRAY
est mariners on old oceans foamlng
billows! Oh. flag OF our gallant faith
er's pride, OF our tender mothers fond
est love. Oh, flag OF peace and sweet
content beneath this radient sun and
Ia presence of these holy graves, with
uncovered heads and grateful hearts
we salute thy beloved fold and thank
the God Of our fathers who inspired
our superb union soldiers to guard
thee from dishonor and defeat, to re-
main the symbol OF our liberty and
might and to continue the beacon OF
hope to the downtrodden and oppress-
ed peoples of the earth. Mayest thou
ever be free. ever indepndnt and ever
invincible until
The cloud-capped towers. the gorg-
eous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe
itself,
And all which II inherits shall dis
solve,
And like an unsubstantial dream,
perish
And leave not rack behind"
Now, who were these matchless sol
diers, those superb patriots whose
dead we reverence and love and whose
living we honor and esteem as we hon
or no others? They belonged to no
one nation. people or color. The en-.
tire earth contributed its best and
bravest, as II our cause represented,