The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-03-13
3 q g = g g =
M'KINLEY Il
MEMORIAL - ::
address ::

and or the sins and wrongs OF civilization
with which they burned to do battle. 1t
was a serious and thoughtful time. The
boys Of that day felt dimly. but deeply.
that days of sharp struggle and high
achievement were before them They
looked at life with the wondering yet res
olute eyes of a young esquire in his vigil
Of arms. They felt time was coming
when to them should be addressed the
stern admonition of the apostle. Quit
you like men; be strong
1t is not easy to give to those of later
generation any clear idea Of that extraor-
dinary spiritual awakening which passed
over the country at the first red signal
fires of the war between the states. 1t
was not our earliest apocalypse. A hum
dred years before the nation had been re-
vealed to itself when after long discus
sion and much searching of heart the
people of the colonies had resolved that
to live without liberty was worse than to
die and had therefore wagered in the SOL
emn game Of war their lives, their for
tunes and their sacred honor" In stress
of heat and labor unutterable the country
had been hammered and welded together,
but thereafter for nearly century there
had been nothing In our life to touch the
innermost fountain Of feeling and devo-
ton. We had had rumors of wars-even
wars we had had, not without sacrifices
and glory-but nothing which went to the
y,
nothing which challenged the nations
right to live.
1.-THE VALLEY OF DECISION"
But in 1860 the nation was going down
into the valley of decision. The question
which had been debated on thousands of
platforms. which had been discussed in
countless publications. which, thundered
from innumerabie pulpits, had caused in
their congregations the bitter strife and
-
science can give rise, was everywhere
pressing for solution. And not merely in
the various channels of publicity was 1t
alive and clamorous About every fire
side in the land, in the conversation of
friends and neghbors and. deeper still, in
the secret Of millions of human hearts the
battle of opinion was waging. and all men
felt and saw. with more or less clearness.
that an answer to the importunate Ques-
ton. Shall the nation live? was due and
not to be denied. And do not mean that
in the north alone there was this austere
wrestling with conscience In the south
as well, below all the effervescence and
excitement of people perhaps more
given to eloquent speech than we were
there was the profound agony of ques-
ton and answer, the summons to decide
whether honor and freedom did not call
them to revolution and war. 1t is easy
for partisanship to say that the one side
was right and that the other was wrong.
1t is still easier for an indolent magma
nimity to say that both were right. Per-
haps in the wide view Of ethics one is al
ways right to follow his conscience.
though it lead him to disaster and death,
but history is inexorable. She takes no
account of sentiment and intention. and
in her cold and luminous eyes that side
is right which fights in harmony with the
stars in their courses The men are right
through whose efforts the world is helped
onward. and humanity moves to a higher
level and brighter day.
The men who are living today and who
were young in 1850 will never forget the
glory and glamour that filled the earth
and the sky when the long twilight Of
doubt and uncertainty was ending and
| the time Of action had come. A speech by
/ Abraham Lincoln was an event not only
| Of high moral significance. but of far
| reaching Importance. The drilling Of a
| militia company by Ellsworth attracted
| national attention. The fluttering Of the
| flag in the clear sky drew tears from inc
( eyes Of young men. Patriotism. which
| had been a rhetorical expression. became
| passionate emotion. in which instinct.
| logic and feeling were fused The coun-
| try was worth saving. 1t could be saved
only by fire. No sacrifice was too great,
| The young men Of the country were ready
| for the sacrifice. Come veal. come woe
| they were ready.
M'kINLEY THE SOLDIER.
At seventeen years Of age William Nc
| Kinley heard this summons of his coun-
| try. He was the sort Of youth to whom q
| military life in ordinary times would pos
| sess no attractions. His nature was fai
| different from that of the ordinary sol
| dier He had other dreams of life. its
prizes and pleasures. than that of marches
and battles. But to his mind there was
| no choice or question. The banner float
| two in ba inc ha
| oning gesture of his country. The thrill
| ing notes of the trumpet called him-hn
| and none other-into the ranks. His pOr
| trait in his first uniform Is familiar t.
| you all-the short, stocky figure; the quiet
| thoughtful face; the deep. dark eyes. i
Is the face Of lad who could not stay
at home when he thought he was needed
in the field He was of the stuff Of which
good soldiers are made. Had he been ter
years older he would have entered at th'
head Of a company and come out at tn,
head of division. But he did what h,
could. He enlisted a private. HI
learned to obey His serious, sensible
ways, his prompt alert efficiency. soon at
tracted the attention OF his Superiors. H
was so faithful in little things they CAV
him more and more to do. He was untir
Ing in camp and on the march. swift. coo
End fearless in fight He left the arm.
with field rank when the war ended bre
vettcd by President Lincoln for gallantr.
in battle.
| In coming years when men seek to draw
the moral Of our great civil war nothini
will seem to them 50 admirable in all tn
history OF our two magnificent armies a
| the way in which the war came to a close
When the Confederate army saw the tim
had come. 1t acknowledged the pitiles
logic OF facts and ceased fighting. Whel
the army Of the Union saw it was no Ion
. ger needed. without murmur or ques
ton, making no terms, asking no return
in the flush of victory and fullness o
might 1t laid down its arms and melte
! back into the mass of peaceful citizens
| There is no event since the nation wa
! born which has proved its solid ca
. pacity for self government. Both sec
tions sh1re equally ~ that crown of glory
They had held 4 debate or incomparabl
Importance and had fought it out wit
equal energy. y conclusion had bee
reached. and 1t is to the everlasting homo
of both sides that they each knew whe
the war was over and the hour CT a last
ing peace had struck We may admire tn
desperate daring Of others who prefer ar
; Inhalation to compromise. but the palm {
. common sense and l will say. OF enligh'
ened patriotism belongs TO the men lik
I republic Never was Nemesis more swif
: and energetic. The Republicans OF Obi
, were saved the trouble of choosing gov
, ernor; the other side had chosen one 70
q them. year a1ter Mchlniey Ieil con
gress he was made governor OF Ohio. an
a two years later he was reelected. eac
!. | time by majorities unhoped for and over
| whelming. He came to I'LL q space in tn
: public eye which obscured great porto
. | OF the field OF vision. In two national cor
ventions the presidency seemed within h
I teach. but he had gone there in the In
:. terest Of others. and his honor forbad
E any dalliance with temptation. So HI
e nay was nay, delivered with tone an
y gesture there was no denying. His hou
t was not yet come
THE PATH TO THE WHITE HOUSE
J. There was. however, no long delay. b
, | became from year to year the most prom
! fnant y.olitician and orator in the couY