Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-03

to those nightly leaders who, out of
trials and difficulties, through carnage
and blood, over mountain and through
valley, lead the armies Of our country
to immortal victories; but equal hon
ors to those who. elbow to elbow, I'M
der the silent stars, on the weary
march, before the shotted cannon, in
the trench, over the storm swept
field, carried our flag to victories
which today are our pride and glory.
Not Subject of censure.
The army and navy being thus the
embodiment of our national strength
and associated so closely with our
most cherished ideals. cannot be the
subject of collective animadyersion. I'M
less those ideals are unworthy of a
progressive people, for the one is the
complement of the other. Do men
gather grapes of thorns or figs of this
ties? That the individual may be
swaye5 ~ passion and led to do acts
of vengeance and retaliation which the
civilized world cannot uphold, is un-
fortunately too true. But the shadow
of no individual act. whether that of
officer or private, can efface the glory
of the whole organization, nor justify
the overflow of partisan vituperation.
or the ungenerous blows of self-con-
| stituted defenders of their own ego
tism. whether it be upon the hustings.
! in the retirement of social intercourse,
or upon the floor of the congress of the
| United States The history and glory
of our army and navy is one history:
| it's continuity cannot be broken. 1t
| has ever been upon the side of liberty
and progress. The inspiration of
Bunker Hill and Yorktown arose from
the same character of action which
glowed with patriotic fervor at Lln.
days Lane and New Orleans in the
\ war of 1872. The courage. devotion
and glory which signalized the battles
| from Palo Alto TO Churubusco. were of
the same texture as burst into world-
wide renown on the fields from Bulls
Run to AppamatoX.
Glory Not Dimmed.
And that glory has not been dim
/ med by the splendid victories in
| Manila bay and at Santiago, nor by the
innumerable actions under such over
I whelming difficulties in our posses.
1 sions in the Philippines.
Mistakes Not Persisted In.
Point to the time or place where
the armies or navies of this nation
1 have fought to enslave, and not rather
/ to give ordered freedom. Name the
4 place where the flag of this nation has
i ever thrown its shadow over wrong to
! protect it. when the best ideals of or
! people We're obeyed and honored. Mis-
! takes have been made, no doubt but
I no mistake has ever been persisted in
1 when the American people realized the
wrong.
All Have Destiny.
Il There is, more than a lar cry in
j destiny. Every individual and every
/ people have a destiny and toward tina,
Il they move. 1t is enwrapped in theil
( very constitution. Our destiny is too
mighty to be thoroughly comprehend
: ed, but we know that it has in it al
the principles of Righteousness and
liberty; all the prophesies of manhood
, and womanhood. and he who loses
!, faith in that destiny will become a
II pessimist and see in every action not
1 circumscribed by his own personal be
liefs, the failure of the eternal DEGREES
of the Almighty.
4 Should Renew Fealty Today.
In the presence of such a history
as this nation has, sustained by the in
SEPARATIONS of the accomplished work
of our army and navy, we should, this
day. renew our fealty to those princi
, pies which have made this country the
leader in the worlds progress.
Their Heroism Ours.
: The heroism of these sainted deat
, l., e hp nc
II victories no less than war; and we
honor those who died when we conse
crate ourselves to the duty of the mo
ment and unflinchingly perform that
!, duty. Patriotism is not quantity but
a quality. 1t is in the consciousness:
!. of.lthe individual and becomes eN
pressive when lived out into action
You men who are now before us, ant
: whose presence is ever an inspiration
are the embodiment of patriotism
: The consciousness of patriotism which
= you had with innumerable others. yol
, realized in action when the tocsin o
= war called you from your peaceful
ayocations, and you laid them al
aside and on your country's altar. of
fered those lives which We're then full
t of hope and ambition. We honor yol
[ now. lmmQftal SdNlOurS OF an lmmOf
t tai hope. We would that our live
' should emphasize the noble principle:
t for which you fought
! Country Born in Hope of Liberty.
J. Our country had its birth in tn,
) hope of liberty and the desire for regu
Y lated freedom Its manhood and wo
81 manhood has been evolved and educat
# cd from and through those eterna
|. principles. Our soldiers and sailor!
l. have consciously and grandly, from thu
It very first breath OF freedom until this
S Very moment. sustained and enforced
+ those principles. Encouraged by thei
l. examples. inspired by the deeds whicl
Ell they have written imperishably upol
the walls OF our national palace, desil
It Gus of performing our present dut
Y honestly and intelligently, we return
IL from this mount of TRANSPORTATION, re
!; newed for the struggle OF our daily eA
Itl istence with calm faith in the ideal
/: OF our fathers, which have been mad
e sacred by your devotion and suffering
: and glorious by our country,s victorie
r in peace as we'll as in war