The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-06-07
with a brave, though fearful. goodbye
they marched south to meet their coun-

with a brave. though fearful goodbye
they marched south to meet their coun-
try's enemy. 1t was Il time that
called for strong arms and stout hearts.
And strong arms and stout hearts were
never more abundant in any land.
Their blood drenchel the fair fields OF
the South from the Potomac to the
everglades and frCm Charleston 10 tho
Mississippi. And every drop of that
blood cemented moro firmly the union
OF these states and conserra.ed our SOL
forevermore to liberty ana equality I'M
der republican government.
In memory we still hear their dying
%roans. We still see them wasting and
pining away with hunger or disease i'm
prison pen and hospital and dungeon.
From all the land we hear raised up
that mighty vail Of anguish us moth
er. wife, or orphaned child learned tho
sad tidings that lie whom they loved
would never more return. Again we
see them come lnltiny home, manned
i'll limb and weakened in constitution
But whether they still linger among
us, the remnant Of Il heroic generation.
OF sleep beneath our northern soil. or
fill Il nameless grave in Chickamauwo
or Arlington or Gettysburg the tat
tered battle flag for which thcy
fought. baptized with blood and fire,
still floats untarniShrd. thanks to their
brave deeds, over free and united
people.
All honor to the Grand Army of the
Republic. They fought their way
through swamp and flood. through
blood and leaden hail. to prove to I'LL
| mankind that free men need II, kings
to rule them. but. having a frea coun
try, dare die to preserve it. Long NAV
the survivors of that army flourish
among us. eloquent reminders that tho
days of high achievement and lofty de-
votion to country are vet past.
All honor. too. to the country that
cares for them or for the wild WIS ami
orphans they have left behind. For
whether they commanded an army
corps or fought obscurely in the trench
es they offered their lives that this
country might remain Ian "whprr
every man has a right to he as good
as every other"
The war OF the releli II prove
again an old truth which many are
ever prone to forget. that ''the desire
| of the wicked shall perish" Wrong
may prosper and flourish fer Il time,
and the time may seem very long. 1t
may shelter itself beneath the shadow
of a throne or sit cntllroned itself.
Laws may he based upon it. and be-
hold the might of millions marsllaled
to defend it. But buttreSs it as you
may. hallow it with age-loving custom.
even try to find it sanctioned in holy
writ. the truth remains that m insti-
tuition can endure that man has builded
upon wrong.
The sword and musket of 'G1 have
long since been laid aside. There let
them rest. They have done ,mdyiny
service and we know it. Put let not
the victory they won for us in war
he tilchod from us in times Ct peace
The musket may rest upon its peg
hut keep clean and keen your ballot
Look well to it that your representa-
tiveS in congress frame such laws as
shall protect us from being reduced to
slavery by the grasping greed of the
| few. 1T matters little to the frephOrn
man whether he he reduced to slavery
in the cotton field in the mine or in
the workshop: whether he be compelled
to toll for others without pay. or, if
paid. compelled to give up his all to
buy bread. In either case lie is equally
a slave. ....
And when the bread of labor is for
ever the bread of poverty. and out Of
| the sweat of the tolling millions the
few coin money in millions to live IN
luxury. the time has come when they
who fought that others might be free
must look to it that they themselves be
not made slaves.
| Let the laws of the twentieth cen
fury enforce the principle Which tho
nineteenth century write in inleliblc
characters of blood, that no man who
walks the soil of the United States
shall be a slave. Let the men and men,
cries Of 1861 keep ever alive in our
then will our united country nourish
race of free men.