The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-06-05
JUDGE BANTA's SPEECH.
An Able and Interesting Address
Delivered to the Old Soldiers
on Memorial Day.

Saturday was Memorial Day and
as far as the weather permitted was
observed with appropriate ceremOn-
les. At the hour when the parade
should have formed 1t was rainy,
cold and muddy. SO Commander Trot-
ter decided that it would be best to
omit that part of the observance OF
the day and a committee was detailed
to go to the cemetery and perform
the duty of decorating the soldier g
graves. Later in the day the sky
cleared but II strong wind was still
blowing as the old soldiers marched
to the Congregational church. The
Post Commander opened the services
aud was followed by the choir after
which he Introduced Judge D. A.
Banta, of Great Bend, who had been
selected to make the address OF the
day. The Judge is able, original and
logical, 10 which he adds a fine pres
.nce and an impressive and eloquent
delivery. His GRAFTON was a treat to
those who hear d him. He departed
radically from the worn track of
hackneyed platitudes and gave his
torical facts interviewer with sympa-
theLic admiration for the deeds of the
veterans which had made 1t possible
UO llblu SuCu ScEN1CcS DIS drt COuuuCU-
ed On Memorial Day all over this
broad land of ours. He held his
bearers with the magic of his elO-
quenee for more than an hour. We
would be greatly pleased were it pos
eible for Us to reproduce his address
but will ue compelled to content our
readers with brief sketch of his re-
marks.
He said in part:
The thirtieth day of May, of each
year, or Decoration day, as it is cal
led. is set apart Tor paying tribute
aud concentrating the heroic sacri-
tces, recOunting the great trials and
LrIDulaJiOuS through which the living
and dead heroes of the civil war pas
sed in their struggle for the suprem-
acy of the union.
But We are not here for that pur-
pose alone: we must learn the lesson
of patriotism which their deeds teach
aud pass them on TO those who come
after US to assume the duties and re-
,punsibiliLies of the future. 1t should
be and doubtless is, one of the chief
purposes of this day to ere tte in the
m.nds aud hearts of coming genera
tions IL desire and determi nation to
rerpeJuate that same feeling OF loyal
ty to government that actuated the
men whose memories and deeds we SO
highly approve.
''Iu order to obtain Il full UNDER
stnndiug of the scope of their victory,
II will te proper for us to consider Il
few OF the causes which lea up to the
coutlict. aud note the reasons assign
ed therefore by the res spective com bat
ants
h. nf fla tirp Of h..
constitution we were a people of d
little more than million souls: such
Il form of government as we adopted
Was II new venture and the causes
which led up to the mighty conflict
are traceabe from the very founda-
tion of our political fabric in our
complex organism, in the constitution,
in the conflicting construction which
it invited and in the institution OF
slavery which it apparently recogniZ-
ed and by many WAS supposed to pro-
teCt.
Slavery was not the real cause OF
the war, as many suppose, as Is
shown by the fact that at one time
during the war the south was offered
its slaves if it would return to the
union. Slavery was the fomenting
cause of the conflict, but not the sole
cause. Neither it's defense nor de
struction was the energiZing fOro<
that held our armies in conflict foi
| four years. Every old soldier would
declare that it was the preservatio or
! of the union and not the destructio OF
of slavery that induced them TO offe,
their services to the nation.
| 1--WE must therefore look beyont
the institution of slavery for til
cause of the war
s'In the cabinet of the first presI
dent we fiud arrayed against eact
| other on the question OF CONSTITUTE on
al construction Hamilton on the on
side and Jefferson on the other. Thi
strife enyendered secti Onalism an,
states rights and divided the nOrti
from the south The latter claimia.
the right to withdraw from the uniol
and the former that the right of self
preservationwas inherent in all gov
ernments The institution of SLAYER.
was the pretext for war but not tn
real cause. During The time that tn
slave holding states were in the ma
jOrity secession was not advocated
AS the power of the south in congress
waned the talk Of secession increase,
until the final test between the con
tending factions came in 1866 an
eliminated in the election of A bra
ham Lincoln, and the call to arm
went out through the south.
! Fort Sumpter was fired on AZ,
the presidepfs call for $4,000 troop
followed. !"
The Judge went extensively into al
fairs in the early days of the war an
toucbingly dwelt on the self sacrific
of the women of the nation and pal,
glowing tribute to the valor of tn
men who had fought for and preserv
ed this union He then dwelt a
length on the conditions following th
war and on down TO the present time
touched on anarchy, the negro ques
tion and pensions, and closed wit
the admonition: "While our effort
are given to the strengthening O
Jgovernment and its betterment, let u
as we pass in and about the severa
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