Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-06-09

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The brave went down. Without dis
grace,
They leaped to ruins red embrace;
They only heard flames thunder
wake,
And saw the dazzling sunburst
break,
IN smiles on glory's bloody face.
They fell, who lifted up a hand,
And babe the sun in heaven to stand;
ihey smote and fell who set the bars
Against the progress of the stars.
AND stayed the march of Motherland.
They stood, who saw the future come,
On through the fights delirium,
lhey smote and stood who held the
hope,
W nations on that slippery slope,
Amid the cheers OF Christendom
God lives. He forged the iron will.
Ihat clutched and held that trembling
hill.
GOD lives and reigns He built and lent
me heights for Freedoms battlement
Where floats her flag in triumph still.
Fold up the banners. smelt the guns.
! Love ruies. Her gentler purpose runs.
"A, mighty mother turns in tears
me pages of her battle years,
Lalhentlng all her fallen sons.
Yes, let us who are enioy,nq tho
blessings that have been secured to
US ~ reason OF this awful sacrifice,
t .ianh God that love does rule and
~ .hae mighty mother turns in tears
; .ne pages OF her battle years, lament
ing all her fallen sons. But let us
never forget the distinction, let us
never forget that those who smote
Anu lell, who set the bars against
the progress of the stars and stayed
tne march OF motherland," were fight
ins 10 uphold the horrid system of
human slavery and were trying to tear
down and disrupt this union. While
nose VINO smote and stood, who held
the hope of nations on that slippery
slope amid the cheers Of Christen-
DOM were fighting to preserve the
union, to uphold the constitution and
guarantee the blessings of liberty to
mankind. The Confederates were
brave but they were mistaken and |
nave personally heard grand men of
the south, who took an active part In
that struggle, with Hnequalled moral
bravery, declare that they were pro-
foundly glad that the war had result
ed as 1t did. The war is over and it
IS these truly great and grand men
on both sides who have given us once
more an united country more firmly
bound and cemented today under the
constitution than at any time since
the foundation Of the government.
Under these circumstances 1t is
hard for US to realize the conditions
existing forty years ago. Who Is
there today to stand up and defend
human slavery and yet within my life
time, a million men were fighting to
maintain and perpetuate that instttu-
ton which is now repudiated by the
whole civilized world.
And what of secession, the crum-
bling, the division, the breaking I'D Of
this union of states?
With the United States today a
world power, boldly promulgatng the
Monroe doctrine and saying to the
monarchies Of Europe, Keep hands
off OF American soil, soil which under
the providence OF God has been re-
served for free men and free institu-
tions," it is indeed difficult to realize
that less than 40 years ago, men of
education and prominence in pubnc
life were solemnly arguing in favor of
secession, and they were fighting for
1t also. At the dedication of the ne-
tional cemetery at Gettysburg, on Nov.
10, 1853. Hon. Edward Everett, in
referring to these arguments at length,
said:
Pardon me, my friends, for dwell
ing on these wretched sophistries. But
1t Is these which conducted the armed
hosts Of rebellion to your doors on the
terrible and glorious days of July, and
which have brought upon the whole
land the scourge of an aggressive and
wicked war-a war which can have no
other termination compatible with the
permanent safety and welfare of the
country but the complete destruction
of the military power of the enemy.
have, on other occasions, attempted to
show that to yield to his demands and
acknowledge his independence thus re.
solving the Union at once into two hos
tile governments, with certainty of
further disintegration, would annihilate
the strength and the influence of the
country as member of the family of
nations; afford to foreign powers the
opportunity and the temptation for