The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-10-10
SPEECH OF COMPTROLLER HER
ING.
rendering Monument to Maryland
Heroism to Chattanooga National
Military Park.

Military Park.
Following is the speech delivered by Comp,
troller J. W. Herring, representing the State
OF Maryland, rendering to the Commission OF
Chattanooga National Military Park the Mon
ument to the Third Maryland Volunteer In
fantry( Z Federal) and Latrobe's Battery (Con-
fedela ate) erected by the State:
Members Of the Chickamduga- Chattanooga
Battle Field Commission Of Maryland,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
am here today, commissioned by the Gov
ernor of Maryland, whose unavoidable alb
sence deeply regret, to take the part assigned
| to him in the ceremonies connected with the
dedication of the Maryland State Monument
which has been erected upon this battlefield.
The legislature of Maryland at its session
of 1902 made an appropriation for the erec-
| ton of Suitable monuments and markers to
| commemorate the military record of the Third
| Maryland Volunteer Infantry of the Federal
| Army and Latrobe's Battery of the Confeder
ate Army, in the Chattanooga National Mil
| tary Park" A Commission was authorized
by the Act, to be known as the Chickamauga-
J Chattsi0oga Battlefield Commission of Mary
land'' and composed of seven of the repre-.
sentative CiGizens of our State.
This Commission was charged with the duty
of carrying out the purpose of the Legislature,
and in receiving this monument today, from
the Commission, through its President in
words so ftly chosen, this beautiful and ap-
propriate monumeet, standing as it does in
this magnificent National Park, | wish in the
name of the people of Maryland to thank the
gentlemen of the Commission for the salts.
factory manner in which they have executed
the important trust committed to their hands.
We stand today upon historic ground. A
little more than four decades ago, the spot we
now occupy and upon which we are holding
these peaceful commemorative services, was
the scene of the widest carnage, these hills
and valleys reverberating with the thunder Of
artillery and the rattle of musketry.
1t was here on November oath and 25th,
1868. that one of the bloodiest battles of our
civil war was fought, with an aggregate loss
on both sides of nearly $4,000 men. In no
one of the many battles of the war, was the
valor of the American soldier more clearly
shown than during the two days conflict upon
this field. between the forces of Grant and
Bragg.
Many of us who are here today, recall with
vivid personal recollection the awful days OF
the early sixties, when men of the same coun-
try, of the same race, of the same blood and
often of the same family, we're arrayed against
each other in mortal combat.
but terrlDle dS tu6 COullCG COSlly do II
was in human life and treasure, under the
over-ruling Providence of God, in which HE
maketh the wrath of man to praise Him." an
enlarged good has come to our nation, and
through il to the world. 1t served to elimi-
nate from our system Of government an lnstl-
tuition which was for years serious menace
to our peace and safety. 1t has resulted in a
better understanding between the various sec
tions of our country, and has cemented Il
Union that is stronger and more enduring
than ever existed before. And more than
that. it has shown to the world the spectacle
of a great people, divided upon questions of
internal concern, going to war and waglng 1t
to the death, and coming out of the conflict,
still mantaing, both as to the victor and the
varquished, the great American principle OF
free government, OF government "by the people
and for the people,
1t has shown, also, the splendid example
of our Southren brethren, beaten in the con
test, accepting in good faith the result as an
end to the controversy. going back to their
homes to build up and rehabiltate their beau.
tiful but broken Southland. Exhausted and
IMPOVERISHED, with the loss of everything but
their honor, the noble and generous conduct
of the great Federal Captain at AppomattoX
struck q responsive chord in their brave
hearts, and they turned their weary feet South
ward, swearing new allegiance to the Union,
now baptzed and cemented in blood. How
honest, how true and how sincere was their
LOYALTY subsequent events have fully proven.
1t showed also that the brave conquering
North. flushed with victory, could be magnan.
imous toward those whom they had conquered.
so that before a full generation has passed
since the great conflict we find that as Amer
leans. and not as from the North or from the
South. we stand together with uncovered
heads beside the last resting place OF those
who wore the blue and those who wore the
pray. The splendid monument which we ded-
icate today, commemorative OF the valorouS
deeds of those who fought on both sides in the
contest, presents an object lesson to the world,
teaching the great fact. in which we all re-
ioice. that sectionalsm in our country is a
thing of the past that those of the North and
those of the South have come to respect the
convictions which moved each in the contro.
versy. and that on both sides, the supreme
test of real conviction for the truth was shown
in the fact that men of the North and men OF
the South, divided as they were, were willing
to die for it. as they saw it and understood 1t.
Truly we have great country, great as
| God made it and great as man, by his skill
and ingenuity and industry, has made 1t. But
let rs not overlook the fact, that the greatness
of our country does not depend upon the eX
tent of its territory, the richness of its lands
and of its mines, the magnitude of its manu-
featuring interests or the extent of lis com
merce. These are all necessary and lmpor-
tant as the expressions Of the country's great
ness. But the real greatness of the country is
with the people. the individual citizens who
compose the nation and their patriotic respect
for. and loyal devotion to, our free institutions.
Virtue and intelligence, as we must all
know. are the strong pillars upon which our
republic must rest, if it is to endure and work
out the high mission which seems to be be-
fore it.
Rut if we are to continue to live and be great
great in our usefulness to others, great as a
power for the uplifting of our common hu-
manity, great by the example we afford as
self governing people, thus giving inspiration
to the hopes and strength to the courage OF
the downtrodden, but liberty loving peoples
of the earth, we must not fail to remember
and to respect the teaching, which in the ex-
altation of our National greatness we are so
apt to forget, a teaching which comes to us
from source higher than that of human wis
dom, that righteousness exalteth nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people"
And now, in the name of the State of Mary
land. in whose behalf l have the honor TO
speak on this occasion, formally transfer to
the Chattanooga National Military Park,
through lis duly accredited representative, the
handsome and substantial monument which
has been erected upon this battlefield by the
State, as a memorial of the love of our people
for the gallant Maryland dead, of the blue
and the gray, whose remains lie within this
beautiful enclosure.
The Little Country Paper.