The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-05-27

does it mean to the citizens of our ma
tion?
To the citizens of the country this
day means the preservation of the Re-
public. The conflict between federal
ism and state sovereignty was settled
finally by the issue of the war. The
triumph of the Union demonstrated the
principle, that no state was independ
ent of all the other states in the Union.
The war precluded forever the possi-
bility Of our nation becoming number
of disconnected. independent and an
tagonistic states instead OF the united,
harmonious, prosperous and happy peo-
pie that We are, with one destiny, one
common interest, one flag.
The issue of the war removed from
the life Of the nation the most irrita-
ing question that had ever troubled it;
the question OF slavery. 1t secured for
the people their cherished free institu-
tion and established firmly popular
government.
But the men and boys who fought in
the army were not the only heroic ones
in those dark days of the early COS.
There we're some who stayed at home
who were just as self-sacriticing and
devoted as any who went to the front.
The mother who gave her boy to tho
nation as soldier was just as noble in
her patriotic zeal rs was he. But what
shall | say of the suffering, the anxiety,
the tears and the prayers of the women
who stayed at home. took care of the
farm, carried the responsibility of the
home and lived I'M daily fear lest the
letter in strange writing should come
bringing its unwelcome message that
| the loved one had been offered on the
alter of patriotism and his welfare was
at an end? But no. we cannot linger
longer in these sacred precincts of wo-
mau's experience. Suffice it to say that
she to-, deserves the tribute paid to
loyal devotion.
i
interested in the day and in all that it
signifies. 1 refer to the black man
| What does it mean to the negro? 1t
means everything to him. Oh who can
paint the blight and curse of slavery?
Fancy if you can yourself in bondage to
another. Think of yourself as owned
body and soul by a master. Think of
the possibilities of devillsh cruelty and
lust such a position affords. Some mas
tiers were kind, tits true. but some were
exceedingly oppressive.
Objection has been made that for the
most part the slave was satisfied with
his lot. Suppose he was, was that not
the worst thing about slavery that it
crushed the soul and the man that it
annihilated aspiration and ambition?
To be satisfied with ones condition is
often to be on a level with the beast,
aud to like it. No. no. God never in
tended that. human instincts and crav-
ings after higher and better things
should be stitled. But slavery did,that
very thing in many cases. On the
other hand there were mulJitudes who
craved freedom just as you and crave
it. To them the war meant freedom,
freedom, freedom.
1t meant also the exercise of the
franchise. 1t meant attainment of ed
ucation. 1t meant wealth and influence.
All of these are not fully realized yet,
but their realization is coming just as
surely as that the glorious future of our
country is to be attained.
But again l ask this question:: What
does this day mean to the world? What
do the freedom and unity of our nation
mean to the other nations of the world:
1t is no mere boast to say that our
nation has an influential relation to the
whole world. We stand as the expon.
nents OF the.republican form of govern
people have more liberty here than
anyw here else on the face OF the globe
But how could we sustain that claim il
four or five millions of our fellow be-
ings were held in bondage in our land!
Again since we have claimed to haye
free institutions, their preservation
must be of interests not to US alone but
TO all mankind.
\ Slavery anywhere is menace every
where. If one man can enslave an
other in one part of the earth the weak
may be enslaved some time in any par1
of the earth.
] The oppressed of all lands had a,