The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-05-29
The Spirit Of the Sixties
Comes Today As . Voice From the Crave,

uO OpuIl vi
Comes Today As o
Nothing that could be said upon
Memorial day could more yividlY
picture to the present generation the
great lesson Of the civil war and the
patriotism and heroism of those who
ended it and gave this country the
possibilities which it now enjoys than
the subjoined letter, written from the
front forty years ago. The writer OF
it-a long an intimate personal
acquaintance Of the editor OF the
GRAPHIC, and one Of the finest men
he ever knew-died few years ago.
The letter is now in the possession Of
a Wiloughby, Ohio, comrade Of the
deceased.
Camp near Union Mills, Va,
Jan. Goth, 1868.
i To the Yates County Teacher.
! In looking over a late number Of the.
Yates county Chronicle, 1 observed a
notice Of a meeting OF the Teachers
Association. An institution by the
way, from which the writer of this
has derived very much pleasure as
well as profit, and thought perhaps
a communication from a former mem-
Der whom the fortunes OF the times
have brought to this deSOiate region
might not be entirely uninteresting.
Acting upon this thought 81 set me
down" in my tent, surrounded by all
the paraphernalia OF actual war. to
lgive few thoughts to the old associ-
alton before stern duty calls me to
less agreeable occupation.
The 7th Of February will chronicle
a meeting Of the Teachers Associa-
tion Of our county. The 7th Of Feb,
ruary may chronicle another strife Of
arms, in which the cruel passions OF
men will again shed fratricidal blood
and another chapter be written in
the worlds history of sighs and
groans, Of tears and heart rtbreakings.
Alas for our civilizatio tion. We boast
Iof our Advancement, Of the progresso Of
the arts and sciences and fondly AFRO
gate to ourselves. all OF mental super-f
iorlty the age affords. We looked
upon the revolutions and bloody
strifes Of Europe and ratulated
Yourselves that we lived in a. country
on which the smile Of Heaven
beamed with uncommon refulgence, e
where revolution could not come, but.
the wave THAT swept. over that portion
of earth, reached our shores, and. .
proved to us, that we too are barbar-
ous, cruel and wicked still. The
lhand of man which should kindly
Tighten the burdens of his weary fell
|lowman. is raised against his life and
human ingenuity, aided by the light
OF science, and as il urged by devil
i ish inspiration seeks new devices to
render more destructive the appli-.
ances for destroying life.
4 Ambition, the crime through which
langels fell, struck at the vitals Of our
dearly loved country; spite Of pros
lperity the like Of which no country
ever saw; spite of the happy results
of Free Institutions, mental progress,
human elevation and pecuniary sue
cess, and more, Important as a Power
in the earth; aristocracy, that idea of
blood and birth, which lends no help-s
ing hand to struggling manhood in
Its upward tendencies, but teaches
B that an accident Of birth is "a divine
fright to lordly Importance, that the
proper relation of labor to capital is
that of master and slave, summoned
Z its forces for mortal combat ina grand
effortto take ty force what nature
refused. So today we stand on the
one hand aristocracy fortified with
what seems likely TO give il sue:
cess, aand on the other, dem ocracy
with knitted brow and stout heart,
Swearing to yield it's manhood never.
In this light, the eyes OF the world
view the present struggle, and aris-
tocrat and democrat take sides for or
lagainst us. Upon this question the
sons, brothers and husbands OF Yates
county have taken sides, have said
g rather than yield their rights as men
|, they would lay down their lives. Some
have testified their devotion with
d their lives, Others stand where they
Z. stood. sGiye them hearts. Give
2 them your hands. q Suffer no foul
S traitorous tongue to speak treason at
home. If any one is willing to throw
h away his manhood let HIM do it, but
= = let him be a thing to point your fin.
3 ger at, or you give your friends tc
III the chances Of war in vain.
s Ithas been said the mills of GOO