Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-06-06


anarchy. Freedom thus conceived is
a constructive force, which enables an
intelligent and good man TO do better
things than he could do without II;
which is in its essence the subsutu-
ton Of self-restraint for external re-
straint-the substitution OF a form OF
restraint which promotes progress for
the form which retards it., This Is the
right view of freedom; but 1t can only
be taken If there is a full recognition
OF the close connection between liberty
and responsibility in every domain OF
human thought. II was essentially
he view taken by Abraham Lincoln,
.-i by all those who, when the civil
war broke out, realized that in self
governing democracy those who de-
sire to be considered At to enjoy lib
erty must show that they know how to
use il with moderation and justice in
peace. and how 10 fight for IL when 1t
is ieoparded by malice domestic or
foreign levy.
The lessons they taught US are les
sons as applicable in our everyday
lives now as in the rare times OF great
great stress. The men who made this
field forever memorable did so because
they combined the power Of fealty to
a lofty ideal with the power of show
ing that fealty in hard, practical, com
nonsense fashion. They stood for
the life OF effort. not the life of ease.
They had that love OF country, that
love OF Justice. that love Of their fel-
low-men, without which power and re-
sourceful efficiency but make a man a
danger to his fellows. Yet, in ad-
ditson thereto, they likewise possessed
the power and the efficiency; for other
wise their high purpose would have
been barren of result. They knew
each how 10 act for himself, and yet
each how to act with his fellows. They
learned. as all the generation of the
civil war learned. that rare indeed is
the chance TO do anything worth doing
by one sudden and violent effort. The
men who believed that the civil war
would be ended in ninety days, the
men who cried loudest ON TO Rich
mOnd.' il they had the right stuff in
them speedily learned their error; and
the war was actually won by those
who settled themselves steadfastly
down 10 fight for three years, or for as
much longer as the war might last,
and who gradually grew to understand
that the triumph would come. not by
single brilliant victory, but by a hun
dred painful and tedious campaigns.
In the east and the west the columns
advanced and recoiled, swayed from
side 10 side, and again advanced;
alCng the coasts the black ships stood
endlessly of and on before the hostile
forts; generals and admirals emerged
into the light, each to face his crowd
ed hour of success or failure; the men
in front fought; the men behind sup
piled and pushed forward those in
front: and the final victory was due TO
the deeds of all who played their parts
well and manfully, in the scores OF
battles. in the countless skirmishes, in
march. in camp, or in reserve, as COM
m.ssioned officers. or in the ranks
wherever and whenever duty called
them. Just so il must be for us in
civil life. We can make and keep
this country worthy of the men who
gave their lives TO save il, only on
condition that the average man among
us on the whole does his duty bravely,
Loyalty, and with common sense, in
whatever position life allots TO him.
Exactly as in time war courage is car
linal virtue Of soldier, so in time Of
peace honesty, using the word in its
deepest and broadest significance, is es-
seatlal basis virtue, without which all
else avails nothing. National great
ness is OF slow growth. II can not be
forced and yet be stable and enduring;
for II is based fundamentally upon ma
tiOnal character. and national charac-
ter is stamped deep in a people by the
lives OF many generations. The men
who went into the army had to submit
10 discipline, had to submit to restraint
through the government of the lead
ers they had chosen, as the price of
winning. So we, the people, can
preserve our liberty and our great
ness in time OF peace only by our
selves exercising the virtues of hon
esty. Of self-restraint, and of fair deal
ing between man and man. In all the
ages Of the past men have seen coun-
tries lose their liberty because their
people could not restrain and order
themselves. and therefore forfeited the
right TO what they were unable to use
with wisdom.
1T was because you men of the
civil war both knew how 10 use liberty
tcmperately and how 10 defend IL at
need that we and our children and our
,hildren's children shall hold you N
honor forever. Here. on memorial
day. on this great battlefield, we COM
memarate not only the chiefs who
actually won this battle; not only
Meade. and his lieutenants, Hancock
and Reynolds and Howard and Sickles,
ard 4ha many others whose names