The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-05-30

The place where we are now has
won a double distinction. Here was
fought one of the great battles OF all
tine. and here was spoken one OF the
few speeches which shall last through
the ages. AS long as this Republic
endures or its history is known, SO
long shall the memory OF the battle
Eof Gettysburg likewise endure and be
! known: and as long as the English
; tongue is understood, SO long shall
Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg speech
thrill the hearts of mankind.
The civil war was great war for
righteousness; a war waged Tor the
nob1esti ideals, but waged also IN
thoroughgoing. practical fashion II
was one of the few wars which mean,
! in their successful outcome, lift to-
{ ward S better things for the nations OF
mankind. Some wars have meant tri-
umph of order over anarchy and llD-
erty; some wars have meant triumph
#of liberty over tyranny masqueradlns
as ord er; but this victorious war or
y ours meant the triumph of both lib
erty and order, the triumph OF Or
derly liberty, the bestowal of civil
rights upon the freed slaves, and at
the same time the stern insistence on
the supremacy of the national law
+throu ghout the length and breadth OF
the land. Moreover, this was one OF
those rare contests in which IL was
to the i1nmeasurabl interests OF the
vanquished that they should lose'
while at the same time the Victors ac-
quired the precious privilege Of trans
noittine=t0 those who came after them,
as heritage of honor forever, not on
{ ly5sthe memory of their own valiant
deeds, but the memory of the deeds OF
those who. no less valiantly and with
equal sincerity of purpose, 1ousht
against the stars in their courses Inc
war left to us all, as fellow-country-
men, as brothers, the right to rejoice
that the Union has been restored III
indestructible shape in a country
where slavery no longer mocfs the
poast1of freedom, and also the right
to. rejoice with exultant pride in the
courage, the sef-sacrifce, and the de-
votion, alike of the men who wore
the blue and the men who wore the
& gray.
He is but a poor american VINO
looking at this field, does not feel
within himself a deeper reverence for
The nations past and 4 higher purpose
& 10 make the nations future rise level
to her past. Here Fought the chosen
sons of the North and the South, the
East and the West The armies
which on this field contended for
the mastery -.ere veteran armies,
hardened by long campaigning and
desperate fighting into such tnstru-
\ nnents of war as no other nation then
possessed. The severity of the fight
ing is aItested by the propertlonate
1oss-a loss unrivaled in any battle
of similar size since the close OF the
7 Napoleonic struggles: a loss Whlch IN
certain regiments was from three
$foulths to four-ffths of the men en-
gaged. Every spot on this field mas
a 4 its own associations of soldierly duty
nobly done, of supreme self-sacrlttce
freely rendered. The names OF s1he
Z chiefs who served iuSthe Two armies
FORM a long honor roll; and the en-
listed men were worthy, and even
4 more than worthy, Of those who led es,
Z them. Every acre ofEthis ground has has
its own associations: We see where 1.es,
the Hght numbered through a and q
around the vi llage of s;g e1ettysDllrs,
Continued On 5tfit page,l