Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-06-01
HONOR DEAD PATRIOTS
dren told that to him alone was the
DEGRADATION of bondage,
Continued from first page.

dren told that to him alone was the
degradation of bondage.
That no creature, possessed Of a
soul destined TO pass the portals OF
another world, should be 5artered as
the chattel of his fellow man was the
lofty principle that called the Union
soldier from the bosom of his family
to the field of battle.
He fought for a noble purpose and
the nobility of his career was worthy
of his cause, aud on the wings of fam
cy would fain transport you to realms
beyond the reckonings Of time where
the days of men and nations are num-
bered by deeds and thoughts and pot
by the count of moons and seasons.
where unrolled in grand panorama
is pictured all the armies of the
world from the earliest TO the latest
hour of time. There appears the army
of the great Alexander, whose de-
votion to its commander impelled it
to conquer the known world and lay
it as a trophy at his impatient feet.
Nearby is that other Greek army,
Leonidas and his spartans, whose pa
triotic zeal sustained them to the last
extremity against the Asiatic world
on the threshold of their mountain
home. Proud and splendid are seen
the legions of the mighty Caesar re-
turning with the trophies of con-
quered world to imperial Rome. In
vincible in it's superb discipline and
matchless maneuvering, see tie army
moulded by the genius of MARI
borough on the fields of central Eu-
rope. Bronzed and battle scared FROM
twenty campaigns. unconscious of de-
feat, l see the Old Guard dashlng it.
self to humiliation in the last charge
at Waterloo. And down in the fore
ground l see yet another mighty army,
loyal as the hosts of Alexander pa
triotic as the deathless Spartans pos
sessed of tho proves OF the Roman
legions; disciplined and organized as
the army of Blenheim and Ondenarde
and enthusiastic as the old guard of
Napoleon. Upon the countenances of
it's soldiers, | read devotion to cause
that is enshrlned in their hearts.
Their uniform is Respondent with a
glory that shines from within. Upon
their banners, though raised Ger
serted columns of bristling steel, l
can read message of forgiveness and
peace Need tell you that the silent
figure at the head of the column is
that of Grant; and that the mounted
figure on his right hand, impatiently
curbing his black charger. is Phil
Sheridan and that on the other size,
standing close to his shoulder, is Sher
man; over OH the right, resolute and
unyielding, stands Thomas, the Rock
of Chicamauga; and, ia the reserve
line, resting, hat ready to dash into
the thick of fight at h moments call,
is brave little Nc the idol of the pri-
vate soldier. Yes they are all there
Phil Kearney dashing madly in the
front of battle, his empty sleeve at
the sport of the wind, his sword in
his remaining hand and the bride
rein in his teeth Farragut lashed to
the fighting top of his ship riding
salamander like through the fame of
rebel fire. Logan. the Black Eagle
from the prairies of Illinois, Meade
the hero of the turning point of war
Hancock the Superb. Hooker, Shields
and Prentiss; and that army is the
army of the Union, the Grand Army
of the Republic, that rose in day
from the walks of civil life to save the
nation and rid it of the curse of
slavery, and when that was accom-
plislied went back to their homes like
men returning from their daily tasks,
and if you will searchingly scan those
ranks you will discover forms that are
familiar to memory's eye and counte
nances that give back love light to
your inquiring gaze, and then you
will know that the picture is not over
drawn; for even the plain pages of
history will paint it in richer colors
and brighter light than my poor
imagery is capable of.
Look again and you will see that
there is more than the army and its
great captains portrayed on that i'm
mortal canvas.
Over the army itself, in light more
soft and dim than that which rests on
the rugged features of the stern men
of battle, is seen beauteous throng,
the radiance of whose brows. and the
tenderness of whose smile prociaims
the angel soul within, for in truth
they are angels. The angels of our
nations Gethsemane; the women of
the rebellion whose prayers and tears
sanctified every hour of the soldiers
duty-whose patriotic fortitude
prompted them to pluck from their
hearts the flowers of hottest affection
and lay them as a sacrifice on the al
tar of their country's need. There can
be seen the gray-haired moth er, her
face still drawn in the lines OF agony
that settled there as she babe good bye
to her handsome boy, proud in the
trappings of his first uniform. Like
wise the maiden fair, torn twixt pride
in the bravery of ner gallant soldier
sweet heart, and dark despair, lest
the rolling war cloud never yield him
back to her arms gain and the subli-
NEST heroine of them all, the noble
wife, in her eyes the unspoken prayer
that the God OF Battles might temper
his wrath and save her from widows
woe and her children from the orphans
sorrow. There TOO is seen the noble
minded woman who courageously
went to save the sufferi.,g and COM
fort the dying and, shrinking away
from our gaze. her black robe of
humility transformed into habilaments
of glory, the sweet faced sister of
mercy whose submissive feet trod
the paths of her devoted duty where
heroes faltered on the way, and whose
timid downcast eyes were trained to
look on sights that quailed the stoutest