Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-30

the great strife between the North and
 South and did it in 9 way which pleased the vast audience, every one of whom listened to the discourse with
 the greatest attention. The address
 from beginning to close was a defense,
 or rather an explanation of the North
 ern side of the war and the impeding
 motive that prompted men to leave the quiet of their homes and stand behind guns ill the trenches for four long
 years. Father Slocum defined the
 meaning of law as it is understood
 in a free country like this and stated
 that to be effective law must have CO.,
 erciye powers otherwise it would be
 of no avail. consequently 1t sometimes
 happens that certain number of
 people look upon the enforcement of
 law as an infringement of their rights
 because they are deterred from inter-
 fering with others who are pursuing
 life in manner agreeable to them
 selves and along lines which the Con-
 stitution guarantees them protection.
 The people make the laws and enforce
 them through their agents. The
 American people, he said. are the most
 patient in the world. This was shown
 shortly before the war when leading
 men ill every town and hamlet in the
 country were talking peace at any
 price Even in old Connecticut candl-
 dates on peace platform came within
 a few votes of carrying the state. The
 people wanted peace, but Withal the
 Union had to be maintained and with all their reluctance for war when the news flashed over the country in April '61 that Fort Sumter had been fired
 upon, all talk of peace was abandoned The grandest and most magnificent
 uprising of men ever witnessed fol lowed They came from every walk of life, from the farm, the factory and
 the office, all uniting as one man.
 those who .had been talking peace q few days before being now strongest
 in denouncing the insult to the flag
 and yowing that the principles of the
 Union should be withheld at. any
 cost so that in less than forty eight hours after the first hostile shot was
 fired what was formerly q nation of peaceful citizens had become nation of soldiers, With nothing but con science behind the gun.
 Father Slocum reviewed some of the principal battles of the war and re- ferred in glowing terms to those who l figured in them, not forgetting the man | i'll the trenches who didn't wear shoulder straps and then talked on the | lessons we should draw from the sacri- flee the country made for the preser-
 vation of the Union. He thought these occasions are looked upon too lightly
 and people do not attach sufficient i'm | portance to the significance of the blue uniform and medal.
 ] Speaking upon the conditions pro- duced in this country by the war of the rebellion, Father Slocum said that ] conducting war at home we were on | the verge of open rupture in Europe | on account of interference from
 abroad and remarked with much feel | ing that it was a sad commentary upon | American gratitude that the nation 1 that was q friend to us at that time, when we needed friend-the nation that anchored it's fleet in New York and kept it there until the danger was past-should so soon be forgotten. No
 matter what Russia may have done at home, he added, no matter what her 1 internal defects, God grant her victory. | because she was our friend when we needed one. It was her power that | stayed the hand of the greatest power | in Europe.
 This quarrel is not ours, but in Gods name let us be grateful. Father Slo-
 cum closed with q strong appeal for a study of the lesson of the war.
 One of the most touching passages in Fathter Slocum's address was his reference to Colonel John L. Chatfield and it was plain by the commotion that the mention of the name made that
 many were present who kneW Colonel