The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-06-09
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS
OF THE REV. HAWKS
A VERY ABLE PRESENTATION OF THE DUTIES OF AN AMER
ICAN ON AN APPROPRIATE OCCASION

How often has this exclamation, Il
am Roman citizen brought aid and
safety even among barbarians in the
remotest quarters of the earth" In
Cicero's day Roman citizenship was
a dignity, with privileges and respon-
sibilities; and it was highly valued
in the days of the Republic and the
early period of the Empire, before
the days of political corruption and
decline. In the first century a Ro-
man citizen had been the innocent
cause of tumult, and being arrest
ed, the Roman commander, suppos-
of the peace, ordered him bound and
scourged that he might know the
cause of the trouble. The account
regarding this incident which has
come down to us says
And when they had tied him up
with throngs, Paul said unto the cen
turian that stood by, Is it lawful for
you to scOurge a man that is a Ro-
man,and uncondemned? And when
the centurian heard it, he went to
the chef captain and told him, say
ing, What art thou about to do? for
this man is Roman. And the chief
captain came and said unto him Tell
me, art thou a Roman And he said
nd hn oh Nfn;,
ed With great sum obtained | this
citizeiship' And Paul said, But
am Roman born They then that
were about to examine him departed
from him: and the chief captain was
afraid when he knew that he was a
Roman, and because he had bound
him.
Such was the privilege of Roman
citizenshop. in those days. The pen
atty against making false claim was
so great that few dared to run the
risk; and anywhere in the great en-
pire wherever a citizen went the sim
pie declaration Il am Roman cit
izen," secured him respect and aid
The theory was correct; and with
men of honor was not abused. Ro-
man law seems to have been a great
advance on most that had preceded
1t; and much that is best in the codes
and institutions of the English speak
ing world has come from the Roman
civilizations; the chief principle of
government of law. The founders of
our government adopted the same
principle; government of law; not
of men or classes.
Memorial Day is a suitable time
to recall this fact; and particularly
in Caldwell, the capital of Canyon
county of Idaho. The Grand Army of
the Republic struggled, endured and
won to preserve that principle. You
have before heard me speak of the
depressing winter of 1S60-1 How
society much of the time seemed APP
prehensive, much as when watching
the dying, or when we have our
precious dead still in our home; the
days seemed to drag; and the whole
northern land was in state of ex-
pectancy and dread. Men who had
been taught to love the Republic,
Law, could not believe that faction
and fraction of the nation would go
about its destruction for mere money
making, and that, money making
bound up with human bondage.
When 1t was recalled that of the
first seven presidents, five were south
ern men, each of whom the nation
honored with reelection, and that
four of those had helped to make
the Constitution, ii did not seem pos
sible that their descendants of tn,
South would rashly destroy the fab
rio. For many years the contend
ing parties in the nation had been
deferring the day of struggle by com
promises; each would yield some of
It's contention, agree on some points
In common, followed by season of
peace, when some untoward event
would renew the strife. But now the
contending forces were drawing to a
vortex. During that winter of 1860
1861, congress seemed to reflect the
general sentiment of the country; all
was uncertainty; each few weeks
southern state would vote To secede
from the Union, when It's represen-
tatives in congress would withdraw
from that body with more or less
spectacular speeches. while those
that remained woul confer again and
again to see if some new compromise
could be devised. Two men stood
out above the others as leaders, from