The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-06-01
PRAISE TO PATRIOTS
CONTINUED From Page one.1

4
lie,ed after heart-rending suspense by
the sight of the loved ones safe re-
turn and in the other to be sustained
and consoled by the knowledge of duty
well performed and sacrifice none too
great.
1t is not alone as tribute to physical
courage nor alone as tribute to ordi-
nary patriotism that we observe this
| day. Patriotism may mean a love of
country as that country may be, either
good or bad. But we pay tribute to
men who recognizing that human bond
| l.e was stain upon this fair land and
il moral wrong, determined without
counting the cost to themselves that
that blot should be forever wiped out.
| They laid down their lives so that we
and our posterity could say in truth
that this is the land of the free and
| the home of the brave. There was no
tinge of self gorfication in their con
duct.
Abraham Lincoln only few weeks
before his death recognizing and appre-
ciating the services of the soldiers and
sailors during the struggle then drawing
| to close commended them to the ten
der consideration of their fellow coun
trymen in these words: with firmness
| i'm the right as God gives us to see the
| right. let us strive to finish the work we
are in, to bind up the nations wounds,
| to care for him who shall have borne
| the battle and for his widow, and his
| orphan" This admonition coming to
us from one whose gentle spirit almost
quenched by the mighty scourge Of
| war;" and whose soul was so soon to
take its fight to be in communion with
those whom his heart had so often bled,
| imposes upon us sacred trust. The
work was finished. The nations wounds
| were bound up and have healed leaving
not even scar to indicate how ter
libly it had been torn. The ravages OF
| fire and sword have been obliterated. We
have enjoyed the blessings of heaven
! in the fullest measure. In the prophet
ic words Of that inspired address deliv.
cred at time when the tide of battle
had barely turned, the nation has had
, new birth of freedom. Never before
| had it been given to so many who had
ssisted in bringing about such glorious
results to reap the fruit of their own
planting. During the time that has
elapsed since their return to their own
growth of the new born freedom. They
have rendered it with watchful care To
them it owes its full-grown integrity
1t has been their especial charge 1t is
by sitting at their feet that we can
best prepare ourselves to take their
| places. We are exhorted to care for
him who bore the battle, and his widow
In material way enough could not
be done. The services were beyond
price. The nation has attempted to
express its gratitude but there remains
much to be done. 1t ll-becomes us to
allow even one of those to whom we owe
50 much, or his widow, to lack any OF
the comforts of life. May their path
| ho hoi
| lighter. We are many. They are few
Each succeeding year sees fewer and
fewer of them able to participate III
these ceremonies. This duty will soon
devove wholly upon those who will
have learned the lesson from hearing
the story. The world will never again
be called upon to solve so momentous a
problem and for all time this will re-
main the highest example of dread wal
in the interest of humanity Let us
Then omit nothing that we can do tC
show how greatly we appreciate the
favor bestowed by divine providence up
on us who have been privileged to live
contemporary with the grand army of the
republic and with that grand auxiliary
organization, representing the angels oil
mercy, they who did so much to allie
viate the pain and mitigate the hard
ships of those through whom came to u
such blessings.
Let our alteration for this day and al
the glorious virtues which it common
crates, be such. that transmitted to pos
terity, it will cause the fires of patriot
ism to burn perpetually. Let our pray
er be in the words of the poet:
God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far flung battle line,
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
|, Dominion over palm and pine;
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
Mr.. Hughes received many congratu
lations on his address, which was on
of the finest ever delivered in Mankato
The exercises closed with music by tn
chorus, and benediction.
The graves of the old soldiers in TIN
various cemeteries were decorated b.
| fooc oppninfod for tho purnOSp