, 1908-07-18

the first flag over old Fort Phi kear-
ney, and who will today raise the flag
on the new flag stan on the site of the
old one.
Nothing would please me better.
did time suffice. than TO recall to your
minds some of the stirring scenes en-
acted hereabouts in 1867, when the
entire force OF the great Sioux Nation,
under one of Its most intrepid and
courageous leaders, was exerted In a
ceaseless effort to close this gateway
to the on-coming white man, to re-
serve as the hunting ground Of the
red nan the fairest and m desir-
able portion OF the territory then
claimed by the great Sioux Nation
History contains no more thrilling
pages than those which tell OF the
struggles here, and early In my SER
vice In congress ] became SO Impress
ed with the character OF these strug-
giles that 1 determined to secure a
monument or marker of the spot on
Massacre Hill where occurred the aw-
full and fatal conflict which peculiarly
distinguished the struggles about old
Fort Phil. Kearney.
But there is neither time nor need
to relate the story of those early con
fiicts. 1t Is familiar to you all. 1t Is
a part OF the inspiring history OF the
region, and my thoughts and purpose
Is to talk to you briefly of some les
sons these struggles teach.
ITO me this celebration and the Incl
dents which 1t commentaries suggest
two thoughts. The first is that earn
est, faithful and courageous effort and
service will be recognized eventually,
and that whatever may be the injus-
tice of the moment, in the running
of the years truth will triumph and
justice will prevail.
"Forty-one years ago last February,
in soldiery obedience to a cruel order
founded on a misrepresentation of
facts and conditions, General Caring
ton and his wife and children, the
members of his stan and their fami-
lies, including the heroic lady who is
now Mrs. Darlington, then mourning
the awful death OF her husband On
yonder hill, left Fort Phil. Kearney on
their awful march to Fort Casper in
the fact of the bitter winter and the
relentless foe. No greater injustice
was aver done. To the bitterness of
defeat and personal loss was added
the humiliation Of implied lack OF
confidence. and those vino most de-
served the thanks Of their country
were condemned to criticism, to dis
credit, to humiliation, and to physical
suffering. But time has righted 1t all.
Long since the country came to rec
ognize the splendid services OF Gener-
al Darlington to his country, and the
wisdom. ~sagacity and courage with
which he planned and executed, and
he returns in triumph to find al en-
thusiactic welcome, and in welcoming
Mrs. Darlington and Mrs. Freeman,
we pay a heartfelt and deserved tri-
butte to all those loyal, devoted and
courageous women in army and civil
life who like her faced the trials, the
dangers. the sufferings and the ang-
uish of frontier life.
The other thought that comes to me
= connection with this celebration Is
this, that WI shall best honor those
who fought the good fight IN these
bloody fields by here resolving that
with Gods help we shall perform the
duties of citizenship IS well and as
truly as they performed their duties,
both as soldiers and as citizens.
"The blood curiling war cry of the
savage no longer rings through these
hills. Torture and death no longer
haunt the trails. Our ways are ways
of pleasantness and all our paths are
peace, and yet we have our duties
to perform no less important in their
influence on the present and future
than those who faced these men and
ONE of the frontier
las citizens of the commonwealth
and the republic, as sovereigns Of our
country the duty devolves upon US to
do our full share in preserving our
free institutions, in assisting to the
best of our ability in solving the man.
fold problems whicz. are constantly
arising in the development of our
country and its
I'VE are not called upon, Is we're
these men and women, to accept the
chances of suffering. torture and
death, and yet we must remember
that as eternal vigilance Is the price
OF liberty, so eternal attention to all
the duties of citizenship is the price
Of good government.
Every man and woman owes 1t TO
themselves, their children and their
country to keep informed upon the
questions of the day and without pre-
judice or passion to exert their infiu-