The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-06-03

reason or unbalanced mind forever. The de-
mands of patriotism meant for many wives,
widowhood; for many children, orphanage:
They took from many a mother her sole sup
port The love of the son upon whose strong arm
and heart she had counted to lean in the de-
clining years. And how bravely those wives
and mothers accepted the sacrifice! When the
husband said to the wife, with half doubling
purpose and with voice quivering with emo
ton, 81 feel almost as if ought not to go and
leave you and the children" the pale wife filled
with conflicting emotions, hesitated; then
quickly nerving herself, in voice steady and
strong, replied, go, co." keeping up all the
courage until he had gone, because her courage
and sacrifices, well as his, were needed at
that supreme moment to enable him to respond
to his countrys call and part with wife and
children, perhaps forever.
There was nothing personally attractive
about any of the features of enlistment IN the
War of the Rebellion 1t was business of the
most serious sort. Every soldier took dread
full chance; his offering was nothing short of
his own life blood, if required. This, however,
seemed insignificant in that overmastering love
for country, in that fervent patriotism which
filled the souls of the boys in blue; in that high
and noble resolve which they all possessed.
That they were to save to themselves, to their
families, and to their fellow countrymen, the
freest and best government, and to their pos,
terity and all mankind, the largest liberty and
the best civilization in the world. With this
high purpose they went forth to war The
extent of their sacrifices exceeded human ex-
pectations, but was freely offered upon their
country's altar.
Can we ever cease to be debtors to these
men? Is there anything in reason they are
not worthy to receive at our hands? Is there
any monument too great for them? Is there
any benefaction too bountiful? Is there any
obligation too lasting or too sacred? Is there
any honor too distinguished which a loving
people can bestow that they ought not to re-
ceive? What the nation is, or what the nation
may become we owe to them. If there is one
of these fighting patriots sick at heart and dis
couraged, the cheerful and strong, who are the
benefciaries of his valor, should comfort him.
If there is one who is sick or suffering from
wounds, the best skill and the most tender
nursing should wait upon him.
1t is interesting to contrast the size of our
armies in the several wars in which the United
States has participated. The number of col
onial troops in the Revolutionary War was
,791. In the War of 1872, the total number
of American troops was 576,622 In the Mex
lean War, the troops engaged for the United
States numbered 1920. The number of
United States troops engaged in the Rebellion
was 2,S59, 200, or three times the combined force
of the American armies in all our former wars.
The magnitude of the struggled also strikingly
illustrated by comparison of the casualties.
In the War of 1872 there were but 1877 killed
in battle and B. 739 wounded. In the Mexican
War there were l,O49 killed. while 904 died of
wounds and 1920 were wounded. In the War
of the Rebellion, 1852 were killed outright
and 34,627 more died of wounds, and besides
1S3,2s7 died of disease In other words our
casualties in the Rebellion, killed, and those
who died of wounds and disease, were only 49,
600 less In number than the entire army of the
United Colonies in the War with Great Britain,
and they were two and half times the entire
force engaged on the part of the United States
in the war with Mexico.
The pension list of the government tells well
the story of the suffering of our great armies.
In 1884 pensions were paid to 737,203 invalid
soldiers and 20S, 430 widows. In the navy pen
sions were paid to IT, 765 invalid sailors, and to
7,l46 widows, making a grand total of 969, 544
pensioners. Our pension roll contains nearly
as many pensioners as the entire muster rolls
of all the soldiers and sailors of the United
States in the War of the Revolution, in the
War of 1872, and in the war with Mexico COM
bined. Within IA 900 as many names are now
borne on our pension rolls as were contained
on the enlistment roll of all our armies in every
war from the Revolution to the Rebellion.
My comrades, this long, highly honorable list
is being steadily diminished by death, and will
rapidly decrease as the years roll by. The pen
sion roll has reached its maximum; hereafter it
is likely to recede; death will stalk through
that patriotic throng with increasing rapidity
a ES age overtakes IT, winch 1t is hourly dong
1s oe1 rams cahiiol last sfea. WINE
longer. Exposure mas hastened to their door
NC s'.ps VI .ne pale messenger. zoo grant
WINE they are sun with US they shall ENJOY
"ien n sum- gruuge or susplclon' the pounte
Gus oi nd o. an tne country they served
SO wen, ana receive the care and benedlcton
VI M az ',e!l heiehpo1s ana 1eiioW ciuzens!
Inc oaliy reports OF the dlsplacing from the
pension ron by death carries with it no faint OF
olshonor; IT -:alses no suspicion of unworthi-
ness. Death is the way OF us all. We cannot
prevent TINS honorable roll from decreasing
from natural causes: II the pension is to be
diminished, or II displacement shall occur from
otner causes, let 1t be for reasons alike just
and conclusive; then the patriotic sentiment of
tne country VIII approve and the brave soldiers
OF the kepupllc Will themselves be quick to
applaud 1t. Let us care for the needy surviv-
ors OF that great struggle in the true spirit of
the martyr president, who promised that the
nation should care for him who shall have
borne the battle, and for his widow and his
orphan 1t is no wonder that the old soldier
loves the nag under whose folds he fought and
for which his comrades shed so much blood.
he loves IL Tor what 1t IS, and for what 1t rep
resents; 1T embodles the purpose and history of
the government itself; 1T records the achieve
menus OF It's defenders upon land and sea; it
heialds the nerolsm and sacrifices OF the revo-
iutlonary 1athers. who planted free govern
iheht on the continent and DEDICATED 1t to lib
er1y forever IL attests the struggles OF our
army ana tne valor OF our citizens In all the
wars OF the Republic; 1t has been sanctitled by
the olooo OF our best and our bravest; 1t records