The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-31
ne oay We commsmorate.

The oay We Commemorate.
This day 10 dedicated to our dead,
but IL lessons are for the living. To
those who fought IN our wars belong
tho Glory Of the Nations many victor
iss. Yet. not alone to them shall be
given all the reward. nor shall the day
be wholly given up In recounting their
deeds Of valor. for IN large measure.
the country and the world. has been
enriched and blessed. because OF their
prowess and heroism displayed upon
the field Of battle. It 10 to the living
that We shall appeal today, and let us
hope that this day may not fail to in
spire the sons and daughters Of the
republic with a deeper sentiment OF
patriotism: with stronger and more
abiding faith in the high ideals OF lib
erty and justice. for which our SOL
diers fought. and for which SO many
gave their lives.
Today, eighty-six millions of people
have put business and pleasure aside,
and have gathered together, where
sleep our noble dead, that they may,
with gentle and with loving hands,
pay tribute to the soldiers memory.
The Revolution Of rs.
When the trees budded and the
flowers put forth on the New England
hills in the spring of ITS, there came
a band Of Red-coats from old Boston
town going up to Concord. On their
way up they met little band of Am
orleans at Lexington, who opposed
their march, for Paul Revere had rid
den through the night. You can hear
Pitcarian. the British captain, say
Dispense! Dispense! you rebels, down
with your arms and dispense" The
little band stood firm-that dreadful
order fire" was given. It was obey
ed. The April grass SO green at dawn
was red at sun rise with the blood of
freemen.
1t was liberty and justice, which the
British Parliament and the King had
30 long denied the Colonists that
brought on the war for independence,
war in which 294,791 Americans
fought, and $4,000 of these brave men
either fell In battle, or persisted as
prisoners of war on the old British
prison ships at Long Island, not to
mention the suffering and privations
endured at Valley Forge. But these
brave men battled for seven years
that on this continent q new nation
might be established, to the end that
freedom might unmclested and I'M
trammelled enter upon its career for
the redemption Of the human. race.
The Civil War.
The Civil war, the most destructive
war in modern times. was brought on
by the South for the purpose of de-
stroying the Union. in the interest of
slavery. Though the North had ex-
pected trouble. and though the gov
eminent at Washington had sat in
idleness and permitted reasonable
acts to be committed in every quart
er Of the South, yet the people still
hoped for some peaceful solution of
the controversy. But when South
Carolina, in convention assembled,
passed the following ordinance, furth-
er hope OF reconciliation was in vain.
Charleston, 8. G.
An Ordinance.
To destroy the Union between the
State of South Carolina and other
States united with her under the COM
pact entitled. The Constitution Of the
United States Of America.
We. the people of the State of
South Carolina in convention Assem-.
bled, do declare and ordain, and it is
hereby declared and ordained, That
the ordinance adopted by us in con.
vention on the 23rd day of May in the
year Of our Lord 1888, whereby the
Constitution of the United States of
America was ratified, and also, all
acts and parts OF acts OF the General
Assembly Of this State ratifying
amendments Of said Constitution, are
hereby repealed, and that this Union
now subsisting between South Carol.
ina and other States, under the name
Of The United States Of America, il
hereby dissolved. The Union Is dis
solved. Passed unanimously at lis
O'Clock p. m. December 20. 1860. That
ordinance tells its own story.
When the South sent its cannon
shot against the walls Of Old Fort
Sumpter. on the 18th day Of April, 81.
the sovereignty Of the nation had been
assailed. That was an open declara-
ton Of war. All! little did they dream
that the firing on the old flag. the
flag beQueathed to US by Washington
would arouse the nation as it did.
When President Lincoln issued his
proclamation calling upon the states
tor men, the response was not lack
ing In numbers. nor In patriotic zeal.
On the 18th day of April. three days
after Sumpter had been fired upon,
Governor Morton Of Indiana, God bless
his name and memory, sent this stir
ing telegram to President Lincoln:
81 tender to you for the defense of the
nation. and to uphold the authority OF
the government, ten thousand men,
Men left their teams standing In the
fields: their hammers cooling at the
forge: briefs half completed on their
desks; old men dyed their hair black
and boys falsified In order to enlist
Ii the Union army. And such an