Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-11-18


Fights long and well, whether it lose
or win"
IF it might be imagined said Sen
eca, that the almighty should take
off this thought from the care Of his
whole work, what more glorious spec
tacle could he reflect upon than a
valiant man struggling with adverse
fortune?S
Not long ago I read from an Eng
lish review these words: when all is
done that man could do and all is
done in vain, the human heart goes
out to the weaker side, to the soldiers
who fought ON ragged and starving
to the bitter, inevitable end, to the
leaders who would never admit that
hope was lost, and to the noble women
of the south who gave of their bravest
and their best withut a murmur."
States are not great, except as men
shall make them
Men not great, except they do and
dare"
These men fell bleeding and with
broken swords before the altar of
their country Their reward was the
imperishable knighthood in their sery-
ice. l imagine that the knights of
the Holy Grail never sought other re-
ward than just to serve. The cOnfed-
crate soldier was the flower of noble
md heroic courage. Duty laid her
kiss upon his brow and love OF coun-
try folded him in her arms. He en-
..ched the world in honor; he added
to the spiritual riches of mankind.
The memory of lis deeds is the
treasure of his people, incorruptible,
indebted, and that fadeth not away.
No noble action is ever lost, no brave
deed shall ever pass away. There are
written upon the everlasting pages of
the universe, they are inscribed upon
the heart Of God. The mountains and
hills shall be made low and there shall
be no more sea, but nothing of moral
worth shall perish. Upon the coral of
such lives as these Gods islands lift
their frOnded palms in air" But if
religion were superstition and faith
we're folly, if death ends ali and Icy
night awaits the world, these men
lived the only life fit to be lived.
To those who keep alive in loyal
hearts the memory of the confederate
dead | would say these men chose
the noblest part. This is the best life
offers any man; to strive for the
n inba he hot
be knows Is it not better to achieve
these things, even at the cost of life
itself, than to purchase length of days
by mean and sorGid living, by coward
ice or craft, by surrender of the fine
ideals of manhood in base compIi-
ance to dishOnOr? In the heart of
every man the everlasting has made
answer. If the cause failed. the men
were not lost. Looking beyond the little
span of human life into the white
light Of eternity, what better could we
have wished for the confederate sol
der than to have played his part as
he did? He has left heroic memories
that chasten and purify the hearts Of
all who shall come after him. He has
lifted life above the low level of the
commonplace into the realm of pre-
cious and immutable things, which
abide above all change, beyond the
reach of years.
The story of the dying Sidney, who
gave his glass Of water to a wounded
soldier saying, Thy necessity isl
greater than mine" is one Of the fine
memories of the English race. I
would that the pen of Milton or Glib
bon were mine, that I might place be-
side it the story of Pat CIeburne at
Franklin as he drew off his boots to
place them on the bleeding feet of
cOmrade and then rode on to lead the
fatal charge, He fell near the breast
works of the enemy, saying: I'm
killed boys; but fight it out"
Far out on the crest of the battle.
Up, up toward the death
To die for ones country is sweet he
remembered
And then, out of breath,
Met the shock and the pain and the
the terror
Unflinching. and knew
In one instant's unbearable brightness
1t was true, 1t was truei"
OF him also it might have been writ.
ten:
Right in the van on the red ram
parts slippery swell,
With hearts that beat a charge, he
fiji :!
Forward, as fits man;
But the high soul burns on to light
mems feet
Where death for noble ends makes
dying sweet"
The Old masterful type Of southern
statesmen passed away with slavery.
Whatever may be said of that institu-
ton, it trained men for leadership and
government. The presence of the
bondmau wrought in the master q
love OF liberty which has been the
portion Of southern men for so many
years. May it be the lot of our chill
dren to perform the duty of freemen
in a republic with as willing hearts as,
ours, but at no such fearful cost,
The reason why I have this hone
that the old-time southerner shall
live once more is because the south
ern boys love and cherish the freedom
and a sense of honor that will never
be surpassed. Wonderful men those