The Republican., 1910-06-09

and upon its cruel altar had been
sacrificed our Country's honor. It
was the crime of the nation-the
whole nation-north and south re-
sponsible alike. Today we rever-
emily thank the abolitionists.
Earth has produced no grander
men, no nobler woman. They
were the real philanthropists, the
true patriots.
When the will defes fear, when
the heart applauds the brain, when
duty throws the gauntlet down to
fate, when honor scorns to COM
promise with death-this is hero
ism. The abolitionists were heroes.
He loves his country best, who
strives to make it best. The
bravest men are those vino have
the greatest fear of doing wrong.
Mere politicians wish the coun
try to do something for them; true
patriots desire to do something for
their country. Courage without
conscience, is a wild beast; patriot
ism without principle, is the preju-
dice of birth, the animal attach
ment to place. These men, sthese
women, had courage and consci-
ence, patriotism and principle,
heart and brain. The south relied
upon the bond, upon a barbarous
clause that stained, disfgured and
dehled the federal pact; and made
the monstrous claim that slavery
was the nations ward.
The spot of shame grew red in
northern checks, and northern men
declared that slavery had poison
ed, cursed and blighted soul and
soil enough, and that the terri
tories must be free. The radicals
of the south cried: THE Union
without slavery" The radicals
of the north replied: "No Union
without liberty" The northern
radicals were right. Upon the
great issue of free homes tor free
men president was elected by the
free states. The south appealed
to the sword and raised the stand
ard of revolt. For the first time
in history the oppressors rebelled.
But let US today be great enough
toforget individuals-great enough
to know that slavery was rebellion,
that slavery fred upon our flag
and sought to wreck and strand
the mighty ship that bears the
hope and fortune of this world.
The first shot liberated the north.
Constitutions, statutes and deCi-
sions-compromises, platforms and
resolutions made, passed and rati-
fed in the interest Of slavery be-
came mere legal lies, mean and
meaningless, base and baseless.
Parchment and paper could no
longer stop or stay the onward
march of man. The north was
free! Millions instantly resolved
that the nation should not die,
that Freedom should not perish
and that slavery should not live,
Millions of our brothers, our sons,
our fathers, our husbands answer
ed to the nation 5 call. The great
est armies have desolated the
earth; the greatest Soldiers have
been ambitious dupes. They waged
war for the sake of peace and pill
lage, pomp and power, for the ig-
norant applause Of vulgar millions,
for the flattery of parasites. and
the adulation Of sycophants and
slaves.
Let us proudly remember that,
in our time, the greatest, and
grandest, the noblest army of the
world fought, notsto enslave but to
free, not to destroy but to save,
not simply for themselves but for
others, not for conquest but for
conscience, not only for US, but for
every land and race. y. With cour-
age, with enthusiasm, with devo-
ton never excelled, with an exal-
tation and purity of purpose never
equalled, this Grand Army fought
the battles of the republic. For
the preservation''of this nation, for
the destruction of slavery, these
soldiers these sailors on land and