Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-05-17
copyright by American Press Associa
ton, 1911

copyright by American Press Associa-
ton, 1911
YT is fitting suggestion that the
h5 fiftieth anniversary Of the civil
Q war should be a celebration Of
peace. 1t is to be hoped that
none of the hatred or rancor Of a half
century ago will enter into the event.
The nation has never been so firmly
united as now. Out of the ashes of
the old south a new south has sprung.
Factories dot her pleasant lands; her
cities are growing with the same mar
Vicious swiftness as those of the north
and west, and everywhere she is keep
ing pace with the material, political
and intellectual progress of the whole
nation
The severity of the war itself was
one Of the contributing causes to this
happy outcome. Each side tested the
metal Of the other and learned to re-
spect the other. The contest was
fought to such a complete finish that
nothing like it can ever again occur
in our history. The extraordinary ex-
ertion then called forth begot an en-
ergy that has since made for national
progress. Thus was taught an i'm
portant lesson in democracy. In that
supreme conflict we had to depend
upon ourselves, thus developing our
own inherent powers. which when the
war was over could be turned into the
avenues of material advancement.
A man admireS brave and honor
able foe. Frequently when two manly
men have misunderstanding and fight
it out they become the best of friends.
They have tried each other, and hence
forth their affection is founded on the
rock of mutual esteem. It is even so
with the north and south. The vet
Grams on both sides can meet, take
each other by the hand and say. well,
it was a good fight" After all, both
armies were made up Of Americans,
and each OF lis can be loyal to the
memory Of his own side and vet feel
glow in thinking of the bravery Of
the other, In the result the victor had
no cause for undue pride or the van
pushed for shame. Today it is safa
to say that not one southerner in ten
thousand would have the result differ
ent.
"Let Us Have Peace"
Something Of this spirit animated
Lincoln in the beautiful second in
augural address and stirred Grant
when he said, let US have peace"
And we have peace as wide as the ma
ton and as deep as the hearts Of the
people, peace so profound that never
again can we have conflict, at least of
that kind. In this spirit let us remem-
Der the struggle and let no word fail
that will wound the sensibilities OF
either side. This is the way big and
brave men remember. Only weak or
malignant natures seek to relight tie
ashes of a dead hate.
The nation is one. AS it was in the
days Of the Revolution and Of 1872 so
is it now. AS a husband and wife. once
are reunited over the grave
Of dead child. so are we reunited
over the graves of fifty years ago.
Without abating one jot Of our CON
victiOns as to the right or wrong Of
the conflict we all of us know that
peace and concord are right for today.
And in recalling the struggle let us
include all that is brave and noble on
both sides, now the common heritage
Of united country. Sorrow is dem
ocratic. Grief is not factional Let
our verbal flowers be like the flowers
of nature, knowing no section, ceas-
ing at no imaginary line.
They Danish our anger forever
When they laurel the graves of our dead.
That is the true spirit. In the broad
er sense their dead are also our dead,
and this is true in whichever section
we happen to live, for this is a ma
dOnal celebration.
On the Battlefield of Nashville.
Several years ago I attended the
Nashville exposition and while there
accompanied a party Of distinguished
men to the scene of the battle fought
near that city. In the party were two
United States senator's, one from the
north. the other from the south Both
had participated in the battle, the
as a private, the southerner
as a general. During the trip each