Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1911-06-01

the grave of one OF ours; 1t is the
home of others. We were happy; we
asked favor Of no man: fear Of no one
did we feel. Elizabeth has in her time
slept on bed of husks. She has
cooked at q sooty fireplace of her
own; and at her cabin door myself
have been the guard. We made our
way by ourselves and for ourselves. as
did those who conquered America for
our flag. THE citizen standing in the
doorway Of his home shall save the
Republic" So wrote later pen.
1t was not until long after the dis
covery of gold in California had set US
all to thinking that was reminded
of the strange story Of the old Ger
man, Won Rittenhofen. Of finding some
pieces of gold while on one of his
hunts for butterflies. followed out
his vague directions as best I might
We found gold enough to make US
rich without our land. That claim is
staked legally. Half Of 1t awaits an
owner who perhaps will never come.
There are those who will accept al
ways the solemn reservations of pol
iticians, who by word Of mouth or pen
assert that this or that party made
our country, wrote its history. Such
as they might smile II told that not
even men. much less politicians, have
written all our story as nation; yet
any who smile at woman's influence in
American history do so in ignorance
of the truth. Mr.. Webster and Lord
Ashburton have credit for determin-
ing our boundary on the northeast
England called 1t Ashburton's capitu-
lation to the Yankee. Did you never
hear the other gossip? England laid
all that to Ashburton's American wife!
Look at that poor, hot-tempered devil,
Yrujo, minister from Spain with US,
who saw his kings holdings on this
continent juggled from hand to hand
between us all. His wife was daugh-
ter of Gov. Mexican of Pennsylvania
yonder. II she had no influence with
her husband, so much the worse for
her. In important times generation
ago M. Genet, of France, as all know
was the husband of the daughter OF
Gov. Clinton of New York. Did that
hurt our chances with France? My
Lord Oswald Of Great Britain, who ne
gotiated our treaty of peace In 1882
was not his worldly fortune made by
virtue Of his American wife? All Of
us should remember that Marbois
Napoleon's minister, who signed the
great treaty for him with us, married
his wife while he was mere charge
here in Washington; and she, too, wal
an American. Erskine. of England
when times were strained In 1903. ant
later-and our friend for the mos
part--was he not also husband Of al
American? 1t was as John Calhoun
said-our history, like that of England
and France, like that of Rome and
Troy, was made In large part BY
women.
OF that strange woman. Helena, Bar
oness Won Ritz. l have never definitely
heard since then. But all of US have
heard of that great uplift of centra
Europe. that ferment Of revolution
most noticeable in Germany, In 1S4S
Out of that revolutionary spirit there
came to us thousands and thousands
of our best population, the sturdies'
and the most liberty-loving citizen:
this country ever had. They gave Vi
scores OF generals in our late war. and
gave us at least one cabinet officer
But whence came that spirit Of revolu
ton in Europe? Why does It live
grow, increase. even now? Why does
| 1t sound now, close to the oldest
| thrones? Where originated that germ
of liberty which did its work SO we'll
am at least one who believes that
could guess something of It's source
The revolution in Hungary failed
for the time. Kossuth came to SEQ
US with pleas that we might aid Hun
gary. But republics forget. We gave
no aid to Hungary. l was far away
and did not meet Kossuth. should
/ have been glad to question him. die
not forget Helena Won Ritz, nor doubt
that she worked out In full thai
strange destiny for which. indeed, she
was born and prepared. to which she
devoted herself. made clean by sacri
fee. She was not one to leave heI
work undone. She. know, passed or
her torch of principle.
Elizabeth and l speak often Of
I, Helena Won Ritz. l remember hel
still-brilliant, beautiful. fascinating
compelling. pathetic. tragic. II It was
| asked of her, I know that she still
paid It gladly-all that sacrifice
through which alone there can be
worked out the progress Of humanity
under that idea which blindly we at
tempted to express in our Declare
ton: that idea which at times we may
forget, but which eventually must tri
umph for the good of all the world
She helped us make our map. Shall
not that for which she stood help US
hold It?
At least, let me say, have thought
this little story might BE- -et down;
and, though some to-day nsg smile al
flags and principles, shosld like, II
may be allowed, to close with the
words Of yet another man Of those
earlier times: "The old flag of the
Union was my protector In infancy
and the pride and glory of my ripper
years: and. by the grace of God. under
its shadow shall die!" N. T.
/