The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-31
PUT FLOWERS
ON 1877 GRAVES
Continued from first page.)

afterwards. Until one believes, he does
not act; and in accordance with his be
lief, so will be his deeds.
Abraham, called of God, went fortl
| in belief to establish a race and a reli
gion. As result of his belief, a rae,
has been produced not surpassed in it:
achievements by any other race in his
tory. 1t was belief that led Columbus
to discover America, and belief again
that conducted the early settlers tc
jamestown, the Dutch to New York, and
the Pilgrim to Plymouth Rock. Belief
has led the pioneer across the deserts
and through the trackless forests, and
belief has brought Others in his foot
steps to maintain the union, to free the
slave, and to lay in our land the founda-
tions of civilization the highest that
the world has ever known.
The Psalmist asks of Jehovah, What
is man that thou art mindful Of him
and the son of man that thou visitest
him ~ And answering his own question,
he adds: For thou hast made him a
little lower than the angels, and hast
crowned him with glory and honor
| am asked to-day to address you upon
the subject, "Our Last Great War" The
Civil war was not a war of conquest,
but war arising from differences in
mans belief.
The Civil war controlled the movement
which put an end to negro slavery in the
United States. This fixes its place in
history.
There had been, before the Revolution,
tracts printed and individual protests
made against the slavery system. The
Quakers and Covenanters never ceased
their testimonies and some of the
churches spoke brave words, not much
needed, as they were only words, and
often spoken by men who continued
slave holders. The conventions which
framed the state constitutions, and those
which adopted them, discussed it. That
which framed the United States con-
stitution gave it very exhausted ex-
animation. Before and during the war
Of 1912 it again attracted public atten-
ton; and in 1919, the time of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, the antagonism of the
two sections, slave and free, nearly broke
the union.
btlt lib HldHs tHuItHs VI iEtlliG0NiNi
proposed, much less set on foot, any
plan or movement for its abolition. Each
and all seemed disheartened and con-
founded at the eomplexity of the problem
and the vast work. There was the most
entire ignorance and apathy in those
days on the slave question, If men knew
of the existence of slavery, it was only
as part of picturesque Virginia life, No
one preached it, no one talked it, no
one wrote about 1t. No whisper of it
stirred the surface of the political sea.
The church heard of it when some col
onization agent asked for funds TO send
blacks to Africa. Old school books,
tainted with anti-slavery selections, had
passed out of use and new ones had been
to suit the times If any dis
sent from the prevailing faith appeared,
everyone set out to crush it. The pulpit
preached at it, the press denounced it,
mobs tore down houses, threw presses
into the fire and stream, and shot ed
TORS; religious conventions tried to
smother it; parties arrayed themselves
against it; great leaders like Webster,
Benton and Clay, in solemn and set
phrases, pledged themselves to keep ST.
ent respecting it.
The first organized movement, special
" and solely devoted to the abolition of
slavery, was at Boston in 1880; that |
was inspired and controlled by !
William Lloyd Garrison OF Boston, editor
If THE Liberator." For the first lee
,ure, no church could be had. The only |
building which could be procured was b
I'll h,I Ia. f11I as
Ter Kneeland, who called themselves sin
idels."
From 1880 down through the years to
he election of Abraham Lincoln, the
lave movement was continuously agi |
ated in a greater or less degree. One
nti-slavery movement occurred at the
ime of the annexation of Texas, and
mother great movement at the time Of
ohn Browns raid. While many north
IN men denounced John Brown, promi-
tent histories fix that date as the be-
inning of the Civil war.
History records the fact that slavery
vas the cause of secession, and seces-
ion the cause of the war. Many differ
noes of opinion prevailed in those days
S to the best method of settling the
uestion; some would abolish slavery al
ogether; some would allow slave states
0 remain slave, but restrict slavery
herein to its present limits; some would
ct each state be the sole Judge of its
Internal institutions; some would deport
he slaves; some would emancipate BY
and some would equalize
he division of the public domain be-
ween the North and the South. But
he vast majority were opposed to the
remedy of abolition, and this
octrine was rejected by all in authority.
AT this time, in 1850, the South had
cen master of the situation. She had
ent leaders not only to the House of
representatives and Senate of the United
tates, but had sent presidents, members
I the supreme court, cabinet officers,
ttorneys- general, and foreign ministers
those influence and ability to a large
xtent outweighed the men sent from
he North.
But in the election of Abraham Lin
DIN, the North had spoken. Because
lavery was wrong and northern mea
ad declared against its extension, South {
arolina quickly made answer In the /
outh it was believed that if Lincoln was !
leeted honor and peeuniary interest !
like demanded disunion. There seemed
D be little doubt but that public opin- |
IN would support the political leaders !
nd promptly put in force that long
remedy of secession.
At almost any time since 1851 on /
roper showing and a fair justification. j
acession would have received the assent {
majority of the voters of South I