The Wagner post. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-current, 1912-05-31

tional policy was determined. The
first two years of the war we're dis
couraging. Mcclellan, in his cam
paign in the south, sacrificed 10. 900
men to no purpose. In the second bat
tie of Bull Run the Union army lost
J Ia, 900 men. lee invaded Maryland.
, The Union and the Confederate armies
faced each other at Antietam. This
was on the 18th of September in 1862.
1t is reported that in the morning
President Lincoln promised God that
if the Union cause succeeded that day
he would free the slaves. The Federal
forces gained the day but with slight
advantage. Four days later The
Emancipation Proclamation was issued,
and On the first of January the slaves
were given their freedom. Events
now changed. During the following
summer Vicksburg fell. Gettysburg
was Won. The backbone of the Con-
federacy was broken and secession was
doomed.
"The splendid services rendered by
the Union soldiers in those days will
not save the Republic to-day. .
Edward Everett Hale once said in
prayer, God of Heaven, be with Us as
Thou vast with our fathers. And he
completed this prayer by saying, God
of Heaven. may We be with Thee as
our fathers were.'
eff as a nation we keep Gods COM
mandments, he will be our God, and
We shall be his people.
"We should keep Gods law regard
ing Sabbath observance. the patrio-
tism and the loyalty that defend the
Stars and Stripes during the Rebellion
should to day be turned against the
rum traffic. We are now spending q
billion and a half dollars annually fol
that. which marks national ruin. Ir
this great country of ours we have
more than two hundred thousand miles
of railroad. IN one year six hundred
million passengers and q billion tons
of freight were carried, and yet tht
nations rum bill was greater than the
receipts of the railroads from these
sources. Our national duty is appar
ent.
"Soldiers, forty-seven years have
passed since the contest of the war
into which you threw your best days,
terminated. To-day the g~randest anr
brightest epoch in American history
stanis as an unqualified Endorsement O
your splendid efforts. Like your broth.
ers in every walk of life you have IN
dnubtedly made many mistakes, bu'
you have never regretted that you re
sponded to your country's urgent cal
and dedicated your life to a caus,
which resulted in the emancipation o.
, the slaves ami the making of an indis
; soluble Union. I hope that you hav
already heeded Paul, when he says
Put on the whole armour of God.
"At Fort Bedoe, q Union genera
asked y colorej mar to tai e the flat
!. and plant it on the ramparts in tn
thickest of the fL hit. The brave neg
70, with tears coursing down his cheek
said, General, / will plant the Fla,
yonder. / won't come back without 1t
but if / don't return, I will report t
Cod After the battle they found tn
brave black man. He had beer
|. pierced with bullets, and the flag wa
draped around his body. He had report
ed to God.
I "Soldiers, many of your comrade
went forth from their homes at the be
ginning of the war and never re
: turned. In meeting death upon thu
field of battle. in hospitals or in wear
. marches, they reported to God. lie
e Us hope that you, who have been lef
behind, shall be mustered out of life
9 service you may report to God. Ca,
, lyle said, History Of the world is tn
biography of great men, Emersc
. says, There are no common men. /
q the great man, the lesser men recoq
e nize something of themselves Til
T world is both led and interpreted b
great e Our country has not bee
poor in great men. Washington, Liz
coin, FRANKLIN. Webster, Grant an
e Sherman reflect the natural conscienc
q Of q country. These men nave in
terpreted the world to rs, and thei