The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-05-25
The Heroes q '7s.

TsM2fI
We are fortunate that we behold this
day. The heavens bend benignly over
US; the earth blossoms with renewed
lie: and u hearts beat joyfully to-
gether with one emotion of filial graft
tude and patriotic ~exultation. Citizens
or a great, free and prosperous u
try. we come hither to honor the men,
our fathers, who, upon this spot and
upon this day, a hundred Years. ago,
slruck the first blow in the contest
which made that country independent.
here, beneath the hills they trod, by
the peaceful river on whose shores they
dWe.s, amidst the fields that they sowed
and reaped, proudly recalling their
virtue and their valor, we come to tell
their story, to try ourselves by their
lofty standard to know if we are their
worthy children; and, standing ever
entity where they stood and fought n
died, to swear before God and each
other, IN the words of him upon whom
IN our day the spirit of the. revolutions
airy fathers visibly descended, that
government of the people, by he
people, for the people, shall not perish
from the earth.
rms ancient town. with its neigh
bors who share its glory. has never
failed to fifty commemorate this great
9 OF its history. Fifty years ago,
while some soldiers of the Concord
llght We're yet living; IS years ago,
while still a few venerable survivors
llngered-wlth a INC eloquence
ana song, you renewed the pious vow.
but the last living link with the revo-
tuition has long been broken. Great
events and n mightier struggle have
hpsofDed our own generation. Yet, we
VINO stand here today have a sympathy
with the men at the old North Bridge.
winch those who preceded us here at
I 90 ~ Il or - 1-1 - -
Win them wal was a name and a ira
dition. So swift and vast had been
the change, and the development of
the country, that the evolutionary
clash OF arms was already vague and
unreal, and Concord and Lexington
seemed to them almost as remote and
historic as Arbela and Sempach. When
they assembled to celebrate this day,
they saw a little group of lettering
forms, eyes, from which the light was
fading. arms nerveless and withered,
thin white hairs that 1uttered in the
wind; they saw a few venerable relics
of a vanished age, whose pride was
that, before living memor they had
been minute men of American indie
pendence. But with us how changed!
war is no longer a tradition, half ro-
elantic and obscure. 1t has ravaged
how many of our homes! 1t has wruns
now many of the hearts before me!
- ~ III SoOtil, We hIlOW Tie paIS
Our common liberty is consecrated by
a common sorrow. We do not coun,
around us a few feeble veterans of the
contest; but we are girt with a CLOUD
of witnesses. We are surrounded every.
where by multitudes in the vigor O.
their prime. Behold them here today
sharing in these pious and peaceful
rites, the onored citizens, legislators
magistrates-yes, the chief magistrate
of the republic-whose glory it is tina
they We're minute men of American
liberty and union. These men of to.
day interpret to us with resiStless elo,
quence the men and the times we com
memorate. Now, if never before, w,
understand the revolution. Now w,
know the secret of those old hearts an,
homes.
No royal governor, indeed, sits il
yon stately capital; no hostile fleet TO
many a year has veXed the waters O
our coasts; nor is any army but GU
w ever likely to read our soil. No
such are our enemies today. They d
not come proudly stepping to the drur
beat, with b~ayonets flashing in tn
morning sum-. But wherever part
spirit shall strain the ancient guaran
tees of freedom; or bigotry and ignor
ance shall lay their fatal hands upo
education, or the arrogance of cast
shall strike at equal rights, or corrup
ton shall poison the very springs q
national life, there, minute men G
liberty, are your Lexington Green an
oncord Bridge: and as you love YOU
country and your kind, and would hav
your children rise up and call yo
blessed, spare not the enemy. Owe
the hills, out of the earth, down fro1
the clouds, pour in resistless nigh
FIRE from every rock and tree, fro1
door and window, from hearthston
and chamber; hang Upon his flank an
rear from morn to sunset, and S,
through a land blazing with holy in
dignation, hurl the hordes of ignor
ance and corruption and injustice bacl
back, in utter defeat and ruin.
George William Curtis.