The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-06-02
Memorial Day
Continued from list page

WHICH Slut uGSCSHuSu, can SAIol Will
the deepest sense of pride and salts
faction.
No memorial meeting would be COM
plete, no address of this day could be
properly finished, without some ref
erence to him who was the greatest
martyr in the cause of the Nations
preservation. In Walt Whitman's
poem he is referred to as the captain
of the ship which has been out on
long, rough, troublesome voyage,
which has just put into port. "Oh,
Captain! My Captain! Our fearful
trip is done. The ship has weathered
every rack, the prize we sought is
won"
The world now recognizes that the
master genius and leader in your war
was not some general on the field Of
battle. Brave, capable generals in the
field were developed on either side.
No one would, for one moment, at
tempt to detract from their proved
generalship and their earned repute
for strategy. Such an attempt could
not but prove abortive. Neither can
any one read the numerous letters, or
ders and kilograms to the field chiefs
issued by the Commander-in-C Chief of
the Union Army without concluding
that his strategy, his leadership, sur
passed all others. Then the North's
commander. Today the United Ma
TONS immortal sainted patriot mar
tyr, Abraham Lincoln.
Today we are likely to overlook the
fact that at the beginning of the Civil
War and continuing almost through
it there was not back of Lincoln
solid sentiment favoring his ideas ev-
en- in the loyal States. You, who lived
in that time, know better than we
what INDIGESTION there was. No doubt
many Of you at the first outbreak of
hostilities desired to occupy the po-
sition of strict and complete neutrali-
ty. 1t is quite likely that you, per-
haps, hesitated long and debated the
matter very thoroughly before taking
up arms against your brethren.
1t is related that the gentlemanly,
scholarly, Christian leader of the
Southern forces, General Robert E.
Lee, paced backward and forth in his
garden an entire night debating as to
which side he would throw his power
full aid.
With such an unsettled condition in
popular sentiment the difficulties of
Lincoln's way are easily discernable.
Discord existed Generals in the army,
members Of the cabinet and many
subordinates in both civil and military
matters distrusted and doubted the
abilities Of the frontiersman elevated
to a position over them. Lincoln, ev-
en- in the North, was a minority Pres
ident. He was elected by virtue Of
a schism in the ranks of his opponents.
Douglas or Breckenridge either, run
ming alone, would have defeated him.
The craftsmanship, the leadership
of your great Commander-in-chief is
shown by his patiently arousing a
more united sentiment in favor of his
ideas, by his selecting with almost
perfect judgment the psychological
moment to announce an order or to
make a change in existing policies.
How, by removal, after patiently
waiting for results, and by other
methods, he brought harmony into
his cabinet and into the army is well
known.
Mcclellan recruited, drilled and es-
tablished vast army. Lincoln tried
to persuade him into an effort to win
decisive battle, Mcclellan frowned
on the orders and requests of his su-,
perior, offering first one excuse and
then another for his inaction. Final
ly the ever-pationt Lincoln in exasper-
alton said that he thought that he
could win a battle if only he could
borrow McClellan's army.
He was besieged by some to pursue
one course; by others, another, and a
distinctly opposite one. To the be-
siegers, he said: 'If man were walk
ing tight rope stretched across the
Niagara Falls, and if he were carry
ing bag containing all your earthly
valuables, would you run up and down
the bank shouting to him to now lean
this way and now that way?"
We, of this generation, can learn
a great lesson not only from your
a great lesson, not only from your
also from the action of those defeated
on the field of battle. They accepted
their lot in the fashion becoming
brave-hearted men. President Nc
Kinley, who had been Major in the
Union Army, stationed the gallant
generals, Joe Wheeler and Fitzhugh
Lee, ex-Conefderate soldiers, at i'm
portant posts at the outbreak Of the
Spanish American war. Ex-Confed-
crates and their sons swarmed to the
country's call in that war. The ma
TONS wounds were healed. Roose-
welt later appointed General Cockrell,
our own beloved Missourian, to the In
terstate Commerce Com, and thous-
ands Of unrecorded acts clearly show
that each side has acted upon the in
spired command of Lincoln: ITO bind
up the Nations wounds, with malice
toward none and with charity for ALL"
A chorus of discord would have once
sounded had this State attempted to
pension the needy soldier of the
South. With the old fires quenched,
we have it today, and the remnant of |
the G. A. R. and their sons gladly and
willingly pay their pro rata Of taxes
for that purpose.
Some persons put party above
country. The country FIRST, was Lin
coins slogan. He was the author Of |
it--not Teddy. not Wilson. He said |
IF can save this Union with slavery, |
It'll do it. lie I can save it without ID. |