The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-06-10
Rears Itself in Liberty and
in Peoples Genius for
Sacrifice.
PAYS TRIBUTE TO HEROES
SAYS College Men Of &c Were
Dangerous Agitators' in
Cause of Freedom.

here to-day, President Harding spoke
rs follows
My Fellow Americans: We have
come here TO say the formal words OF
dedication and conservation before a
monument in granite and marble.
But we stand. 20 say those words. In
the presence Of another monument.
which is the true memorial TO che
events we celebrate. The real monu-
ment to the achievement OF Washing
toms patriot army In the Trenton
Princeton campaign Is not IN work.
ings OF bronze or carvings OF stone.
1t rears itself In che institutions Of
liberty and representative govern
ment. now big In the vision OF all
mankind.
In the presence OF such monument.
we can do no better than consecrate
ourselves to the cause I'm which at this
place the soul OF genius and the spirit
of sacrifice shone forth with steadfast
radiance. On no other battle-ground.
in presence of no other memorial OF
heroism. could we find more assuring
illumination for our hopes. our antici-
pations. our confidence. Here the
genius OF General Washington reached
the height OF its brilliancy In action.
Here his followers wrote their highest
testimony Of valor. Here liberty seek
ing devotion struggled through priva-
ton and unbelievable exertion to gain
the heights. The crimsoned prints of
numbed and bleeding feet marked the
route a pathway 20 eternal glory.
Thither they trudged through storm
and torrent; but from here, IN the
hour Of victory, went out winged mes
sengers 60 let al men know that lib
erty was safe in the keeping OF her
sons.
Point me the field OF strife. to which
have converged more roads that led
through encouragement. calamity and
all justification for despair And point
me. next, that field from whence ra-
dated so many highways OF the buoy
ant heart. the confident hope. the In
domitable purpose. the will to win
Take down tho tones. thumb all the
blacklist. all the fairest pages. and tell
me where you read OF nobler. finer
aye, or more fruitful--sacrifces OF
men for their fellows!
Here, among you to whom the ira
ditions of those events are a sacred
trust, is no place for recomting the
discouragement OF the patriot cause.
the low ebb of Continental fortunes.
. the seeming that final disaster could
not long be stayed. Almost from the
day. In the preceding summer when
the great. Declaration had been issued.
misfortune had followed on mlsfor-
tunes heel-Long Island. the loss OF
New York the surrender OF the Hud-
son forts, the retreat across New Jer-
sey the refuge In Pennsylvania II
was all leading toward the seemingly
inevitabl end. The army was crum-
bling. only civil authority pretended to
maintain any central organ. The
enemy delayed to finish his task. only
because he was so certain OF his
quarry that haste would be unseemly.
And then. the flash of Washington's
defiance The crossing of the Della
ware in storm and ice floes. the
march, and the delays which made II
impossible TO effect night attack and
a complete surprise Washington's
stern and fateful decision TO press on
and stake everything on the issue;
finally, the attack. and the victory.
Brilliant as was the accomplish
ment, Washington, on the Jersey side.
was faced presently by the superior
strength Of the now consolidated Brit
ish forces. At last his rival was sure
Of the old fox" Then came the
strategic withdrawal by Washington,
at night, I'm secret. from his line on
the Assunpink Creek. the thanking
march to Princeton, and the second
surprise and defeat OF the enemy. In
the narrative of those magnificent
winter days of marching and fighting,
surprises and victories. one finds the
truest presentation of the indomitable
spirit which sustained. and, at last.
won the Revolution.
II is not often that the precise i'm
portance and significance of a par
ticular military detail can be so ac-
curately appraised. as II can regarding
the mid winter campaign OF Trenton
Princeton. The PRONUNCIATION OF the
Declaration OF Independence had
moved the British authorities 70 espe-
cially determined efforts for quick
suppression OF the revolution. To them
II was vitality important that the fires
Of revolt be smothered before the new
feeling of nationality had risen 20
make the colonists realize the sub
stantial unity Of their cause and their
interests.
The strategy Of the British invasion
of New Jersey has been bitterly crit
icized many times. but II must al
ways be remembered that there is an
intimate relationship between political
conditions and military operations,
and that in this case the political sit
uation was certain 10 depend very
greatly on military developments. The
destruction Of Washngton's army
would almost have snuffed out the
revolution. 10 would have given n
demonstration Of the overwhelming
preponderance of British power, which
even the most stout hearted patriot
would have found difficult TO deny.
on the other hand. Washington per-
ceived both the military and the po-
lltical opportunity presented 10 him
in the disposition Of the enemy's
forces. There was desperate chance
to win a telling victory which would
convert the New Jersey campaign into
n disaster for the enemy and there
was also the possibility Of winning a
political victory by demonstrating the
capacity OF American leadership and
American soldiers 10 outwit and out
fight veterans Of European battle
fields
Washington. who was AT once sol
der. politician and statesman, recog-
nized all these possibilities lie seized
the opportunity. he turned II com
pletely 20 his own advantage. and
thereby inspired his army and the
country behind him with q new conf
l.. T..