Year: 1863

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valuable lives, diminishing the source of
her strength. The day of peril is come
That day which most of us little thought
to see; when men-her own sons-nursed
by her institutions, blessed by her gener-
ous liberty, made happy and prosperous
by her great privileges, could be found
base enough to strike at her life; men
who were the more dangerous that they
were in places of trust, and welded to
some extent her mighty power; men who
were the more Infamous that they added
to their crime against humanity, the obi
BUSINESS of traitors; and to the odiousness
of traitors the damning guilt of perjury.
The day is upon US when hordes of men
in whose breasts dwell no generous love
of country, no hearty appreciation of free
institutions and no restraining fear of
God, are comprising sea and land to over
throw this wonderful fabric, the work of
our honored fathers, and the rich inheri-
tance of us, their sons; the inheritance
which we held in trust for future genera
tions. 1t is therefore day for sterling
patriotism and heroic seLfSacryfce.


70 those who love the country. and
rightly prize her institutions; to those in
whose hearts still dwell tLelove of liberty
and the spirit of the fathers, it is time
of daring and doing. Next to the worship
of God, earth affords no more glorious
spectacle than that of generous people
coming up with heroic self sacrifice to de-
fcnd a nations right and protect her in
stitutions; especially, when that defense
and protection involves the welfare of man.
kind. 1t is then the patriots offering
becomes the enunciation of one of the
greatest religious truths-the voluntary
sacrifice of one for the good of many
And friends, since man is the only crea-
ture that possesses this power of volunta-
ry sacrifice for others, and he only has it
as bearing the image of God, there is
something sacred attached to it, Its in
telligent exercise lifts one into nobility
of character which is not to be lightly es-
teemed. 1t gives one kindred feeling
to the sublime self devotement and moral
heroism of the Savior of mankind; and
he who does not stand in revcrential awe
before its exhibition in human life must
be base indeed. Few noble impulses can
throb in that heart which does not beat
quicker at the mention of names whose
bearers have exhibited this spirit.


The time for such conduct has come
come to a people whose long csreer of un-
parralelled prosperity, many supposed had
rendered them pusilanimous come to
people for whose heroism, love of justice
and calm courage, their enemies have
hitherto had the utmost contempt; peo-
pie, christians in principle, intelligent in
Judgment, slow to become excited, but
whose aroused poaDer is like the waking
of some mighty giant whom plenteous
food and balmy breezes have lulled to
sleep, till frequent goadings have started
to such earnest life that the very earth
shakes with the pent up thunders of his
wrath.


And this sublime and heroic earnest
ness is the more powerful that it has all
the intensity of a religious sentiment,
and the inspiration of a righteous mission,
invoking the divine favor. We may
therefore add with some degree of conf
dence, it is the day of our conntry's sal
vation; the day when, Notwithstanding
her numerous foes, the bitterness of their
hate and the greatness of their strength,
she will come up out of her peril and dis
tress preserved by the devotion of her
sons and the sparing mercy of her God.
Patriot hands shall yet push the old ship
of State through these bloody seas and she
will sail on, bearing on her precious bur-
den down to coming generations.


Do you ask further, "what is the day?"
o, friends, it is day Of bereavement and
personal suffering; day when fathers
kiss for the last time the little ones, and
60 forth to return no more. forever; when
wives receive tidings of husbands cut
down in the full strength of manhood and