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Show THE BALLOT. The reception of the President on Friday and 'the coming of Memorial day on Saturday were in stiange contrast. The first was all life and joyous, music; the second was of hushed devotion to the dead, and the music was funeral music. The second day was a i emlnder to those who watched that the spectacle of life and power of the rough riders, the Infantry, and artillery, all that exhibition of vitality and force Avas but a transitory display. It lacks still two years of forty since the day when in Washington the great review took place. There were miles and miles of marching, stalwart, stal-wart, triumphant soldiers, moving in all the "pomp and circumstance of gloiious war," battle flags and glorious standards, martial music, rolling roll-ing drums, bugal calls, guns ana caparisoned steeds a triumphal host exulting over the deeds they had performed, over the peace that had come; an exhibition of military torce almost un-equaled un-equaled in the ages gone. Where are they now, they and their captains? After the energy displayed on Friday, that question ques-tion must have come to the souls of thousands on Saturday. Almost all gone. Grant has been dead within a few days of eighteen years; Thomas, Thom-as, longer still; Hancock, Meade, Sherman, Sheri- dan, Ilosecrans, Hooker, McDowell, McClellen, H Slocum, Custer almost all are gone, while of B the moving host which represented Irresistible B alor, all that is left are a tew bowed forms scat- jH tered over the Republic, which with trembling B hands on Memorial Day drape the graves of their B comrades with flowers. It is all a reminder to H men that what they are to do must be quickly B performed. H Still the work of each generation does not H perish. The hands of the workers crumble back R to dust, but for good or evil what they do re- B mains. After all, though man's life is so short, H the impression he makes remains, the composite B impression which a generation makes fixes its B place in history and Jn this every unit of the B host is a factor. This is more true of our coun- aH try than of any other. In other lands it is the B policy of the Sovereign that makes history, the jB units are mostly lost. In our countiy it is the B policy of the people that is sovereign, the ballot jB being the sceptre. Hence the cne thing that the fB American people should be more jealous of than B any other is the ballot; to keep it pure should be B their great anxiety, for when so kept the voice of B the people becomes the voice of God. When it is 1B kept pure it is an inspiration to men; it engen- B ders in them that patriotism which gives wisdom B to men, and men having a direct personal inter- jH est in their country are as anxious that nothing jB sinister should befall it, as they are that their jH own children shall be blessed. And this is a H truth so subtile, and yet so simple, that it should H be taught in our public schools, lor a full con- B ception of it will give added self-respect to every H youth, and awaken his keenest solicitude lest jH evils creep in and undermine the potency of this jH the only defence, except physical force, which IH the fathers left as our protection. A whole peo- jH pie wielding freely the ballot is a more imposing H K spectacle than armies, however great, with flags K however bright can ever make, for it carries with m- it the assurance that perfect patriotism is hav- V ing' its way, and that means that justice and K mercy and wisdom are to rule, for they are the H: attendants upon patriotism, and when they bear B: absolute sway, then perfect liberty will make m glad the world. |