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Show A Stalwart Band HI r-jpHE martial spirit is the most impelling force Hj J in the average man's nature. Thousands of H can name the conspicuous military fig- Hl ures ooth sidetf of our civil war, but very few can name the stately band of men in civil life who steadied the nation when it was almost in extremes. One of the very greatest was Indiana's war governor, 0. P. Morton. It was in his state that the attempt was to be made to make a diversion di-version in the rear of the Union armies in behalf of the Confederacy. Morton at once became a general as well as a governor. He made no noise, but he made his dispositions to meet and thwart the conspirators, and his work was so timely and thorough, that those who had been plotting and drilling were glad to get off with their lives. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase was another. It was he who devised the financial finan-cial system which carried the war through without with-out default. Many people believe that had more trust and faith in the people been relied upon, vast interest payments might have been saved, but it was not as It was with France ten years later; the people did not have the money, and the first two and a half years of the war were very depressing and threatening Secretary of State Wm. H. Sew ard was another, one of the greatest of all, and he was far more loyal to Mr. Lincoln than Chase was. Seward handled the foreign ministers in Washington with consummate ability; he was the right arm of our great minister to England, Charles Francis Adams; it was Seward who, when the capture of Mason and Slidel was announced, an-nounced, said at once that they must be given up, and sent the apology to the premier o Great Britain. And when that premier received that dispatch, and thrusting it in his pocket, went into the House of Commons and delivered a bitter speech against this country, and had the English journals announce that a heavy force would at once be sent to Canada; It was Sev -' who instructed in-structed Mr. Adams to inform the British government govern-ment that his government, having heard that reinforcements re-inforcements would be sent to Canada, called to mind that the entrance at the mouth of the St. Lawrence was dangerous at that season of the year, and tendered to Great Britain the use of any American port it might select, and transportation transporta-tion thence over American railroads to any parts of Canada which had railroads connecting with ours. Secretary of War Stauton was another. The work he performed was gigantic; he had no political po-litical ambition; he was intent only on saving the country, and when defeat followed defeat, he said : "I will yet get a soldier to lead our armies to victory, vic-tory, if I have to call him from the ranks.' Thaddeus Stevens was another, the original stalwart, who, dying as he was, a slow death, and growing weaker and weaker dally, never for one moment weakened, but Insisted that a peace must be conquered. Senator and General E. D. Baker was another. an-other. He died upon the battlefield, but his speech in Now York and his reply to Breckenridgo in the SerratsFwere trumpet calls to the country which sounded on and on long after he died. Indeed, his speech in the Senate will be an inspiration to Americans through all time. Blaine and Conkllng and Wlade and Pennsylvania's Pennsyl-vania's war governor and the war governor of Massachusetts were a few of the others. Henry Ward Beecher, In England, was another. The speeches he made there were matchless in theii power. Stephen A. Douglas was another. He had for years been the leader of the Democratic party, but when the land was assailed, it was he who cried out to his countrymen in a voice more potential than ever before: "There are only two parties now, Patriots and Traitors," the whole North was thrilled. The man Watson, Who at the time was editor of the Sacramento, Cal., Union, was another. There was Imminent danger of civil war in California, Cali-fornia, and the stoppage of the treasure ships, but every morning the editorials in the Union were such inspirations of patriotism and courage that they counted for more than "an army with ban. ners." But who can name them all? The shining list should be gathered and embalmed In a history all by themselves. Richelieu is made to say: "Put by the sword! States can be saved without it." I They could not have been In 1861-65, but behind 0 tho swords in those years was a band of stalwarts who made their names, by their services to native na-tive land, Immortal. |