About the Book
Excerpt from The Proceedings on the Evening of Decoration Day: May 30th, 1877, at the Academy of Music, City of Brooklyn I thank you for this generous reception, and regard it as evidence of the spirit of kindness in which we have met to-night. That spirit well becomes us in closing the exer cises of this day, a day set apart that the living might do honor to the dead. Without intending to enter upon discussions which more 'properly belong to others, here and elsewhere, allow me to say that, though the term of our National life has been short, the experience of our people has been great, varied, at times painful, but mainly intellectual in its character. The tendency of the popular mind has been towards discussion, often argumentative and reasonable, often free, hot and exasperating, but still toward the eonfiiet of words and thoughts, in some form, and without intermission. On questions of commerce, of economy, of the currency, of ex ternal and internal revenue; questions as to the construe tion, and the force and interdependence of our National and State constitutions, wise men, legislative assemblies, authors of learning and repute, have differed, and that con tinually. The press, the great leader and exponent of the local or State sentiment, has preached, lightly or wrongly, at every breakfast table throughout the land. Then, too, there were subtle influences growing out of early education and family ties and associations, out of local interests and prejudices, which gave a bent to the mind and tinged its complexion. The youth, gifted, generous, receptive, thus fashioned and impelled, adopted his father's politics, his mother's religion, and Nature asserted her sway with the tyranny of a school-master. These suggestions may suffice to enable us, as we look back to the train of causes and ih fluences which led to our late domestic contention, to make allowance for the course pursued by some able and worthy men, and especially, for the poor soldier, of the rank and file, who went into the contest with a blind and unreasoning fidelity. That contention - I do not call it lvar; that word was lent to us by our friends abroad, and, having no further need of it, we, return it, quite after the manner of your neigh bor, who hands you back your gridiron - that contention gave use. New and bitter experience, but the bitterness is passing away. The result, ti'uitful of benefits, blessings bought with a price, as most great national blessings have been purchased, remains forever. Others may correct me. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
