The thoughts of glory past, and present shame, 9. Thus having spoke, the illustrious chief of Troy 10. "O Thou! whose glory fills the ethereal throne, 11. He spoke, and fondly gazing on her charms, The troubled pleasure soon chastised by fear, 12. "Andromache! my soul's far better part! 13. Thus having said, the glorious chief resumes His towery helmet black with shading plumes. His princess parts with a prophetic sigh, Unwilling parts, and oft reverts her eye, That streamed at every look: then moving slow, Sought her own palace, and indulged her woe. There, while her tears deplored the godlike man, Through all her train the soft infection ran; The pious maids their mingled sorrows shed, And mourn the living Hector, as the dead. CXXII-RAISING THE FLAG AT SUMTER. HENRY WARD BEECHER. From an address delivered at Fort Sumter, April 14, 1865, soon after its recapture by the United States. The fort had been taken by the rebels at the very Indeed, its capture was one of the first acts of war. beginning of the war. 1. On this solemn and joyful day, we again lift to the breeze our fathers' flag, now again the banner of the United States, with the fervent prayer that God will crown it with honor, protect it from treason, and send it down to our children with all the blessings of civilization, liberty, and religion. Terrible in battle, may it be beneficent in peace. Happily no bird or beast of prey has been inscribed upon it. The stars that redeem the night from darkness and the beams of red light that beautify the morning, have been united upon its folds. As long as the sun endures or the stars, may wave over a nation neither enslaved nor enslaving! Once and but once has treason dishonored it. In that same hour when the guiltiest and bloodiest rebellion of time hurled its fires upon this fort, you,* Sir, and a small heroic band, stood within these now crumbled walls, and did gallant and just battle for the honor and defense of the nation's banner! it 2. In that cope of fire this glorious flag still peacefully waved to the breeze above your head, unconscious of harm as the stars and skies above it. Once it was shot down. A gallant hand, in whose care this day it has been, plucked it from the ground and reared it again - "cast down, but not destroyed." After a vain resistance, with trembling hand and sad heart, you withdrew it from its height, closed its wings, and bore it far away, sternly to sleep amid the tumults of rebellion, the thunder of battle. The first act of war had begun. The long night of four years had set in. While *Gen. Robert Anderson, who, being then a major, had defended the fort at the time of its capture by the rebels, April 14th, 1861. the giddy traitors whirled in a maze of exhilaration, dim horrors were already advancing, that were ere long to fill the land with blood. 3. To-day you are returned again. We devoutly join with you in thanksgiving to Almighty God, that he has spared your honored life and vouchsafed to you the glory of this day. The heavens over you are the same; the same shores are here; morning comes and evening as they did. All else how changed! What grim batteries crowd the burdened shores! What scenes have filled this air and disturbed these waters! These shattered heaps of shapeless stone are all that is left of Fort Sumter. Desolation broods in yonder sad city-solemn retribution hath avenged our dishonored banner! You have come back with honor, who departed hence four years ago, leaving the air sultry with fanaticism. The surging crowds that rolled up their frenzied shouts, as the flag came down, are dead or scattered or silent; and their habitations are desolate. Ruin sits in the cradle of treason. Rebellion has perished. But there flies the same flag that was insulted. With starry eyes it looks all over this bay for that banner that supplanted it, and sees it not. You that then, for the day, were humbled, are here again to triumph once and forever. In the storm of that assault, this glorious ensign was often struck, but, memorable fact, not one of its stars was torn out by shot or shell. It was a prophecy. 4. It said, "Not one state shall be struck from this nation by treason." The fulfillment is at hand. Lifted to the air to-day it proclaims that after four years of war, "Not a state is blotted out." Hail to the flag of our fathers, and our flag! Glory to the banner that has gone through four years black with the tempests of war, to pilot the nation back to peace * Charleston, S. C., then in the possession of the United States forces. without dismemberment! And glory be to God, who above all hosts and banners, hath ordained victory and shall ordain peace! 5. Wherefore have we come hither, pilgrims from distant places? Are we come to exult that Northern hands are stronger than Southern? No; but to rejoice that the hands of those who defended a just and beneficent government are mightier than the hands that assaulted it! Do we exult over fallen cities? We exult that a nation has not fallen. We sorrow with the sorrowful. We sympathize with the desolate. We look upon this shattered fort and yonder dilapidated city, with sad eyes, grieved that men should have committed such treason, and glad that God hath set such a mark upon treason that all ages shall dread and abhor it. 6. We exult, not for a passion gratified, but for a sentiment victorious; not for temper, but for conscience; not, as we devoutly believe, that our will is done, but that God's will hath been done! We should be unworthy of that liberty intrusted to our care, if, on such a day as this, we sullied our hearts by feelings of aimless vengeance; and equally unworthy, if we did not devoutly thank Him who hath said, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay saith the Lord, that He hath set a mark upon arrogant rebellion, ineffaceable while time lasts! 7. Since this flag went down on that dark day, who shall tell the mighty woes that have made this land a spectacle to angels and men? The soil has drunk blood and is glutted. Millions mourn for millions slain, or, envying the dead, pray for oblivion. Towns and villages have been razed. Fruitful fields have turned back to wilderness. It came to pass as the prophet said: The sun was turned to darkness and the moon to blood. The course of law was ended. The sword sat chief magistrate in half the nation; industry was paralyzed; morals |