depth of the abyss below; nor could I regard him as safe counsellor in the affairs of this government whose thoughts should be mainly bent on considering, not how the Union may be best preserved, but how tolerable might be the condition of the people when it 5 shall be broken up and destroyed. While the Union lasts, we have high, exciting, gratifying prospects spread out before us, for us and our children. Beyond that I seek not to penetrate the veil. God grant that in my day, at least, that curtain 10 may not rise! God grant that on my vision never may be opened what lies behind! When my eyes shall be turned to behold for the last time the sun in heaven, may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments of a once glorious Union; 15 on States dissevered, discordant, belligerent; on a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be, in fraternal blood! Let their last feeble and lingering glance rather behold the gorgeous ensign of the republic, now known and honored throughout the earth, still 20 full high advanced, its arms and trophies streaming in their original luster, not a stripe erased or polluted, not a single star obscured, bearing for its motto no such miserable interrogatory as, "What is all this worth?" nor those other words of delusion and folly, 25 "Liberty first, and Union afterwards;" but everywhere, spread all over in characters of living light, blazing on all its ample folds, as they float over the sea and over the land, and in every wind under the whole heavens, that other sentiment, dear to every true American heart, Liberty and Union, now and 5 forever, one and inseparable. HELPS TO STUDY DANIEL WEBSTER. 1. Who was Daniel Webster? 2. Where and when did he make this speech? 3. Why does he call disunion a precipice? 4. What is referred to by the phrases, "the dark recess" and "the abyss below"? 5. What do the stars and stripes of our flag represent? 6. In what way would "a star obscured" mean disunion? 7. What motto does Webster propose for our country? For Study with the Glossary: abyss, tolerable, dissevered, trophies, polluted, luster, interrogatory. OUR COUNTRY What were our lives without thee? We will not dare to doubt thee, But ask whatever else, and we will dare! JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. UNION AND LIBERTY Flag of the heroes who left us their glory, Borne through their battlefields' thunder and flame, Blazoned in song and illumined in story, Wave o'er us all who inherit their fame! Up with our banner bright, Sprinkled with starry light, Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, Loud rings the Nation's cry, UNION AND LIBERTY! ONE EVERMORE! 5 10 Light of our firmament, guide of our Nation, Empire unsceptered! what foe shall assail thee, Trusting Thee always, through shadow and sun! Thou hast united us, who shall divide us? OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES. 15 20 HELPS TO STUDY This poem gives expression to the same sentiment as the last selection from Webster's oration. 1. Do you know any other poems about our flag? 2. In what way is the flag "Sprinkled with starry light"? 3. What is the "full constellation"? 4. How could a star be darkened? 5. Why is the United States called an empire? 6. Why is it called an "empire unsceptered"? 7. Do you know a sentence in the Declaration of Independence which explains what is meant by "the birthright of man"? For Study with the Glossary: blazoned, firmament, constellation, unsceptered. No other people have a government more worthy of their respect and love, or a land so magnificent to look upon, and so full of generous suggestion to enterprise and labor. God has placed upon our head a diadem, and has laid at our feet power and wealth beyond definition or calculation. But we must not forget that we take these gifts upon the condition that justice and mercy shall hold the reins of power, and that the upward avenues of hope shall be free to all the people. BENJAMIN HARRISON. ADDRESS AT GETTYSBURG Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. We are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so 5 conceived and so dedicated - can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We are met to dedicate a portion of that field as the final resting-place of those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and 10 proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little note, 15 nor long remember, what we say here; but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have thus far so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated 20 to the great task remaining before us; that from these honored dead, we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure |