And State Papers 487 



by force of arms forty years ago; and there is no 

 patent device for securing victory for the forces of 

 righteousness in civil life now. In each case the 

 all-important factor was and is the character of the 

 * individual man. Good laws in the State, like a 

 good organization in an army, are the expressions 

 of national character. Leaders will be developed 

 in military and in civil life alike; and weapons and 

 tactics change from generation to generation, as 

 methods of achieving good government change in 

 civic affairs; but the fundamental qualities which 

 make for good citizenship do not change any more 

 than the fundamental qualities which make good 

 soldiers. In the long run in the Civil War the 

 thing that counted for more than aught else was 

 the fact that the average American had the fighting 

 edge; had within liim the spirit which spurred him 

 on through toil and danger, fatigue and hardship, 

 to the goal of the splendid ultimate triumph. So 

 in achieving good government the fundamental fac- 

 tor must be the character of the average citizen; 

 that average citizen's power of hatred for what is 

 mean and base and unlovely; his fearless scorn of 

 cowardice and his determination to war unyield- 

 ingly against the dark and sordid forces of evil. 



The Continental troops who followed Washing- 

 ton were clad in blue and buff, and were armed 

 with clumsy, flintlock muskets. You, who followed 

 Grant, wore the famous old blue uniform, and your 

 weapons had changed as had your uniform; and 

 now the men of the American Army who uphold 



