Life of Walter Harriman: With Selections from His Speeches and Writings

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Houghton, Mifflin, 1888 - 385 pages

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Page 301 - WHAT CONSTITUTES A STATE?' An Ode in Imitation of Alctnts WHAT constitutes a State? Not high-raised battlement or labored mound, Thick wall or moated gate ; Not cities proud with spires and turrets crowned; Not bays and broad-armed ports, Where, laughing at the storm, rich navies ride: Not starred and spangled courts, Where low-browed baseness wafts perfume to pride. No; men, high-minded men...
Page 107 - Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide, In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side; Some great cause, God's New Messiah, offering each the bloom or blight, Parts the goats upon the left hand and the sheep upon the right; And the choice goes by forever 'twixt that darkness and that light.
Page 178 - God give us men! A time like this demands Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and ready hands, Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office Cannot buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not lie; Men who can stand before a demagogue And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking; Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog In public duty and in private thinking...
Page 294 - Amidst the storm they sang, And the stars heard and the sea ; And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang To the anthem of the free.
Page 185 - I am thankful to God for this approval of the people. But while deeply grateful for this mark of their confidence in me, if I know my heart, my gratitude is free from any taint of personal triumph. I do not impugn the motives of any one opposed to me. It is no pleasure to me to triumph over any one...
Page 298 - So live, that when thy summons comes, to join The innumerable caravan, that moves To that mysterious realm, where each shall take His chamber in the silent halls of death, Thou go not, like the quarry slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon; but, sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.
Page 44 - I wish popularity : but it is that popularity, which follows, not that which is run after; it is that popularity which, sooner or later, never fails to do justice to the pursuit of noble ends, by noble means.
Page 301 - Methinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant nation rousing herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks : methinks I see her as an eagle muing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam...
Page 185 - But the election, along with its incidental and undesirable strife, has done good, too. It has demonstrated that a people's Government can sustain a national election in the midst of a great civil war.
Page 100 - For right is right, since God is God ; And right the day must win ; To doubt would be disloyalty, To falter would be sin ! FREDERIC WILLIAM FABER.

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