"It is for us, the living, to be dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought here have so nobly advanced  •  •  • 

" •  •  •  And that government of the people, by the people, shall not perish from the earth"

Before the official designation of Memorial Day in 1868, the first national Memorial Day, arguably, was November 19, 1863 as Edward Everett of Massachusetts, a famous orator, spoke for almost two hours dedicating a small part of the Pennsylvania countryside where, a few months earlier, 27,000 men had been killed, and even more wounded, in the greatest battle ever fought in the western hemisphere.

Battle Ended On The 87th Anniversary
Of The Declaration Of Independence

The great three day battle ended the previous July 3rd, one day before the 87th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, exactly 37 years since the most ironic day in American history, July 4, 1826 when the authors of American freedom, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day, exactly fifty years after the Declaration was signed and released to the world.

Everett's Address Would Have Been Remembered
If It Were Not For What Happened Next

Everett was brilliant: he held the audience of about 300 citizens and soldiers, many of them veterans of the great battle, spellbound in an address that might have been noted and remembered if it were not for what happened next.

Jotted On The Back Of An Envelope

Almost as an afterthought, the tall, gaunt man who was President of the United States was invited to deliver the remarks he had jotted on the back of an envelope as he rode on the train from Washington earlier that same day.

Eloquently Articulated The Struggle Of The Civil War

In the little speech, only 267 words and known afterwards by school children and historians as the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln eloquently articulated the struggle of the Civil War to preserve the Union and preserve the ideals of the American Constitution.

A New Birth Of Freedom, But It "Won't Scour"

The struggle, Lincoln said, was a noble one: the struggle was to give the nation "a new birth of freedom."

Lincoln apparently didn't think much of his speech right after he presented it: "It was too short," he told his friend Ward Layman, "It just won't scour," a prairie reference to a plow that the mud won't come off.

Tribune Erred In 1863, And Erred Again 85 Years Later

The Chicago Tribune agreed, calling the speech "silly, flat, dishwatery utterance." President Harry Truman was to discover, to his immense glee, exactly eighty-five years later, that the Tribune was still selectively underestimating presidential policy pronouncements, as their editors declared Thomas E. Dewey the victor in the 1948 Presidential Election that Truman won.

Guide And Inspiration For Political Leaders And Citizens

Both Lincoln and the Tribune were wrong: the Gettysburg Address scoured pretty well and has stood the test of time.

It has served as a guide and an inspiration for responsible political leaders and concerned citizens ever since it was delivered in the Pennsylvania countryside on that November day 141 years ago.

Everett Gauged The Quality Of Lincoln's Address

Everett himself echoed the majority sentiment and the sentiment of the ages: "I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes," he told the president in a letter.

Three Guiding Principles In Our National Life

There are three injunctive phrases, in my opinion, that echo through our national soul and should always be the guiding principles of our nation and those who serve us in our government on all levels:

Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness

The first is from the Declaration of Independence where Jefferson tells us that "all men are created equal" and that the first entitlements of citizenship are the fundamental rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Liberty And Justice For All

The second basic principle is from the salute to the flag where it says that the government is there to provide "liberty and justice for all."

Of The People, By The People, For The People

And the third principle is from Lincoln's address in Pennsylvania where he reminds us that the guiding purpose of the sacrifices of American patriots through the years is that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

These principles are not catch phrases or buzz words. They are standards to live and be guided by.

Cost Of Freedom Is Not Cheap

The evening news brings us daily reminders, once again, that the cost of freedom is not cheap, and that the sacrifices that must be made by our sons and daughters leave searing scars and great pain.

Sacrifices Should Not Be Forgotten, Even For A Minute

What a pity it would be if any of us, especially public officials chosen to advance the cause of liberty on whatever level, were to forget even for a minute, that we owe an enormous debt to these patriots, every one of them, as we fight another war which, hopefully, will once again renew our continuing quest for a new birth of freedom.

"This Is Why Lincoln's Words Have Meaning For Us Today"

This is why Lincoln's words, spoken on that November day so long ago, have such meaning for us today, another Memorial Day: another opportunity to mourn our losses and recognize the sacrifices of those who gave so much so our values as a nation of the people shall not perish - ever.

Robert Haelig is a Dot•Commentator for OceanCountyPolitics, an economist, former State Assemblyman and a Commissioner on the Dover Municipal Utilities Authority for 24 years

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