commonly-held yet fierce devotion to our country. and in our willingness to sacrifice our time, energy, and even our lives to making it a more perfect union. today we celebrate one of democracy s core attributes. the peaceful transfer of power. and every day we stand up for core democratic principles enshrined in the constitution. the rule of law, equal protection for all under law. the freedom of speech, press, religion. that the things that make america, america. and we can gain strength from reading our history and listening to the voices of average americans. they always save us in times of strife. one such american was major sullivan ballou.
i know how strongly american civilization now leans liens ue triumph of the government and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and sufferings of the revolution. and i am willing, perfectly willing, to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this government, and to pay that debt. sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with the mighty cables that nothing but omnipotence could break. and yet, my love of country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield. sullivan ballou gave his life on the battlefield a week later at the first battle of bull run.