The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-11-25

Gettysburg Cemetery Dedication
The dedication of the Gettysburg Cemetery
took place on Thursday last, and was the oeca-
sion of large assemblage Of people, it being
estimated that there was between forty and fifty
thousand present The President and most Of
the Cabinet, the Governors Of nearly all tn
loyal States, and several foreign ministers
together with some Of the prominent Generals of
the army were in attendance.
Ward Fl. Lamon, Marshal Of Washington,
was Chief Marshal Of the day, assisted by a
number Of aids, all Of whom were dressed in
the manner that had been prescribed.
After music and prayer, the Grafton was de-
livered by Hon. Edward Everett, and it Is re-
ported to have been an able effort, the speaker
occupying over two hours in it's delivery.
After the close Of all the ceremonies the
Marshal of the day introduced President Lin
coin to the vast assemblage. who was greeted
with great applause, at the cessation Of which
be spoke as follows:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers
established upon this continent a government
subscribed in liberty and dedicated to the fun
damental principal that all mankind are created
equal by good God. (Applause) And now
We are engaged in a contest; cOntesting the
question whether this nation-any nation-so
conceived. so dedicated can long remain. We
are met on great battlefield Of the war we
are met here to dedicate portion Of that field
as the final resting place Of those who have
given their lives that the nation might live.
1t is altogether fitting and proper that we
should do this; but in large sense we can.
not dedicate, We cannot consecrate, We cannot
hallOw this ground. The brave men, living
aud dead, who struggled here have consecrated
it far above our poor power to add or to de-
tract. (Great applause.) The work We little
heed. Let Us long remember what we say here,
but not forget what they did here. Immense
applause) 1t is for Us, rather, the living, to be
dedicated here to the unfinished work that they
have thus far nobly carried forward. Great
cpplause.) IL Is rather for US here to be dedi.
Gated 10 the great task remaining before US;
| for Us 70 renew devotion TO that cause for
which they gave the full measure of their de-
votiOn; then let US resolve that what they have
done shall not have been done in vain; that
the nation shall. under God, have a new birth
Of Freedom; that the Government Of the peo
pie founded by the people, shall not perish"
The special correspondent Of the Detroit
Advertiser and Tribune says d" The lumber o.
bodies exhumed and re inferred up to the pres
ent time is about !, 500. The number ofbodies
still remaining where they were first buried
are estimated at 1900; this would show
a greater number of killed than is set down in
Gen. Meade's report Of the battle. The dis
crepaucy is explained by the fact that l POO o.
our men died in the hospitals here who were
returned as wounded Some Of the rebe
wounded also died in the hospital; these wer,
buried with as much care and attention as oul
own. Probably as many as 600 OF our dead
were buried by their friends. The unrecog
nized bodies viii probably number 1000
This is accounted for by the fact that many o.
our men who were killed in the first day. igh
were buried in trenches by the rebels, and the
work was finished the following Sunday By ouI
own troops. Many names, initials and sow
enirs, that they may benefit friends, have beer
obtained by Mr.. Willis and will be made public
as soon as possible"
This sacred spot is now solemnly dedicated
as the final earthly resting place of the noble
brave and patriotic heroes who sacrificed theil
lives upon the altar of freedom at the ever tC
be remembered battle whose name the Gene
terry bears. A suitable monument, we believe
is to be erected in honor of their memory
What Bunker Hill has been, and is now to the
American citizen, so will Gettysburg cemetery
ever be hereafter. Its memory will have q
national existence. When this cruel war shall
be over, every person who is able will embrace
the first opportunity to gaze upon the mound;
which cover the noble dead there inferred, and
look around upon the hills, valleys and noun
tains in close proximity to the spot where the
desperate struggle in which they lost their
lives ensued. And who could ever do so with
out prizing more deeply than ever the noble
government under which we live and without
being moved to tears at the recollection OF
some loved one who freely and voluntarily
offered up bis life to vouchsafe to us forever
the precious boon OF freedom, and who there
sleeps. but Of whom be ii said,
| Awake not his slumbers, tread lightly around,
T IS the grave Of freeman, tits Liberty's mound