The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-07-22
Tho memorial, Association or Ma.

as received, that our readers may notice the
spirit that yet pcrvades the hearts Of our
southern peiehbors. We, however, approve
Of these people taking care OF thercmsins OF
their unfortunate dead. II shovsA commend.
able spirit:
~. ~. MANASSAS. Jaly n, ists
We left Washington Yesterday morning, on
the o. h NJ. a. railroad at o O'Clock, to attend
the celebration Of the Memorial Association
at Manassas, the object OF which lie to raise
money to purchase ground and erect n GENE
terry to bury tho confederate dead who were
killed In the battles round Manassas, under
the charge Of that veteran conductor, Captain
travelling public. We reached Manassas at
20 o'clock. Travellers going south from wash
inston stop At Alexandria to breakfast, at
breakfast. After lesyin Alexandria, you pass
through country which was the battle hcld
for both armies for some time, and, of course,
ihsyh,ve had no rain Ia Fairfax for a ioss
time, the crops look exceedingly well.
AFTER enjoying a deisshtfdi breakfast at
| village, and were perfectly surprised at the
changes made 10 few years. Manassas has
| now thirty dwelllngs-ten now being In course
two hotels, and one sumac factory-and three
| churches are now being built. II was very
small village before the war, and Il 10 surpris-
proved in so short 4 time. 1t Is destined 10 be
| quite large plsce. large number of northern
men are living here and In the vicinity, and
many more are looking for farms.
| The ears from Alexandria brought a great
number of visitors TO witness the celebration.
The ladies have the matter In charge, and, OF
| course, II Is bound to be success. The pres
| ent celebration will be n peaceful one, unlike
that which distinguished Manassas seven
years since. On this occasion nobody will be
-"to the tramp and the drum,
| And the mournful sound Of the barbarous horn,
And the dap OF the banners that fit az they re borne.
And the neigh of the stecd nd tn
And the clash, aud the shout. they come. they
The weather, like 1t Is In Washington, is
very warm. The cemetery Is situsted about
one quarter Of mile from the village, and 1t
graves here, and the object OF the meeting to.
day 10 to raise funds for the purpose Of re-
moving the confederate dead, which lie scat
beautiful spot selected by those noble ladies'
to their beautiful cemetery; There are no
Federal dead at Manassas, all having been re-
moved to Arlington within the last year or
two, where their graves are well looked after
| by "Unclc SAM and u behooves not only
yirginians, but all the Southern States, to sec
that the cemetery at Manassas should be par
tieularly looked after. Very few virginians
are buried here-mostly from the Southern
states, and more particularly from Georgia,
South Carolina and Mississippi.
The tournament was to have come off at 10
o'clock, but owing to the non-arrival of most
OF the knights, who lived at some distance
from the village, 1t was postponed to this
In the meantime, however, Walter Weir,
esq, a prominent lawyer OF this county, was
and gentlemen by Major W. W. Thornton, and
delivered very able and interesting address,
as follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: We love 10 gaze
on q scene like this, and mingle amid its festal
Joys. But the occasion which calls US together
to-day must bring forth = sigh from every
many an eye. The associations that crowd
around us, the memories of the past are sad
and mournful to the soul. What we have
been, what we are now! This is the solemn
reflection.
There was day, my countrymen, before the
storm cloud of war had burst In all Its malig.
southern land, when we could stand where We
now stand and proudly boast OF our country.
Then II was alf one eountry.-.North, South,
mar the peaceful scene. In that day we had
southern States and southern institutions; in
that day we had rights and privileges, and all
that frcemen hold most dear was ours Every
southern man could proudly boast of lineage
and the place that gave him birth.
Virginia, the noble old commonwealth of
our fathers, stood prc-eminently forth in the
front rank OF States. She pointed to her chill.
dren These were her Jewels. In that day to
be a Nirginian was greater than a king. We
were proud OF our old mother State. Proud
of her noble bearing, her wealth, hei resources,
her greatness, her talents, her beauty, and her
chivslryIyirginiaIthe home of the yirtuous,
the chivalrous, the brave.
The stranger found a hospltable home on
her generous soil, and loved to linger here,
even as the traveller loves to lingtr on Italia's
But fearful change hath come o'cr the
spirit Of her dream. To-day we look forth
the stiffness Of the (evenlngl breeze. Hum
fuW The glory Of the past hath departed
The spot where the rose bloomed in ali It's
GSh and and sSc b ~ YIN the
glect and decay. The wild dog bowls on our
lonely HUI tops, and the night owl finds his
home where was once the habitation of man.
The wild thunders Of war have rolled over
our once peaceful landj the destroying angel
has been abroad, and naught bat gloom and
desolation marked his track, 1t was fearful
| day, my countrymen, when the happy family
circle that was wont to gather around the so.
cial hearthstone, heard the low mutterings OF
paied, and ali wa: confssioD U"V and w DE-
spair. The loved ones and the brave ones
I went forth to the war. We have heard their
victory. But the battle Is overall Is lost
all was In vain. Our brave soldier boys, where
are theyi Many OF them viii never, never.
versal wall that has pierced the heavens
themselves-'tis the cry of the stricken heart
that will not be eomforted, because they are
not.
And, even now, the widowed mother all the
day long sheds lonely, bitter tesrs OF woe Tor
her boy that fell on the bloody field Of battle
We all remember well, 1t was on such a day
as this, seven long, weary years ago, that a
noble Southern band, battling for the right,
offered up their lives on the plains Of Manassas
that day of wrath. And to-day, methlnks the
sad and mournful ghosts OF that noble band OF
soldiers rise up before us. They come and
point their ghostly fingers at US, and cry out
for rest Their bones lie scattered and bleach.
ing on the dismal plains Of Manassas. They
are weary, and have no resting place; there Is
no home for the dead. The summer suns are
hot and herce, the wintry winds are cold and
cherries. They tell us OF the glory OF the past
and the happy hours that once smiled on them
They whisper to us Of shattered hearthstones
and broken hearts,
Would that we could blot out the past and
all its fearful "reminiscences. Oh, that we
could recall the dead to life, and bring the sol
der boy back to his mothers arms.
But this we cannot do, and 1t becomes us
reyerently to submit to the Divine will and
bow In humble resignation beneath His chas
tening hand. All that we can now do il to
gather up the bones OF our fallen comrades
and provide for them home and u resting
! place, and thus strive to comfort the widowc ed
hearts. This we can do, this we ought to do,
and 1t is with this object In view that we are
come together to-day.
Woman, ever true to her noble lineage, first
caught the echo Of that sepulchrn voice, and
she remembered the agony of Rachel weeping
for her slain children. Woman hath said at
is work OF lovej 1t 10 all that we can do; let
Us show our love and appreciation for our
and bury our deadi the people that forget the IL
dead deserve to be forgotten themselves. -
And her still, small voice, ever potent for
good, has gone forth and pierced the air from
the result Is that we have heard her voice and
obeycd her summons, and so many have come
here to-day on a holy pilgrimage to erect a
shrine wherein Will he laid our fallen heroes
ashes, aud to offer up on that shrine our
hearts love.
Who is there that does not feel proud Of
their work OF lUvel Who so base as not to
| lend a helping hand and bid US God speed
| Nv frp IfaF ma IN N aiIla