Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-06-03
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, MAY 90, 1869.
Decoration Day.


Commemorative Service. The ceremony
commends itself to every loyal patriotic
heart, and the people of the nation will
suspend the usual business of their voca-
tions and unite with the citizen soldiers
in the commemoration of their departed
comrades and cooperate in every way to
make the anniversary impressive in the
calendar of passing time, surrendering
the cares of active life for a few short
hours, in memory of those who have given
their lives an offering; in remembrance
of yalorous deeds and heroic achieve
ments in recognition of the great suffer-
ing and sacrifices which have eliminated
in the perpetuity of the Union and the
nationality of freedom in perpetu a
ton OF. the principles of loyalty developed,
self-sacrifce manifested and the stimu-
lated spirit of benevolence, which together
with the memories of the past will evince
living, active sympathy with those who
have been spared to witness and enjoy
augurated this touching tribute to the
nations dead.
Although this observance is novel to us
of the present era, yet it has been the
custom Of all nations, from the dawn of
civilization, to visit and beautify the
abodes of the dead. In Palestine, the
land of the Olive and the Vine, and once
the beauty and glory of the whole earth,
may be seen the vast and beautiful ceme-
teries ornamented with the rich flowers of
tropical chimes. At the foot of each grave
is small earthern vessel in which is
planted a sprig of myrtle, regularly wa
tered every day by the mourning friends
who go there to weep. Go there at the
calm and meditative hour of sunset, and
you will find kneeling at the tombs of the
lost ones "Rachel weeping for her chill
dren," or scattering flowers on the green
turf that closed upon their loved ones
Indeed, in all the countries of the East
where flowers bloom in perpetual fra
GRANGE, mourners wander among the
tombs as softly as angels walk among the
groves of Eden, and as they read some
brief epitaph inscribed by affection to the
sleeper beneath, kneel at the sacred shrine
and invoke a blessing on the stricken
hearts of the bereaved ones.
This time-honored custom has a holy
and refining influence on The human heart.
The blooming flowers point to the spring
time of life. The grass covered mound
illustrates the destiny of all, and the
waving evergreen declares that when the
body returns to the earth from whence it
came, the soul, if true to its destiny, shall
fash forever, like sparkling diamonds, in
the sunlight of heaven
The sepulchured dead from the armies
of the Union were the saviors of the re-
public. They battled and died for liber-
ty and unity. Their blood was poured
forth. an oblation for humanity They
died that the nation might live. Sacred
be their names in the list of our country's
nobility. Their memory and their deeds
are the priceless heritage of a regenerated
land. Let US transmit it to the future
with lustre that cannot dim. Let us
by ceremonials of this character, impress
upon the minds of our children the loyal
cause, the great principles, and the
triumphial results which demand
that we shall forever perpetuate the mem
DRY of our dead heroes, that they may
fully appreciate that the patriot band
gave up their lives that the children OF to-
day might in their generation enjoy the
fruits of sacrifice, the blessings of repub-
lican government, and By them to be
transmitted to other generations in its
developed unity
Some will .ic.n in this service with
hearts hardened with great sorrow.
There are thousands in whose hearts will
be renewed by the services of the occa-
sion, the anguish of those dreary years
when the brave mother forced back her
fnrebodings, to bless the departing son,
and the son knew ss ne babe farewell to
home, that To answer an imperilled ma
tons CALL was to lay life al offering on
her altar; years OF wearisome marches
and perlous exposures; of hard fought
battles and prisons, with seanty food.
Thesegwere years when the wall of sor-
row from hundreds and thousands of
households went up on the same breeze
that waited the shouts that hailed the glo-
rious victory.
In the round Of the flying years, when
this generation shall have nearly passed
away, there will here and there be left a
soldierly form with whitened head to
a. ~ s
battles and personal adventures to which
the children will listen with bated
breath and moistened eyes. The graves
and monuments at which the stranger
will longest linger to read and ponder
Names all alike unknown to him, will be
the graves and monuments which we
are to honor on this coinmemoration
day.
Let rs gather with reverent emotion
around these shrines of loyalty, conseerat-
ed by devotion, by suffering, and by
blood. Let us strew above the graves of
our fallen warriors the choicest, sweetest
flowers of Spring emblematic of their
own reviving fame. And while en-
gagged IN bearing them IN holy remem-
brance, let us enkindle anew in our hearts
the fires of love and devotion for the Re-
public, in behalf of whose cause their
lives were given.
As we strew flowers upon the graves of
those who have been borne to their last
resting place with funeral honors, let us
not forget the patriots who, having fallen
asleep in other lands far away from home
and kindred. are yet with us in spirit and
remembrance.
Let our whole people join in the cere-
monies of the memorial, and may our
hearts be quickened to the full realiza-
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