The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-06-04
Judge Hord then proceede to address the
s.ssHFI1llslgasi. follows 4 .aIH hl9Iial

Judge Hord then proceede to address the
assemblsgees follows: Il aIa hloiiec
{ Our hFs h this world is cast amid the
shadows aud gloom of death, and its dark
horrors would be intolerable to be endured,
were it not that there are many alleviatiOns
for the sorrows and mourning caused by the
great destroyer; many mitigations of the
anguish of soul caused by the loss of friends,
and the certsin knowledge of the fearful
truth, that it is appointed unto men once to
die. While we walk in the shadow of that
great darkness there shines soft and mel
low light not radiant but gentle, pure and
soothing, the memory of the loved ones who
are gone forever from our sight. We see
them sink beneath the horizon Of earthly ex-
istence, but these sacred memories CLEAN up
from where we see them pass away, and
tighten up the whole night OF our mOurnings
which would otherwise be so dark, so
gloomy, so appalling. This sentiment OF
love for that which is forever lost this ideal
which dwells in the soul alone without any
visible object upon which to fix itself, has
always been fondly, sscredly cherished by
all people of every nation and every religious
creed, and through all the generations of
men, and all the past ages. Like every other
sentiment, this has always sought for some
outward development, some visible, material
demonstration upon which the senses may
seize, and like the Photographic art, fix the
Shsdowy thing in visible, tangible shape.
From this source have arisen the mummy
filed pyramids of Egypt the splendid
msus Jlsums Of marble and ivory, where re-
pose the remains Of oriental princes, the
splendid sareophaga which enclose the dust
of European enperors, kings and mobiles, the
,-J,soh v,au1,ha tETn lrr1yra
of the statesman and warrior, the sculptured
marble, things Of grace and heauty which
adorn many Of our cemeteries, the tasty
monumeuts, and palmer slabs of marble
which surround US hsre, the simple cross
standing By a wayeiide grave, or IN the
grounds conseciated BY the church to the,
repOse Of the dead. the plain head- board of
wood with the initials only Of the buried
one, the tribute Of poverty bereaved and
penury made des0late, the beautiful arrange
ment,of flowers and eyergreens now before
me, consecrated to The memory of such as re-
pose in unknown and unmarked graves, the
rose and the Wild flower watered with the
dew, the tears Of affection. The funeral
pomp and pageant, the solemn chant, the
public oration and ceremOnious burial are
contributions 10 this universal, all peTvsding
sentiment. this tendency of the soul to keep
green aud fresh the recollections of those
Who have forever passed away.
Ordinarily, when a man or a woman dies,
or child's loveliness is transplauted from
this TO a better life, they of the bereaved
household are the mOurners, and the world
goes on its way, unheeding Of the sorrOWing
ones; careless of the light that has gone out
and left desolste SO many hearts. But when
nation struggles for its honor, lis inde-
pendence or its existence, and its heroic sons
/ yield up their lives upon the field Of blood
and strife when death reaps its tremendous
harvest of patriot soldiers, when many die
that others may live aud be free, happy and
great, then it is that a whole people are cad
| in the babiliments of woe, and States and
Empires are the mourners at their funeral
jobsequies And so this great Republic TO-
day comes TO renew the tie that buds it to its
dead heroes, to fleshen the memory Of the
fallen brave. to testifyi its veneration for the
recollection of its. savioUrs, to purify the
hearts Of its people by commiugling for a
while with the souls Of departed worth and
greatness, and, to streE flowers upon the
place where fepose their sacred dust, now
returned to mother earth, This tribute can
i be of no benefit TO the dead, no more than
humln worship can bestow augbt upon the
great King Of the Universe. But like the
worshippers at the altar of holiness, we are
made purer and better, aud more devoted to
our country by this beautiful and impres
sive ceremony.
| We can only appreciate the true worth of
those whose sacrifices we to-day cOmmemOr-
ate, and comprehend the vast benefits fl1w-
ing from their struggle and their death,
when we remember what would have been
our fate, as a nation, had these not have gone
to the field Of strife and carnage, the scenes
5.of agony and blood. o, prOund and great
Republic, bow would you have fallen in
your youth, how would your glory have de,
parted forever, bad not your generous sons
gone to the rescue when the foe TO our ex
isteuce pressed hard upon the citadel, the
heart of the nation, and threatened its Ena
overthrow and ruin. When the storm cloud.
gathered, and the hearts of the people beat
quick, and their lips turned pale with terrol
End all seemed to be lost beyond hope, i
was they who, with a shout and de- tfian
huzza. spraDg to the front, lifted your trail
ing banner from the dust and flung again tC
the breezes its proud but tattered folds, in
scribed with the words, 'Victory, America
triumphant Long live the great Republic.
And the heroes died, but the nation lives
lives TO work out its great destiny, and I'd
confer happiness upon millions Of the humar
race, to bless the nations of the earth viii
her proud example OfPower and true great
/ ness.
I But we have not done our whole duty T.
the buried soldier when we have paid to hi
memory this loving tribute. He has left il
our care his widowed wife, his orphan child
Bis bereaved mother and sister, ard we
solemnly pledged ourselves 10 care for these
to protect them from want, 10 provide fo
them that which his hand would have fur
nished were II not helpless in DEATH hnC
here, to-day, in this solemn hour, surround
ed by these, consecrated graves, i appeal tc
you, have we, as a people, done our whole
duty in this respect2 How comes it tha
your poor houses your streets and your pov
erty-Inarked tenements, are filed with thos
who were made widows and orphans by tn
var? How comes it that these are tOilinl
by day and by night to exc out a miserabl
subsistence, and many Of them beg for bread
Why is it that on the great thoroughfsre o
the nations capitol, soldiers manned an,
crippled, are grinding their organs, that they
may receive from the passer-by a miserabl
pittance whereFith to buy the scanty mea
for the day2 Why are these thrust asid,
while the government patronage is absorbed
BY intriguers, who in the hour Of strif
Stunned all danger while enjoying the pro
lection of the government Why are thes
manned and crippled heroes put eff by tn
nation, with the scanty allowance of eigh
dollars a month, not sufficient to buy thei
bread alone?
These suggestions have forced tbemselye
upon me from having seen 50 much of th
suRerings of these who have been bereave
} by the war; from a kBoEledge Of the fact tha
: in Our poor houses, in Ohio, which are D
better than PRISONS, are more than FIVE hun
: dred children. whose friends aud protection
lie within the graves upon which, to-day
} will be strewn flowers and garlands, Low
, ing, beautifulstribute, but which viii notas
susge the anguish of thOss who cry 70
bread, and pine in your alm-h houses, or j.
: tenements of woe and suffering, or are oh
ects of private charity. Reduce the rat
3 ofinterest upon your bonds as it can well b
done in fair AMI legitimate way; put 3
, eDd 10 reckless extraxgance and waste, ecOu
! -. A