Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-06-03
BefheI Items.

\ The arrangements which were hiaue
in our village for bcstowing honors on
the soldiers who bravely fell in the late
I war in defence Of the Union, were sue
cesslully carried out on Monday last. At
one o'clock large number of the MEM
bers of the Grand Army OF the Republic,
Post No. 80, which includes the comrades
belonging in this vicinity. appeared upon
tho common accompanied by the Drum
Corps. A procession was formed IN front
of the Chandler Hotel, representing the
members of the G.. A. r.. also the MEM
bcrs of the Rising Star Lodge Of G. T..
and the teachers and pupils OF the two
village schools, which then proceeded to
the village Cemetery. Most ofthe pupils
bore in their hands wreaths and bouquets
of flowers. DR.. j. A. Morton, the Com
mander of the G.. A. r., Of this Post, and
who ofliciated as Marshal Of the OCCASION
callod the assemblage to order and after
making few remarks, Rev. j. G. Perry
pastor of the Methodist church, then read
Il selection from the Bible and invited
the assembly to listen to prayer by Rev
Mr.. Titus. Appropriate singing by MIR.
and Mrs. l.. r. Barker and Mr.. and Mrs.
+. c. Carter. The orator of the day,
Gen. j. A. Hall, of Damai iscotta. was
then introduced. The speaker commenced
by referring to the practice which pre-.
vailed among tho ancients of bestowing
honors upon their distinguished heroes.
In the hurry and bustlo Of life we are
prone to forget our obligation to the
soldiers who gave their lives to save our
Country. 1t is well to gather on occasions
! like this and commemorate the virtues of
our deceased heroes. that we may DO
enabled to set a higher value oil the in
stitutions they defended. The great up.
rising in 1861, and the patriotism and
devotion to liberty thus manifested in the
/ North, were referred to and worthy
tribute was paid to tho bravery of the
volunteers who marched to the field.
Their suifcrings in the camp, the prison
and the hospital, were portrayed. They
shrank from no toll or danger, but per-
formed every duty required With cheer.
iulness and alacrty No event in the his
tory of the world could equal in sublimity
the going forth of the millions of men to
battle in defence Of their country. Three
hundred and fifty thousand of these heroes
are now sleeping in martyrs graves
The thunder of artillery which so long
shook our nation, has been hushed i'll
! silence. and the iron hail which filed all
our homes with mourning has passed
away. 1t is true. for time the dark
clouds skirted our horizon. The distant
muttering thunder and the family flash
/ ing lightning threatened renewal OF
the contest But these have now passed.
The bow spans that retiring cloud and on
it are written the words "Let us have
Peace. Words now immortal-words
prophetic as being responded to by
millions, yea, millions recently in arms
against our government. The widows,
orphans and friends OF the departed
should always receive the warmest SYM
pathy. While we decorate the graves OF
the fallen, let us resolve that we will for
ever remain true TO the sacred principles
they died to save. The Grafton was elo-
quent and impressive, and was received
with great satisfaction. An appropriate
song was then sung, entitled the 'Beauti-
ful River after which the soldiers and
friends proce eded to decorate the graves
of the soldiers. After all these had been
decorated, the procession was reformed,
and marched TO the village, where the
gathering dispersed, with the feeling that
the observance was most fitting one.