The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-30

WuO lONOb COullOIb duu cast LuOTC buhu bTuLU anu
These noble dead slumbering in these hal
lowed grounds, and many thousands of like
martys scattered over the wide area OF our land
have listened to their country's outcry in the
time of her need; they have answered the call
for help in the moment of her peril, and they
have offered themselves in the hour of gloom.
What gathering it wasl
''Fast as the fatal symbol nes
In arms the huts and hamlets rise;
From winding glen, from upland brown,
They poured each hardy tenant down.
Nor Stacked the messenger his pace,
He showed the sign, he named the place;
And pressing forward like the wind,
Left clamor and surprise behind.
The fisherman forsoek the strand,
The swarthy smith took dirk and brand,
With changed cheer, the mower bthe
Left in the half-cut swathe his scythe;
The herds without keeper strayed,
The plough was in mid-furrow stayed,
The falconer tossed his hawk away,
The hunter left the stag at bay;
Prompt at the signal of alarms,
Each son of Alpine rushed to arms;
SO swept the tumult and affray
Along the margin Of Achray."
Such was the rising of this people all over the
land The roll of the dead then opened its
pages and with terrible swiftness the victims of
four long years of bloody strife filled the volumi-
nous annals of death. Dead on the slippery
decks dead by the camp-fires at night dead
in the smoke-cloud of battle! and dead in the
murderous prison-pen! J" Long rows of graves
and deep streams of blood marked the line of
march, and tears watered the hearthstones of
numberless homes during the fearful struggle.
Yet onward, steadily onward, the noble
column moved towards the centre of rebellion
and the cradle of treason. Undaunted by re-
verses, they carved a road through defeat to
victory, and unchecked by misfortune they
swept away every obstacle. Every vacant space
caused by the carnage OF battle was filled by
another brave warrior, who babe defiance to
death, until at last the beam of hope shone
through the clouds of smoke, and the bright
rays of victory cheered the loyal hearts amidst
the scenes Of agony and horror.
At last the bloody drama was ended, and the
jubilant shout of a nation, redeemed by the
brave re-echoed from the starry concave over
the land of the free. AT last the Union was
saved and the old ship of state that had entered
the tempest in the most perilous moment, and
under the discouraging scorn of foreign rivals,
who wished to see her go down beneath the
breakers. of Rebellion, floats proudly as ever,
and waves her glorious colors to the breeze.
Aghast, the disappointed spectators stood like
hungry wreckers, in wistful shame, when they
saw the final conquest of our gallant though
fratricidal foes. They had hoped the endan-
gered vessel, tossing between the reefs and
shoals would sink, and they could plumber some
of her scattered fragments. The storm and
waves beat high, the captain perished, and
many of the undaunted crew fell at their post;
yet the noble craft weathered the most frightful
blasts, and now rides more proudly than ever
on the smiling ocean of prosperity. Whenever,
amid the fearful surges, the lofty pennon kissed
the crest of the waves stout hearts again bore it
aloft. The vortex which we escaped swallowed
legions of our best comrades yet Immortality is
their lot; and when the reveille of resurrection
calls them from their resting-places, we hope,
touching their elbows, to pass with them our
last review.
He who holds the destinies of nations in His
hand has permitted us to see the termination of
the struggle He has granted us the unspeak-
able blessing that, after the hours of danger and
repeated humiliation, we should enjoy the
glory of victory, the triumph of our national
no blic eful 0f ha
anticipations of the most sanguine friends of
our cause have been more thon realized; the
framework of our Government has been re-
stored in all its frmness and beauty; the cancer
which had crept into our national health has
been eradicated the evils of the past have been
cured and ample measures have been taken for
our future welfare and permanent safety.
Herculean was the task, but the valor of our
people was equal to the dignity and magnitude
of the crisis. Providence strengthened the
hand of our martyred President when he penned
the proclamation of emancipation, which for
ever wiped from our national escutcheon the
dark spot of slavery, aad new impetus was
imbued into. the rrnks of our wearied troops,
almost amounting to inspiration. The song of
freedom sounded in clearer notes, and ran along
the lines of blue, almost drowning the cannon s
thunder and the battles din, until 1t ended in
| the glorious p9an of triumph.
| The soldiers armor was laid aside, and joy
fully we resumed the civic "toga" as soon as
| peace, sweet peace, once more reigned in our
u
double crown of glory awaited us who were
mercifully spared to return to our homes and
| families Thankful prayers rise to the throne
| of the Almighty from every loyal heart when,
| every year, we gather around the tombs of these
! noble martyrs to embalm afresh their memory
in our SOULS bitter tears betray our sorrow that
they cannot share with us our joys and blessings,
| as they have done so faithfully our dangers and
| trials. Would that we could do more! Bat
| the wish is vain, for, as the poet sings:-
| ''Not there they sleep! not there they rest!
| Earth here but holds her own;
| Their spirits to celestial climes have flown,
| And have immortal grown
| In that fair world where death is never known;
| In that bright world of light,
| Beyond our mortal sight,
Where love brings endless days. with blessings in
finite"
Let us, therefore, while we offer these obla-
| tions, renew our pledge OF faith to our Union
Let us renew our VOWS for the protection OF
| liberty and equal rights Let us revive ouI
| determination to stand by our country against
| any and every foe, foreign or domestic, in wal
| or in peace The dead who sleep in the bosom
| of the earth or beneath the ocean waves heal
our vows. They have helped us 10 erect thai
| glorious superstructure OF universal freedom
and equal rights upon the foundation of oul
Republic, and have cemented it with theil
| hearts blood.
Let us complete the grand design and make
| our country truly the worlds "Temple o.
Liberty" Rapidly and bravely the work goe'
| on, and the nations of the earth stand amazed
| at our progress. They wonder how our people
could emerge from the smoke of battle and the
clash of arms, like young giant, with powers
| unimpaired The vitality of our nation, he
buoyancy and elasticity of life, are beyond thei
comprehension.
With every garland of affectionate remem
| brance which we place upon grave let us repea
| Iada hot Wa hQ 1Inf n