The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-06-01
DISSERTATION DAY
: UEt&E1fONf
I'm n. c,.ss.r. MAJ nat,

sxpresid Of The Decoration Day
held yesterday, to.wit:
that they were prominently touch
ing, simple, atfectionste and appro-
PIRATE.
Under the efficient supervision Of
the general committee of arrange
ments, intelligcntly and promptly
aided by the subordinate committees,
everything moved along like clock.
work at the appointed time.
At els the procession was formed
on Court street in front of the Con-
gregational church with arlSwab.
keys band leading, and, after moving
through the principal streets, Pro-
ceeded to the Cemetery.
a conspicuous feature Of the pro-
cession Was an immense car contain
ing thenty-six beautiful little girle,
appropriately dressed in white, each
barring . cross, draped 10 fowara.
which they subsequently decorated
the soldiers' graves with. 800
On ono side of tho car was the
motto, "They died that the Nation
might live and on the other, allow,
- 4 i
ers may fade, but their deeds rever,'
while Suspended over their heads
Was the sentiment, am honor Of The
heroic dead"
To Mr., ?. g. Ballingall is due the
credit Of this very tasteful and ap
propriate car affair, aided in the
drsping and festooning BY, the Up
holster, r. b. Cochran. fnR
The principal feature of the pro
cession wss the public school, which
turned out IN . body, under charge
Of Prof. Hastings and his able corp,
of teachers.
Arriving at the proper place desig
mated ia the Cemetery, Mr.. y. G
Blake, Chairman of the Committee
Of Arrangements, called the Assem-
blage to order and introduced Rev
r. B. Corkhill, who addressed the
Throne Of Grace in an appropriate
and feeling manner.
After music by the band, Rev. b
Bross delivered an address, the MS
Of which has not been handed us
and is, consequently, omitted to-day
Music again by the band, afte,
which Capt. S. B. Evans delivered
the following address
It was tho pc, lection Of poesy-the
idealization Of religion, which
prompted the ceremonies we cole.
brate to-day.
These tender ideas have existed il
the world since the Creation
Though war may raise his grim
Yisaged front" and for q time usury
Unlimited power, yot War cannot
exist always. '5 Sc
Peace hath her victories, and whar
her bright pinions have chased away
the shadows Of conflict there is re
hected in the sunbeams which she
leaves in her train those better quail
tiles which 60 to enrich orr manhood
and give us ! clearer title TO Immor
tality. esia 500 4" II \
We would not obliterate the mem.
cries ofthe deeds of those whose bod.
les lie hero to-day.
The5 went at the call of their
State, obcdient to the behests OF pat.
riotism and the voice OF country Il
the Voice OF God. @
Many Of them were those whose
outward appearance did not betray
the intense fires Of patriotism burn
ing within. But the hours of toll and
anxiety which, thAy endured !; the
pain and suffering which came to
them the long, long months Of
weary separation from friends which
was their lot, great, sturdy, honest
Brave Boys were they"
It is given TO those who witnessed
their devotion, to bear full testimony
to their worth and character.
Then while the fathers, the
mothers, the sisters, the wives, the
children of these brave men kneel
around the grassy mounds and shed
tears for their departed, let us toe
find an humble place among the
mourners. Some Of us perhaps have
seen your loved one on the field o.
strife. If not, we have seen his
brother soldier who stood firm as q
rock In the storm Of fire and barred
his breast to the hurricane Of death.
For that we love him. Baptised with
his baptism and sharing his dangers
on the field We claim the privilege Of
miDgling our tcaN with yours and
strewing his gravU with these trib-
utes of affection 4Sea
Bring flowers, then, and scatter
them bounteously over these humble
monuments They are 1T emblems
Of that Peace which succeeded the
awful storm. And as we inhale their
fragrance, let the sweet smelling in
censc chase away all that is naughty,
malevolent and hitter 10 our natures
Let this annual day Of earth's bloss.
Oms be a new era in our lives, TO
learn ne how to bear each others
faults and impress upon us all the
lesson of our frailtiee. 3tsgl
And while we Of Earth are paying
these tributes OF respect, is il not
cheering to believe that around and
above US, in the uncolumned air."
are gathered the spirits ofthose who
persisted in the late unhappy strife,
watching over US, and who Federal
and Confederate no moro, but bright
aud radiant beings Of . " Better
Land" rejoice together over their
redemption.
Nay more, can we who believe in
tie revelations from above, deny
that even while the strife was going
on and shot and shell wet tcafing
life and limb apart, the ethereal and
spiritual bodies of the contestants,
while forming in the upper air. gave
each other the close, firm grasp Of
friendship, and in that supreme mo-
ment learned to understand and love
each other.
Bring fowers, then, not TO enrich
their inheritance for tho Mnater has