The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-06-08
SPEECH OF HON. O. S. HEAD.

4
), Soldiers and FELLOW. citizens We have met
here to commemorate the resting places OF
those who died that their country might live.
We have paused moment in our march to
the grave to utter kindly word in memory
of those who fought and fell in defense of
those principles of Liberty, Freedom, Justice
and Equality Of Rights, which we as nation
It is not only beautiful but wise custom
which sets apart special days for reviving the
memory of great deeds and of the men who
have wrought them. Theinstinct of the people
prompts such an expression of National graf
itude-and the pclicNof good Government is
to stimulate virtue by the memory of those
events in which are especially seen the hero.
ism or patriotism of it's people. Hence me-
mortal days have had place in the calendars
Of all nations, and have always had an meal
culable influence upon their people.
By the general order of the Grand Army Of
the Republic setting apart the Both day Of
May as s Decoration Day. it has become, as
| it ought to be, National or memorial Day !;
the ceremonies connected with which, may,
and should be, participated in by all, in mem
DRY of all, who fell in our late struggle for
National life.
! Originally the invitations for participating
( in the ceremonies OF this day were confined to
| soldiers, and if mistake not, to members of
the Grand Army of the Republic, and the
speakers and officers of the day were selected
think the invitation and order of exercises
upon this occasion, being general" All SOL
ldiers and citizens" the ladies being specially
invited by resolution, decided Improvement
on the original plan.
i From '61 to '65 did we not all glory il the
successes of the Union Army /? It's reverses,
lit's defeats it's losses in battle, are they not
| our common heritage of woe? When the
T" Bows left for the front did we not all bid
them "God speed" with full hearts and
streaming eyes. and when they returned
wasted by the hardships and exposures of ar
my life, the systematic starvation and tor
ture of Andersonville, Libby and other South
ern prisons, coming home to die-or but little
worse brought home in their collins to be
buried when these things were, and our
hearts too were wrung, shall not all, now,
soldiers and citizens alike, be allowed the
blessed privilege of strewing lowers upon
their graves, and thus consecrating to their
hallowed memories, the last of each return
ing month of Spring.
There may be no historic, or what the world
calls great names among those who, volun-
I teering in their country's service, or going at
their country's call, lost their lives and are
buried here. But they were each and all dear,
very dear, and in that light great, very great,
each to his circle of friends and kindred. The
heart of wife, father or mother, a brother
or a sister, or that other one dearer than
sister, has throbbed almost to breaking
the sad news of the death of each one of these
I" common soldiers " who lay sleeping in
your grave yard. One was perhaps an aged
parents main stay and hope-another, not
only the main stay of a household, but it's
light and life-another, father, who, having
country to fight for, could honestly boast
of his wealth, if the fate of war should leave
him s'wife children and friends
| Methinks there is peculiar fitness and
beauty in thus setting apart one day in each
year in honor of the heroic dead. AS peo-
A k,A~
holy days of rest and recreation, in which all
the people of every political party, and of
of every nationality can join. This Deco
, ration Day" is happily suited by it's cos
mopolitan character, to such a purpose.
There were enough from every polit-
volunteered in defense of our common coun-
try in the recent war, to render the ceremo-
MES of Decoration Day of general interest to
them all. We may have differed Gas to the
best means for the suppression" of the Re
bellion, but few, if any, can seriously doubt
the lofty heroism or genuine patriotism OF
those who volunteered their services to put
it down. This being SO, it would seem emf
nently fit and proper for all to join heart and
hand in this days celebration. 1t requires a
few hours of your time-it occurs at season
of the wear when flowers are abundant. and
when all should have day leisure and of rest
to give to the memory of those who fell in
defending our common country.
4 Let us make this Decoration Day Festi-
val-a Memorial Day for the dead-an Ami.
versarY to be sacredly observed by the living
1t has much to commend its faithful and reg
ular observance, to every lover of his country
} and his kind. It may be made to fill place
about midway between the platform and the
pulpit, the stump and the stage-a place
permit me to say, that sadly needs filling,
! The world ever reveres its Anniversary DAYS
J and it does we'll to, for it needs them, All
I3ob rcta mn to ifc
fmas and who can tell how much more effec.
tive the old story of Heaven coming down to
fearth, becomes by this festival. The church
Icalendar is full of the names of Saints and
of days concentrating events of sa-
Tered history.
i So every nation has it's memorial days for
1.-The great events of its own history
/ Our short national life too has furnished
} Some sacred days and dates some have been
} Ecrowded into the last decade, which will be
} memorable hereafter.
4 For nearly a century we have commemora-
ted the day when few brave men wrote
their names as the Apostles, and if need be,
J the Martyrs of human freedom in America,
, For long time we have celebrated the birth
day, even, Of the man who above all others
helped to achieve human freedom here and
D to embody it in a new Republic. And now
0 Tanother Memorial Day is added to the rest,
0 Equite as sacred as they. AS we honor the
' Imemory OF those few men who had the
' strength Of mind and soul to frame our Declar-
Y alton of independence we honor the
, Revolutionary Heroes, and especially their
eat leader who translated that Declaration
0 into acts and Institutions /; so we honor those
0 many thousands OF brave men who, when the
y old Declaration was getting dmmed and
= blurred by domestic tyranny and the unrea.
= sonable exactions of the mlnority-haVe re.
0 copied its fair words with their own blood in
B lines that reach from Gettysburgh to the Gulf
0 they too deserve a Memorial Day, the sa-
U keep it-not with mystic rites and pomp, no1
; yet with the old .deafening Fourth of July,