New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-31
DECORATION DAY p

/
Established custom has devOlved on tn
the American Union Club the high and re
sponsible duty of conducting these ami
versary ceremonies. We are happy, how
ever, to have such a multitude of citizen
present with us to join in doing homage tt
the noble dead.
We have here representatives of al
classes Of people in large numbers-tht
Governor and other officers representing the
State, the commanding general and staff
and officers and soldiers of the army sta
toned here-the civil officers of the federal
government, the veteran Germans, the col
Ored veterans of 1912 and the late war, the
Grand Army of the Republic, Irish, French
and other natiOnalities-Federal and Con
federate-Northern and Southern-all, all
whom we gladly welcome with us.
As in years past, so to-day, my friends
we are again assembled to commemorate
the departure from earth-life of those OF
| our comrades whose bodies lie buried in
| this beautiful cemetery, and to strew once
| more with flowers the little mounds of earth
that serve to indicate their resting place.
The American Union Club, since its or
ganizarion after the close of that struggle
| wherein these precious lives were yielded
up for the benefit of those who remain, and
for the general good of mankind, has an
nually or this day met here, together with
| other organizations. friends, citizens and
strangers, to offer this our yearly tribute to
/ the heroic dead-that their memories be
cherished forever.
! And though far removed, as they are,
| from the States, localities and familiar cir
/ cles they chiefly represent, they are buried
not among strangers, but among friends
| whom we to-day represent; and whose
| voice of sympathy and coincidence uttered
here will go forth hence throughout this
and other lands until its reverberatiOns
reach the ear and heart Of every mother,
wife, child, father, sister, brother
and friend whose dearest treasure
rests undisturbed at Chalmette. Assuring
them that here there is no unkind hand to
mar the beauty of this cemetery, no rude
foot to trample these saeramental flowers
that these are honOred graves, and there is
none would have it otherwise; that human
nature, alike everywhere in all its primal at
tributes, is exemplihed in this community,
and more just, noble and generous public
can nowhere be found than inhabit these
surroundings, and to all people, every
where, that the bitter feelings engendered
by the causes, the incidents and the results
of the late war no longer give tone to pub
lie sentiment in Louisiana.
But as these forms, once animate, dis
tinctive, dissimilar, and, so to speak, an
tagOnistic, are now by natural process Of
decay commingling with the general soil,
nOurishing alike the various flowers and
trees before us, so also the spirits of those
who have gone and of those who remain
the NorthrOn and the SouthrOn, the federal
and the confederate, the native and the
foreign born-jOining in the general purpose
of human advancement, have left behind
the dead issues of the past and seek new
dividing line founded on principle-their
groundwork humanity, their motor indus
try, their goal success. Let us labor and
and p, 4
Opment of a higher civilization, wherein
just judgment, useful industries and intel
hgent administration shall become uni
versal.
COLoRED SOLDIER SERVICES
Mr.. T. Morris Chester, representing the
eOlored soldiers, said:
As the history of the war, and the services
OF soldiers of one class will be made mem
orable by the gentlemen who will follow
me, it is my duty to pay tribute to those
soldiers with whom l am identified. From
among the garlands and flowers gathered
into thoughts, would not take bud from
the garlands which belong to the white sol
dier. The scene is grand. Standing here
for the first time in the midst of the gath
cred ashes of the dead, | could have wished
still to have fingered among the spirits of
the dead. This solemn assembly is a tribute
to the departed, and in this assemblage
virtues are exhibited which do honor to us.
When we of the prescribed race seek out
places where cOlOred soldiers sleep their
last sleep, it shows we appreciate their
services. But we should not fail TO do full
honor to the white sOldiers-tO do honor to
the remains Of all who fell in the service of
the country, and wearing its uniform, so
aiding Gods means to put down secession.
Notwithstanding the education of the slaves
by the Southern people, what soldier ever
-. Il I
slave What soldier that went on his way
failed to be followed by colored prayers
We should do all honor to their graves
rather than they should go neglected.
In the war we, with no promises to cheer
our hearts, sprung from individual humility
to universal immortality; sprung from serf-
dom to service. We now enjoy the right Of
assemblage. During the war our white
soldiers fought only for union; we fought
for liberty. We are well aware with what
great injustice we were treated by the ma
ton. Though well aware of it, we offered
our services to save the government from
further prostitution. Though you mourn
these remains, they have become the con
secrated dead of the nation. Though the
services of the cOlored troops may not be
appreciated, pOsterity will heap garlands
upon their graves. Our services in the past
far outweighed those of the rich men who
resisted service behind breastwOrks of
greenbacks.
We fought in the trenches As the Cru
saders assembled to rescue the Holy Land
from the tread Of the Saracen, so we assem-
bled at the call of Abraham Lincoln to send
our enemies to hell, and say we sent them
thither. In victory we showed the humanity
of American arms; in defeat fOrtitude; and
notwithstanding the barbarities inflicted up
on us, there was not any sign of retaliation.
Our color in arms was handsomely ignored |
wherever bridge of bodies was to be made. |
remember with what respect the white |
soldiers stood when the black boys in blue |
before Richmond double quicked to the |
front to receive the concentrated fire of the |
enemy. We fought for the extinction of |
slavery, and for the protection of our man |
hood.
We call upon all ChristendOm for an ap- |
probation of our catholic duty. We are |
here over the graves to ask for that protec- |
tiOn of which we have been denied. If /
there is any humanity in the American /
people we ask for perfect equality before /
the law. When the native guards stOrmed /
the heights of Port Hudson their cry was
"iberty or death" The cOlOr-sergeant had |
said there II will bring back these colors
or answer to God the reason why" Though |
our rights have been partially recognized it
is not to the extent to which our valOr en-
titles us. The act of decorating these
graves to-day is one as sincere as that of
the lamentations of David over the slain;
as that Of Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be cOmfOrted. We are
proud of the courage and integrity of our
troops, which equal the bravery of the
Greeks who cut their way through the
hosts of Marathon: which equal the glory
of the allied arms of Waterloo, when peace
was won for mankind; which equal the
service of any that entitle the living to our
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