Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-05-31
scattering bright, beautiful, fragrant flowers
over their silent resting places

A treasure there which time defes-
OF each loved father, brother son,
Who bravely fought and victory won"
Honor to them be given.
This mournful, pleasing task be ours,
Yearly to strew their graves with flowers
The brightest, fairest earth can give
| A grateful tribute while we live. .
| Honor to them be given.
| Then bring the choicest flowers to-day;
| a nations loving tribute pay;
| The offerings pure of earthly bloom,
POINTING to the life beyond the tomb.
Honor to them be given.
| And let affections tear be shed
| In memory of the unknown dead,
Whose graves no beautiouS emblems bear,
ct angels keep their vigils there.
Honor to them be given.
Yes honor, and fame, and gratitude to the
fallen patriots and better than honor or fame,
or gratitude-unswerving devotion to the cause
hallowed by their blood. There is to-day beat
ing in the National heart a newer and nobler
life. l look for another day, and that not far
distant, of perfect, freeS Union. Truth is
mighty, and must triumph. Divinity is pledged
to defend II. Far beyond the Clouds beyond
the circle of the heavens, beyond the sun, moon
and stars, sits the sole Giver of victory, and He
DEGREES triumph to the people cOntending for
Truth and Freedom
Will have its effect; yea, is already having its
effect upon the world-especially affects the
course of liberty in Europe
10 say that our country has exercised magic
influence upon the destinies of the world is not
broad assertion. From the first appearance of
this luminary of liberty in the Western horizon,
the telescopes of all Europe have watched its
motion, made their observation of right ascen-
ton and declination, and attempted to compute
Its orbit, but as they watched and wondered at
ItS rfYr fh0 80
nations, it assumed continually new brilliancy
and beauty, and from a primary it attained the
dimensions of central Sun. Other nations be-
gan to circle about it, follow its lead, and draw
from it the light and heat of their existence.
The spirit of universal liberty began to be
felt in the breast of all The despotisms Of the
dark ages began to grow pOWerless.
Greece, in 1921, initiating the noble example
of America severed the bonds of slavery and
entered the system. Hungary by patriotic eff
fort, sparing neither blood nor treasure dared
brave the vengeance of Austria, to enjoy the
blessings OF a free people, Russia, with a mag
nanimity that had its reward loosed the bonds
of her serfS and gave the world millions Of free
men. America was the example which all en-
ulated-she the standard to which ali aspired.
The seeds of liberty waited from this West
ern world have not fallen upon stony ground;
they are terminating slowly but surely in the
very midst of oppression; and so sure as the
light and heat of the sun infuse life and activity
gle through which we have passed quicken the
fruits of liberty IN the Old World
90 back TO the seventeenth and eighteenth |
centuries and mark the slow improved progress
OF society; guided by the erring hand of despo- |
tiSm and tyranny Trace I'D through the fol- |
lowing centuries the gradual dawn Of the sun
of advance and civilization and deny, if you |
can, the influence of free people Mems |
minds began to work untrammeled by arbitrary |
laws. and thought began to beget thought |
Opinion to react upon Opinion-then mark the |
change. Steam power uSurpGd the place of |
muscular effort and clasped the world in bands |
of iron. Space and time were annihilated by |
the telegraph, and myriadS Of other inventions |
were added to mans comfort or sweeps away |
those of former ages.
Self-government is the only sure method of |
government, and that endency ofthe age is thith-
onward. We may not live to see the day when !
it will be proclaimed universal but it will in |
the future, as sure as there is God in Heaven, |
who watches over the destinies of nations.
Progress and change are written legihlY on |
every thing IN the Universe, and the system of |
government, which in a new world reared near |
forty millions, unrivaled in science and inven- |
ton, and civilization and religious liberty, |
must spread. All power under Heaven cannot |
prevent it; and we who are young will live to |
see greater wonders than any that have gladden. |
the eyes of the civilized world
We are living in an age which has not it, par
allell in history. Every day brings into exist |
ancc some new principle. This IS no purely !
speculative idea it is written in the events that
have transpired in the last century The Unit |
ed States of America has been the Canaan to |
the over urdened, dOwntrOd millions of Eu- |
rope Like the ancient exodus, there has been |
a steady stream OF emigration thitherward. |
This people have become mighty agent in the !
hands Of Providence, in effectng the destinieS |
of the world. My heart Is thrilled as ! contern- |
plate what believe will be our nations future |
destiny. Purified by adversely, enobled by her |
trials with old pFejudioes forgotten, with new |
powers displayed, with grand virtues developed, |
our unity restored, our intelligence advanced. |
When the old national anthems shall again be |
sung in all parts of our great countrysth old !
national standard, the common glory of all the !
States, then will the blood of the fallen have |
borne its fruits.
My faith is ravished with the sight of this |
whole land, subdued to Christ. / see the be- !
nignant sway of piety in every field of toll. |
hear the Redeemers praise sung amid the |
hum of cities and see men toiling for their |
honor far upon the prairies. | see the banner
of the cross, and the banner Of my country
waving all our mountain tops and the light Of
the Gospel gliding our bread SaYannahs
Advance but one step higher, and you see a
world reclaimed and radiant, the power of sin
broken, and Gods glory covers the whole
earth.
The address was listened to with tho pro-
found attention it merited The choir then
sang " Not Forgotten" when the decoration of
the graves took place, the Band discoursing pro-
propriate music.
The members of the old Sixth Tennessee Reg |
iment strewed the grave of their former COM |
rade and commander, Lieut.. Col. Edward /
Maynard with wreaths and garlands, showing |
their affection was undiminished toward one |
who during his life endeared himself. to his |
friends and his memory was a. fresh in their |
hearts as in the days when together they breast
ed the storm of battle
With the admirable system adopted the |
flowers we're strewn over the graves in a COM
naratively short time and not one was neglect
ed of the number, and the friends of the dead |
in almost every State of the Union can enjoy
the mournful pleasure of knowing that honor
to their memory is sacred duty which our peo-
pie feel they owe to the gallantry of those who
fell in so sacred cause.
At the conclusion of the decoration services
the benediction was pronounced by Rev Z. E. !
Hoss, when the vast concourse wendell their
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