The Portland daily press., 1873-05-31

1
swarmed with promenaders, and it was evident
that nearly the entire population of the city
would turn out to do honor to the memory of
the heroic dead who had laid down their lives
that the nation might be saved. Flags foated
from all the public and from many private
buildings, and floral ornaments were to be seen
on every hand. The halls of the Grand Army
and the Amy s, Navy Union, were beautifully
and appropriately decorated with flowers and
banners and pennons. Black and white cam
brio festoons de pended from the walls of Grand
Army Hail. while over the door was the in
scription, "Our charge, the nations dead"
Many of the Memorial wreathes were very
beautiful, the one intended for the grave OF the
late Rev. N. W. T. Root attracting particular
attention.
At nine o'clock in the morning the various
squads of the Grand Army took up the line of
ma rch for the several cemeteries, for the pur-
pose of decorating the graves. The squad I'M
der command of Senior Vice Commander In
| gals visited the Lincoln tree and the
EASTERN CEMETERY.
AT the Eastern Cemetery Rev. Mr.. Wright
of st. Lawrence street church delivered an i'm
pressive prayer. Fourteen graves we're deco
rated. The last resting places of the men of
1872 were not forgotten. For the Lincoln Tree
beautiful evergreen wreath entwined with
roses and lilies, and encircling Union shield,
the stars of which we've daisies, and the pales
immortelles and forget-me -nots, was construct
ed by the ladies of Bosworth Relief Corps.
WESTERN CEMETERY.
The Western Cemetery was visited by the
squad under command of Junior Vice Com
mander S. B. Graves. Rev. A. X. P. Small of
State street church, made the prayer, prefaring
it by few appropriate remarks. Forty-eight
graves were decorated.
FOREST CITY CEMETERY.
The Forest City Cemetery was visited by the
squad under command of Department Inspect
or w. Fl. Pencil. Prayer was offered by Rev.
B. D. Randall. Thirty graves We're decorated.
Past Commander J. f. Land delivered an ad-
dress, of which the following is an abstract:
Comrades and Friends: The crcling year
brings us once more to the observance of our
Memorial Day. AS we gather around these
graves of our former comrades and strew
with our tribute of flowers th'ir last resting
! place, the tender grass pressed beneath our
! feet is but an emblem of their memory which
is fresh in our hearts. We call to mind the
dark days of the rebellion when we stood
shoulder to shoulder in defence of our coun-
trys life, and when these who now lie here
(and others on whose graves no me-
mortal flowers will be laid to-day
at the call of their country left home and all
they held dear TO them to meet death, per-
haps on the battle field or, harder yet, to see
the grim monster stare them in the face
through months of disease and pain from
wounds and exposure, or the slow lingering
torture of those camps of death, Anderson
vile Libby or Belle Isle, and at last over
come, far from home and frieuds no mother,
wife, or sister near to smooth the dying pillow,
or speak words of holy cheer, they breathed
their last conscious OF duty done.
These men died but their memory lives and
it is indeed noble tribute that one day out
of the year, the nation pauses amid the hurry,
the strife, and the hustle of its busy life, and
turns aside to honor the memory OF those
who in its hour of danger were found faith
fl fl sE even DEATH welcome you to- day
then as you come flower laden to honor the
dead dear to us and to you, and, as we stand
around these green affairs, we renew our vows
of love and fealty to our country, and resolve
that from whatever quarter danger to her
may come, we will stand a breastwork
round about her, ready with our lives, our
fortunes, and our sacred honor to defend that
priceless heritage which these whose memory
we honor to day, left to our charge.
To US as comrades this day speaks with
admonitlon which should not pass unheeded
Death has been busy in our ranks, and as we
march to the roll of the muffled drum, we
are reminded that not many years hence our
last march will be DER and we shall lie in the
dust beside our dead comrades, mustered out!
Comrades! Shall we no: SO live that when
we come at last to answer at the call of tht
great Commander Of the Universe we may
be received into that Grand Army above
under the banner of the Cross, where all il
peace, "for there shall be no more death
neither sorrow nor crying"
Let us then cherish that fraternity of feel
ing as comrades, that charity which lives
even beyond the grave, and that loyalty tt
honor, virtue, our country, and our Goo
which will make US better in our daily live
and fit US for the life eternal.
CAVALRY CEMETERY.
The squad of comrades under Capt. Kale
were escorted by the Montgomery Guards Capt
Mcmahon, and the Sheridan Cadets, Captain
Sommers, and the Portland Band. The,
marched to the Boston & Maine station, ant
there with their friends took train of eigh
cars and proceeded to the rear of Calvary GENE
terry in Cape Elizabeth. After a pleasant
march through green lane. the procession
took seats in the church, and afterward the Wis,
iting friends. A solemn requiem was
then offered by Rev. Father Callahan, wearing
his black sacerdotal robes. The altar was also
shrowded in part with black. Master Owens
acted as alcolyte. During the mass the Port
land Band performed several appropriate piece
of music, among which were "Adeste Fid
eles." religious Andante and the "Deat
March" from ''Saul.'' Bishop Bacon thel
blessed the memorial wreaths and delivered
very sensible, patriotic and appropriate address
to the assembly.
The services over, the clergy and friends frs
proceeded to decorate the grave of the late Low
ed Father De Rose, who had officiated for tn,
last four years as chaplain on similar occasions
A short 'requiescat in pace" was said, and tn,
mourning friends around the dust of the la
mented father, shed sincere tears. The quat
then decorated all the soldiers graves, and
three voleys of musketry were fired by thu
military, the band playing dirge the WHILE
The military companies were then massed il
front of the chapel and Capt Mcmahon deliv
cred the following GRAFTON, which was received
with manifestations of approval:
Fr1endS and ComrGdeS The honor of de-
livering the first Grafton on these grounds
having been conferred on me, return yor
my sincere thanks hoping at the same time
that your criticisms will be light, as you al
know my abilities and talent as public
speaker never rated very high.
The occasion of our assembling here, is in.
deed solemn one; for it reminds us of oul
duty. not only to our friends and relatives,
who sleep here beneath the sod, but also Of
our duty to our God: For the Scripture
obliges US to pray for the dead.
Perhaps few of this vast assemblage were
not visited, with that dreaded enemy, if ii
may be called so, death. Fathers and
uiothers lost a son daughter. Husbands
thelr wives, wives their husbands, and chill
oren tneir parents. And who among us. do
not feel happy and cheerful when the summer
season returns, with all its beau,v and o.ll;no
to our minds the graves of the lost onas 81.
at that season of the year we can has.. ~,
their graves with flowers, and visit ,hon"
oftener than the inclement season of VIM.
will permit. And should the graves Of tSe
soldier or sailor be forgotten by the conrad si
No. they never can for during the thickest o,
the fight there was formed an alliance neve,
to be broken excepting by time itself. There
nvtNA. H. H. LII Al