The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-06-05
GRAFTON.

FL
venerable statesman of our country, as he was
passing TO his grave, like shock Of fully ripe
la expires ion of fal affection which the strIlo-
giles Of tumultuous life had in no measure dim
iLished, made provision in his will for the annual
planting of roses on the grave OF his mother. Tits
10 my mind the redeeming quality In human ch ar
acter, that love and reverence in the living, for
those whose sacrifices for human good were he Ole
and exalted, surYVe 1.-the revolutions of life and
now and then, as the occasion prompts, assert
rightfu supremacy In the soul Of every man Ii
there no other period when some other and bet
ter thoughts than those OF daily toll and rivalry
take posse sion of the individual, th surely come
| t he grave of his mother, his child, or whatever
dear one lost, associated with unfOrgotten mem
cries. To-day we come to the house chosen for all
The living, laden with the garlands Of May, and
strew them upon the graves of men whose names
g, We cherish and the fragrance OF VIII sc memories
is but. family symbclized in the perishlng bios
SONS with which we Crown this coronation of the
4 dead =, rF
! The nation congregate to do homage to those
who fought good fight and finished their course
and kept the faith. Years have rolled away since
| the sound of war died out of the land The ha
| treds 1t engendered, the passions IL enkIndled,
| the bitter, bitter struggle of divided states have
pass cd away Mar they nevermore return Pros
4 perity and the generous rivaries or Peace have
turned the battle fields of the land into abodes of
tDdustry,-seats Of commerce and centre of trade
May this reconciliation and concord be made
perpetual, Tor the fingers of the Powers above
shall ime the harmony of such peace
Why then, since the passing years have so great
| ly efiaced the traces Of blood and strife, do we
| yet come here to engage in these Memorial SER
vices 1t IL because we yet hear the voices OF
our Patriots gone, calling 10 us from beyond the
4 silence OF the mysterious river and bidding us
not suffer the recollection OF their struggle and
Elne-sacrfce to pass from grateful memory.
| 1t 1s somewhere written that great thought
; united to great action does not die, but lives a
universal amending life. Those men whose graves
We visit, felt that thought and performed the one
| greatest action when with heavens smile upon
| them, cheer TO their compani ms and a benedc-
ton upo their Country they ascended the altar
| Of sacrifice H.H"t .' -
! The story of the war in which these men gave
up their lives, has b. en- told in PRAYER end hymn,
IN speech and Song. 1t left its train OF ills be-
| nlno It as all such struggles do. Perhaps
IL has kindled in many breasts sentiment OF reck-
the animositIes of individual men and intensified
the heat of partisan strife. Perhaps it sad
dened the heart of many true man, as did the
contemplation o the French Revolution, that of
Burke, until like Burke he could say In surveying
tue desolatlon, II live in an inverted order.
I"They who ought TO have succeeded me have
/ gone before me. They who should have been
ITO me as posterity are in tn place of ancestors
4 "The storm has gone over me and / lie like one
''of those old oaks which the hurricane has
scattered about me.''
But as we look back to-day upon the course and
history OF our civil struggle we perceive with
clearest vision that it contest for the success
| OF government and the happiness of peoule
1t involved the perpetuation of the principles OF
Justice and the Equity of all men before the law.
In fighting for such principles as these the citi-
zen understood that he had duty to perform
which rose above all purposes OF private ambition
and all inspirations of vindic1Ye resent ent So
our dead Who fell IN the fight, gave their lives 10
cause; and since that cause can never die, their
memories shall always 1--we. Their bravery was
Lsueh as intelligence and heroic devotion 10 HUI
man liberty and human progress inspire they
gave their lives to the interests of mankind and