The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-05-30
Tn MemOrianl.

that our nation stands in the front rank ofthe
nationalities of the world, that We are pros
porous people at peace with the world, that
the tendency CT all governments is toward
greater freedom and larger intelligence of the
masses, is due largely to the patriotic men
who by their sacrifice and devotion in the 81
gantic struggle for national life became Its
saviors at the price of martyrdom. 1t is fit
ting, then, that the city, to-day, with the I'M
pressive solemnity of civic and military pomp,
the village with its band of surviving veterans
and procession of citizens and school children,
and the rural neighborhood with its modest
Offering and unspoken tribute except that
richer eloquence of tear-suffused eyes,-all
unite to do homage to the nations dead.
To-day too, we forget worldly rank and po-
sition to pay our homage to devoted man
hood, honoring those most who made the
greatest sacrifice. In that unknown country
to which the Nations dead have passed, the
generals star, the sergeant's chevron and
the private's corps badge are eclipsed by
more enduring halo of martyrdom. To-day
we venerate not so much the brilliant deed
and effective service as the chivalrous spirit
that prompted it. 1t matters not whether
the man we honor fell on the perilous edge
of battle, or his life was thrown away by in
compent lea dership, or he sickened and died in
the attempt to serve the nation; for viewed
from the standpoint of that COST sacrifice
and heroic devotion that has made our fair
temple of Freedom so priceless, no life, how
ever humble, has been wasted.
To-day thousands will be unable to pay the
tribute of respect to the memory Of the idol
of their cwn respective fresides. Perhaps
that hero whose memory we sacredly cherish,
may be quietly sleeping on the banks Of the
Potomac,-quiet to-day because he rests
there, or his sacred dust may consecrate to us
forever the ridges Of Gettysburg or the emer
aid slopes of Fredericksburg, or lost in the jun
giles of the Wilderness, or the Southern
breezes whisper his requiem among the pines
of the lonely plain. Others will garland his
resting place, or if unknown to human being,
God, who clothes the fell with lilies, will
cause his unknown mound to be clad with
His verdure.
''ln fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents spread
And glory guards with solemn round
The burial OF the dead"
But however beautiful may be the form of
garlands we place upon the mounds of the
country's saviors, all will be idle mockery if
we leave their graves with no renewed reso-
luton to be better citizens. with no earnest
desire for the cultivation of those virtues
which made them conspicuous If we go
away from the services of memorial day to be
sordid and self seeking, if we forget that we
owe the country and its institutions greater
service because they have been preserved at so
great cost, not only will our service be in
vain but the men we honor, will have died in
vain. We should always remember that so
far as our influence goes to weaken authority,
to violate the laws, to lower the standard of
morality in society or integrity in business re-
lations, or oppose measures for the promo
ton of the intelligence and welfare of COM
munity-so far we enlist under the banner of
those hostile to the Nations saviors.
Nor should we forget more immediate du-
ties. The, fathers, mothers, widows and Or
phans of those we honor to day, at least
many of them-are poor and needy. Be-
cause of the death of those whose graves we
adorn, life is one incessant struggle with pov-
erty and privation. There is not village in
Maine where this is not the case, and in the
larger communities, it is particularly so.
Then there are hundreds of men wasted by
disease or so crippled by wounds that life is a
perpetual burden. In the country's service
they have been so injured that they cannot
compete with others for those comforts that
make life desirable. With them life is scarce
ly endurable; let us rob it of that keener
pang that neglect may give.