The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-06-02


memorate the acts Of those brave ones. II
was no ordinary thing, my friends. for
these men 10 go forth 10 the battle. They
left near and dear ones. Their hearts kin.
died with the kindllest affections for faith
er and mother, sister and brother, vile
and child. They sacrificed much In leaV'
ing home itsell; but, o, no one can tell
rather no one can knoW-What sacrifice
II Is 10 leave all these things TO perform
duty on the battle field. No one can
know what the trying scenes Of the battle
field, the camp, and the hospital are but
those who have been there, and those who
have cannot tell. Many are living and
listening to me tonight who have expe'
rienced the sensations OF the battle field,
OF the hospital, Of the bivouac. Who can
tell the last thoughts OF the soldier who
died on the field Of battle. Stricken down
In an instant, with but q moments time 10
think the last thought, and perhaps una
BE to express II. Oh, the world Of thought
that would Gil the human mind and the
human heart on such an occasion
It Is much to live for ones country. It
requires an effort nowadays TO live and
do ones duty for ones country. All time
has paid no higher tribute TO any act oil
man than the tribute to that act where he
dies that others may live-where he dies
for an idea. ..
/ feel that this should be the purport Of
the occasion, that we meet on these days
annually to warm anew In our own hearts
those recollections which are calculated
to make US better 10 our neighbors, to
ourselves; which are calculated to enable
US TO do our duty better TO mankind; to
live better and to die better.
There Is another thing that encourages
me 70 believe that this day will be second
to no national anniversary VIC ever have
known or perhaps ever will know, and
that Is that all the bitter memories Of the
past are being buried. Let me tell you
that on this day, in this county, three
graves Of Confederate soldiers were deco.
rated by Union soldier who suffered his
share IN Libby prison and Belle Isle.
One Of the soldiers Of our own city, assist.
ed by the hands Of the gentle and fair sex,
today paid the floral tribute TO the
bravery Of those men who fought against
him In the war. l believe the nation is
becoming educated to the idea that these
men were American citizens, though
fighting for what we believe to be the
wrong. Yet they believed 1t TO be the
right, and so believing they did 1t A
voice "BravOi" It Is tribute to Amer.
icanlsm, and it Is an evidence that the
American citizen is ready and ever viii.
ling to die for an opinion and to perpetu.
ate that opinion. [Applause.l l never
heard In all my army experience OF q
Federal soldier and Confederate soldier
quarreling. We have met them on the
battlefield in the hospital and In the
camp. We never quarreled; VIC each
felt for the other and Of The other that
he was q man against whom it was
q source Of pride to be matched; and there
are no bitternesses to-day In the hearts Of
the men who fought In the blue and in
the gray. Applause-A voice "That's
sou You see them walking our streets
linked arms You find them assoclating
In business. You hear them frequntly
compliment each other for the bravery
displayed. And thank God today, as
Union soldier, that on this 3lst day Of
May 1873, we are proud 10 say an Ameri.
can citizen Is ready to die on the battle
field for an idea. Warm Applause
Now my fellow citizens, let Us cherish
this feeling in our bosoms Let US try to
perpetuate and strengthen and increase
and lift up this thought which Is calculs.
ted to expand the soul, to enlarge the
mind, to liberalize the ideas OF those
around US. 1t is calculated to make US
feel that each man Is a brother; that
man though differing with us may be
honest; and while ii Is perhaps well to
draw distinction between the right and
the wrong, let us not condemn those who
died for that which they believed to be
right. Cordial Applause,
Mrs. Bown and Messrs ShGib and Mar
tin again favored the audience by singing
the following:
MEMORIAL HYMN.
Blest are the nREtyred dead who liO
In holy graves for freedom won;
Whose SI0fied deeds shall never die,
While coming years their circles run.
Blcst be the ground whore heroes sleep,
And bleGt the dag that DER them waves,
It's radiant STARS their watch shall keep,
And brightly beam on hallowed graves.
While Freedom lives their fame shall live
In Glory on her blazing scroll;
And Love her sRcridce shall give,
While anthems round the altar roll.
Year AFTER year our hands shall hear
Immortal aOWofl In yCfnRl bloom