Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-06-01
people, for common cause. Nelson, living a

people, for common cause. Nelson, living a
life of social deprsvity exclaiming as he fell
| upon the deck he had defended with his life,
| 'Thank God, have done my duty" Napo-
| leon, cold and calculating as he was, both
lived for the future. SO our soldiers who left
the homes of their birth for the hardships and
| privations of war, were as sensible as the
greatest Of military chieftains to the senti-
ments and ambitions which have made names
immortal. 1t was happy thought which first
introduced among US the beautiful French
custom of decorating with flowers the graves
of the dead.
He could not attempt to give in detail the
manners and customs of different nations for
the purpose of showing that in all countries
| and all ages it has been deemed fitting to pay
| some tribute of respect to the memories of
| those who have died, an impulse given by the
| God of the Universe, alike to the savage and
| the christian. David, singing the praises of
| the heroes who rescued the bones of their
king from the hands of their enemies, the
| lying in state, so common among the Greeks
and Romans, the chaplet of flowers, the SOL
| emn music and the amounting of the dead
body, typical of the refinement of the former,
| the flute players, the hired mourners and
| masked imitators Of the ancestors of the de-
ceased, so common among the latter, were but
| expressions of the same sentiments and feelings
which after the lapse of centuries we as a
simple but not unfeeling people, display by
| these annual offerings at the graves of those
who died that nation might live. The North
| American Indian, who prepared the pipe and
| food and bow and arrow, to solace the dead
warrior on his lonely way to the distant hunt
| ing grounds of the Great Spirit was not in
| sensible to the noble impulse which actuated
| his pale-faced brother in the more refined and
a.,
| lghtened races. The mummies CT Egypt, the
catacombs of Rome and the numerous monu-
| ments raised to the memory of the dead in
past ages, evince the universally of mans
desire to be remembered after DEATH The
cinerary urns of the Greeks and Romans, the
gilded skulls of Sythia, the rough cairns of
the Esquimaux, the funeral mounds of the
North American Indians, were cited as in
stances of natural impulse to do honor to
the dead.
The speaker disclaimed any desire to per-
petuate the hatreds and animosi,ies enkir died
by the war. He declared that these annual
reunions, while they may intensity our grief
for the loss of those who fell in the cause of
the loyal States, cannot fail to increase our re-
spect for the undauntcd courage ofthose brave
men who fought against us. The fact that
upon each recurring Decoration Day there are
renewed instances of the scattering of these
floral tributes by the same hands upon the
graves Of the soldiers of both armies. is q sure
indication that the chasm is fast closing up,
and that the harsh and cruel surgery of war has
eradicated diseases from the body polite,
which years of peace have failed to cure.
The speaker condemned the sentiment which
would seek to still punish the people of the
South for their detection. Ee contended that
there could be no reconciliation without for
fiyn ,rih IN fory IN
There was satisfaction in the thought that
many soldier who has lived unhonored may
after death look up from the silent grave and
see that he has not lived in vain. The same
House of Representatives which reduced the
salary of General Thomas, the hero of Nash
vile, and coolly limited his retirement, has
since his death voted costly portrait of the
dead hero who living, failed to be treated with
decent respect.
Among the other advantages of these an
nual reunions, was that of preserving for fu-
ture historians correct statements of the great
events in lives Of prominent soldiers of each
State for upon such occasions mention is fifty
made of such men and such deeds as history
loves to record for the information and guild
ance of future generations. Mention was
made of gallant exploits which have made
names historic, not only in Maine, but Through
out the land. The touching scene of Hooker
bending over the PROSTATE form of Berry,
amid the roar and din of Charlottesville, the
dashing and brilliant charge of Howard at Fair
Oaks, the noble defence OF Little Round Top at
Gettysburg by the gallant Chamberlain, and
the modest bravery and long and patient suf
fering of Conner, the present commander of
this Department of the Grand Army, were
mentioned as pages of Names history which
will leave their lessons of patriotism and I'M
selfish devotion TO duty upon generations yet
unborn.
The orator closed with an appeal to the sur
viving soldiers of the war to cherish its
memories and associations, as a sacred legacy
bequeathed to them by the brave men who
went forth TO battle with them, but returned
no more.
The Grafton was brief, requiring but half an
hour for its delivery. The abstract we pre-
sent gives mere outline of its salient points.
1t was production worthy of the occasion,
and delivered in clear, eloquent, forcible
and soldierly manner. Some of its passages,
reminding his companions of the terrible
scenes of war, were very tender and beautiful.
The school children sang "Americs," a
piece was play ed by the Band, and the services
closed at the stand with the benedction pro-
nounced by Rev. j. w. Kinds of the Unver-
salst church. The procession reformed and
marched to the headquarters of the Post and
Guards, where it was dismissed.
There are many persons who deserve pub
lie thanks for the interest taken in the cere
monies; among them, each comrade of the
Post, the members of the Capital Guards, the
Band in furnishing very fine music, the Chief
Marshal, DR.. Lapham, Hon. Warren John
son, G.. A. Robertson, and others.
The exercises throughout were interesting
and impressive, and had peculiar signifi-
canoe from the thought tina. We were all con-
tributiug our offerings in unison with the
broad land. All must have felt the inspiration
of the day and the occasion, bringing to mind
| afresh the services and last great and trium-
plant sacrifices of those who dared to die that
our country might live; and warm were the
hearts that impelled willing hands to place
I