The New York herald., 1874-05-31
THE DAY IN BRO0KLYy.

bringing out unusually large numbers OF people 70
take part in the beautiful ceremonials OF the
occasion. Certain II IL that no preceding ami.
versary OF this now legal holiday, devoted to
honoring the memories OF long since departed
patriots. has been so well observed as yester-
day. II would almost seem that the years In
tervene between the sad period OF fraternal
STRIFE which cut on many thousand young lives,
\ that affections centre greater force upon the
memory OF those that gone and the national
heart throbs impulsively when reawakened to the
past by each recurring act OF devotion to the
patriot dead.
the City OF Churches certainly gave this impress.
sion TO the obseryant visitor yesterday. The
courts remained closed, the departments OF mn
nclpa ana county government were closed. and o
full holiday was given TO all oyerworked and under
worked employees. In the forenoon nearly all the
stores the principal thoroughfares were opened;
bur at twelve they closed their doors and did not
resume business until six O'Clock In the evening.
The Pension office, Commonwealth Hall, Wash
ington street, was opened at an early hour In the
morning for the reception and distribution OF
flowers and plants several elderly ladies were in
attendance performing their labor of love with a
grace and self-abnsgation worthy OF them. This
the headquarters OF the Grand Army OF the kepub-
lc Tor the day, and from this point delegations OF
the GA. r. took their departure early as half
Cross, Flatbush. The escort accompanied by
wagons laden with choice nowers, plants,
wreatns, anchors aud various noral devices. At
haif-past ten O'Clock the services were TO have
begun
Flushing avenue, but, owing to some unfortunate
misunderstanding, no detail OF the Grand Army
Of gallant tars VINO sleep their last sleep
beneath the weeping willows in that pretty
ment to about 100 people, who assembled at the
Naval Naval Cemetery to witness the ceremony OF deco
Thompson came upon the scene and made brief
address. He spoke OF the heart OF the nation going
IN solemn procession to the graves to strew with
nowers the honored dead. 1t was q sad and at the
same time pleasant observance. Always through
cross comes light Those who breasted the perils
of battle have given us the blessings OF peace. He
themselves for their country and urged everybody
TO be unforgetful OF them.
After the address a lew dOwerS were strewn and
the small company dispersed.
HOLY CROSS, FLATBUsH.
The services here commenced shortly after eleven
O'Clock, consisting OF q prayer by Rev. j. J. Do
heriy, and Q few appropriate remarks on the So
lemnity Of the occasion: BY Rev. Father Fransion.
the course of his remarks ld:-They who ten
dered the invitation must have noticed that he
IN SO doing was that he was AFRAID he would
fail to do justice TO so beautiful q subject, be-
cause there was only one sublimer spectacle Of
tered TO an American cttizen-they who had shed
their blood in defending great rights. There was
Unity, ana that waa when a man and a Christian
yielded his HE in defending the glory and great
ness OF MS God. Inat was sacrifice which par,
order OF things the soldier who yielded up his life
In defending his country was entitled to honor.
The speaker then traced the history OF the Catho-
lie Church, and showed that it sanctioned the
purest principles OF patriotism by citing many Illus
also said that might search the Catholic
Church IN vain for saint who was not patriot.
Patriotism had been sanctioned by the Lord Jesus
CHRIST, who wept when He saw the capital of His
country. Jerusalem, being destroyed.
Among the Union Officers inferred there '' are the
low!ng:-Coiones--James Monroe Twenty
SsS y Sc sS Ss K
Volunteers, October IA, 1858. Brooklyn; Francis 5.
Beton. Fourth reMment, , septem mber u; 1881,
| YORK. Captains-John sullivan, Ninetieth United
Sas s 49, ssSa s a. sy
BROOKLYN; B. H. Magic, Irish brigade. December II,
1'''' GREENWOOD CEMETERY
the Grand Army in the honors for Greenwood
Of the days observance. in the forenoon the
soldiers and sailors graves, other tnan at the
| Soldiers plot, were decorated by details from
I Thati0rd Post, No. 3, under direction of Comrade
James WOOdnead. At one O'Clock the grand pro-
cesslon to that metropolis, wherein slulnper nearly
10000 human beings, was formed on Washington
street, and the line moved or in the order sub
joined:-
Battalion OF United states Marines commanded by
Grand Army Of RepuDlif commanded by Officers Of
Carriages containing Orator chaplain Presiding on,cer
and Crippled Conirades
WAGONS LADEN WITH FLOWERS.
The route OF march was through Fulton street
and FlatDusn avenue TO Atlantic avenue car
stables. Here those who were on foot took the
mar ched to the soldiers Plot. After q dirge BY
the band Rev. ". r. Davis offered the prayer, and
the Chichester Choral Union sang "And the Glory
OF the LOrd,O followed by the
AETHEM OF THB DAY,
ted TO the &C. A. R.n
General Isaac r. sherwood, member OF Congress,
his address. which was listened to with deep at
tentlon by an audience OF several thousand peo-
! rate, OF floral decorations BY the hands Of fair
women. had its origin IN the days OF chivalry-in
the twelfth century We note 1t first IN the songs
O the trOubadours, many OF which we're written
by women. The mistress OF the slain knight, in
token OF her constant love, was wont to strew hts
rustic grave with flowers. Let US hope that this
beautiful ceremony, conceived in chivalric sentl-
ment and sanctifcd love, may be forever perpetu-
ated. Let II be Tor all time our most honOred auni-
versary. Let as baptze anew the Roman Flora In
iimpld waters OF living patriotism and in the
/ nal love- and may the far women or America, in
their nnselisA devotion. make these sacred places
| the Mecca OF Il worship hotter than the Saracens,
I and at these shrines let US name no titled heroes,
] 0ut Tor tne brave, patient rank and file who,
! dying, won the victories the laurel wreatned he
foeS planned. Let us keep an enduring crypt in
| the SdnCfunt sdnctorIm OF our hearts. And OF
those graves ia the far-on ,outn what shall Isay9
4 MANY will doubtless be iestooned to-day oy the
kindly hand OF sympathetic affection, but there are
thousands unrecognized, neglected and unknown.
/ Over them there Is no Kindly voice OF praise, no
music but the wild birds song and the signing
winds. But gentle nature Is kindly, in the
secluded nook. where brave comrade once turned
above an uDshrouded corse the last green sod, the
snowy magnolia shall difruse sweeter balm. than
the Wild passion Bewer, winding its sweet tendrils
above the waving grasses, shall gather tears be.
meath the stars and shed tncm in the sunlight.
liberal share OF MOVERS was distributed by the
soldiers to which several hundred relatives OF the
| departed contributed, 30 tnat many mounds were
/ literally covered with flowers. This ceremony
4 over the band played, the benediction was given
4 and the silent city OF the dead was left to its
/ wonted solitude; but tho memory OF many visitors
1 looked back TO its verdufe and It's lights and
! shades long after Greenwood was shut out from
! view by busy haoitations and haunts OF everyday
/ iiie