The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-03

A'AA w ~ - lNDh
The reaper, reaping where he had no
soWn, an abundant harvest had found, ani
we felt how truthful the poets lines
Leaves have their time to fall.
And flowers to witheT at the north winds breath
Thou has all seasons for thy own, o, Death!
The procession entered the graveyard
and each division was assigned it's place
which position they severally retained
when they were left in charge of their own
marsh8ls.
The order of exercises consisted first in
the gathering of the flags and banners at
the base of the monument. These, taste
fully wreathed, and many draped in mourn
ing, assembled at it's foot, made one of the
most touching pictures we have ever seen.
Then prayer was said and three verses
from Father Ryan's immortal poem "The
Conquered Banner" were sung i; after
which the orator of the day, DR.. Palmer,
was introduced by the Hon. John Forsyth
and delivered the adore s.
AT the close of the address several United
States Army officers advanced to the base
OF the monument, upon which Admiral
Semmes stood, and Col Wickersham, 10
the name of the officers and soldiers of the
United States army resident here, present
ed the Admiral with an exquisite floral
offering. Col. Wickersham said:
This foral Offering is rendered with the
ki ndly and yppathetic greetings of surviving
Federal soldiers, resident in Mobile, who honor
the brave and heroic dead of the late war, and
BILE tribute to valor and unselfsh devotion to
cause held dearer than life.
Fresh be the memory of those
Under the the blue under the other the gray
Admiral Semmes received it with much
feeling, and thanked the donors. Speaking
with much emotion he replied:
In the name of the people of the South, here
assembled, accept, with pleasure, this offer
soldiers. 1t is typical and suggestive 1t
comes from the victor to the vanG1ished, in a
spirit worthy of our age, and of our history
and is indicative that the strife between broth.
rem is over. 1t comes from soldier to soldier
as salute of honor. And what is more i'm.
portant still, it comes from Americans to
Americans; from Americans of the North to
Americans of the South as a pledge that in
the future, there shall be no more North and
no more South, except in the way of a generous
rivalry; When the pang of the battle is over,
dead on the one side and on the other, shrouded
in their CORY windpg-sheets of honor, are
sleeping in their narrow and lonely tombs
what spectacle moro beautiful and touching
could the angels look down upon, than that
which we witness here to-day-the spectacle
OF the surviving soldier of great civil con-
hict, bringing his tribute of flowers and laying
it at the foot of the monument erected to the
memory of his dead brother, who has died by
his hand The perfume of those sweet flowers, |
tederal soldiers, is the more sweet, as coming |
from your hands. 1t will surely be taken up
BY our gentle south winds and waited to your
homes in the North, and the West as an en- |
phatic declaration on your part, that, as be- |
'ween soldier and soldier, at least the war
between the States is at end.
Then, amid uncovered heads, the soft |
sweet strains of music and the whispered |
Hush It's a holy hour,
Admiral Semmes proceeded to unveil
TIE MEMORIAL STATUE.
The Animals glowing words best speak
or them selves. He said:
The statue, fellow citizens, which am about
o unveil, will become historic nay, it is his
ORIG, as the events which it is intended to
commemorate have already passed into the
omaln of history. This statue is designed
o perpetuate the memory of band of gallant
men who perish ed in the greatest of modern
vars, in obedience to the most powerful i'm
ulse that can move the human heart-the love
+ liberty. 1t has been constructed of the en-
uring stone of our own native hills, fashioned
y the skillful hands of our own artists, and
rected through the agency of the noble wo-
len of city, whose hearts have ALWAYS
eaten responsive to the holy inspiratio ms of
owe and patriotism. The statue commentaries
civil conflict, as the battle-monumept at
iunkers Hill commentaries a certain other
wi conflict between the ancestors of the
anne people; and this conflict was fought,
Substantially on the same ground, Wis : the
light of self-governmept. When the vast null
lSuOe WHICH III" IlSLeDb To. the 6OunQ OF my
dice shall have passed away, and shall sleep,
laDy of them, in this same city of the dead,
ilgrims of other days and generations-Ame-
lean pilgrims, we'll from the North as from
be South-wil visit this monument, in the
nme spirit in which they would visit the lat
e- monument at Buuker's Hill, in the spiIit
fraternity and peace, aud will make the
anne oLlatiou OF reverence and love to Iue
IaTtyrs Of one revolution Of the other
nd they will read thus terrible aud soul.
tirring episode in american history, with
ONE such feeling the EDgishman of the
resent day reads that episode in English his
Dry, which records the deeds of those martyrs
( liberty, HamPden and Sydney. /, now, in
be performance Of the pleasing duty which
as beon assigned to me, proceed to unveil the