The Portland daily press., 1874-06-01
MEMORIAL DAY.
Tributes to the Memory of the
Heroic Dead.
Obssrvanees Of the Day in the City and
Vicinity.

SIN the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across
the sea,
With glory in his bosom that transfgures you to
As he died to make men holy, so these died to make
Gods word is marching on
The observance of Memorial Day was quite
as general as in former years, and the feeling
of regret for the heroic dead was as profound,
If not as pronounced. Year by year the signifi-
canoe of the day and its observance becomes
deeper, as we grow into fuller appreciation Of
the debt which we owe to those men who went
out from among us to do battle for the unity of
great nation, and the perpetuating of the
American system Of Government. There is no
fear that their memory will ever fade from out
the minds of men. 1t is only in the light of
later events that we can entirely realize the
utter national destruction and the terrible blow
to the cause of Republican government through
out the world, from which we were saved by
the steadfastness and valor of those who
fought under the starry banner. They saw
this but dimly perhaps, perceiving only the
danger that threatened the integrity of the
Union. But they builded better than they
knew. Their triumph was the triumph of Re-
publican principle throughout the world, and
to them is due the eternal gratitude of all lovers
of free institutions, of those who dwell by the
banks of the Seine, the Thames, the Arno and
the Ma2ganares and among the mountains of
Switzerland, as of those who live by the banks
of the Mississippi and the Hudson or under the
far reaching shadows of the Rocky Mountains
and the Alleghanies. Their sacrifice was for
the cause of liberty everywhere. and their
memories should be held in grateful remem-
brance wherever their deeds are known.
: Saturday proved fine day for the purpose
which for which it had been set apart. The
temperature was comfortable and the clouds
which partially hid the sky served to moderate
the fierce rays of the sun which struggled
through. The only drawback was the incon-
venience occasioned by the dust of the streets
through which the procession marched. At an
early hour IN the morning the members of the
Grand Army gathered at their hall to prepare
for the duty OF decorating the graves of their
fellow comrades. No adornment of the inte-
rlor OF the hall was attempted, and none was
seen except that incidentally made by the
wreaths of flowers strewn upon the floor and
tables, which the busy fingers of women were
making up in wreaths aud anchors and crosses
But the outer walls were hung with bunting,
and from the recessed windows in the roof
doated the guidons and pennons of the
old army corps. No emblems of woe were to
be seen, but the hammered decorations were of a
joyous character, as BELTS belief in the resur-
rection and the life to come. The flowers, of
which there was a profus:on, were beautiful
especially the great lilies that were in every
clump; and the forms into which they were
woven were tasteful beyond the won't
On Army and Navy Hall, pendant from the
windows, hung great festoons of black and
white, artstcally arranged, and producing a
solemn and impressive effect. This simple
and appropriate decoration called forth much
praise and comment. On all the public build
ings and on many private houses in the city
bunting was displayed.
AT nine o'clock in the morning squads of the
Grand Army started on their missions to the
cemeteries.
FOREST CITY CEMETERY.
The ceremonies at Forest City Cemetery
were under the direction of Inspector ueneral
w. II. PeunAll. The squads OF comrades ana
members of the P. A. 81 N u, under past
commander w. H. Green, left q. A. 4. Hall at
9 a. M, and were met at the gate OF the GENE
] terry by the Sunday Schools and Bands of Cold