New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-01

tno aIUar, mas Deon tn6 origin or the custom
| OF adorning the corpse, the coffin and the
grave with the same frail but lovely and
appropriate emblems. The same feeling
which calls purity itself flower is that
which places flowers in the hair of the
bride, in the hands or around the face OF
the corpse, and in the garlands of the grave.
In the heroic days of early Greece the
laurel garland marked the graves of her
martial dead-her sons who died at Mara
thon and at Plataea for the liberties of
Greece-were honored with lofty mound
decorated with helm and shield, the choicest
spOils of the Persian host, and the historic
laurel crowned the pile.
Greece, ever grateful, kept that garland
green, and age after age the fairest maidens
of that classic land paid the tlowery tr-
butte to the memories of those who had
offered their bodies as rampant of defense
to their native land, or glOriOusly died that
Greece might live the wonder of the
world. To this hour that mound remains
the most glorious monument of that glo
riOus land. To this hour the surging waters
OF the Argean sea sing the lullaby of those
who fell that day upon her shores. And
while the Persian shield. the gold and
gums of the Persian spoils have long de-
cayed, the maids of Greece yet, year by
year, crown the pile as in the misty a yes,
long, long gone, with the laurel sacred to
the herOs grave.
With this view of the past, and remem-
bering the services rendered by those who
dwell beneath these mounds, believe it
would be great moral wrong to permit
this day to pass unobserved. Nay, the
American people will never fOregO its OBJ
servance as the great national holiday Of
the year. The friends of the soldier will
gather together every where in this land, on
each recurring anniversary to see that our
comrades graves are properly decorated
for this patriotic act We announce our
grateful determination that they who died
for the nation shall live forever in the men,
ory OF succeeding generations. And as our
professions move to the solemn strains of
commemorative music thousands of loyal
hearts will throb with exalted though tear
full pride In rememb mbrance Of their dear ones.
Here, upon the banks Of the great father
OF waters, are sleeping l2,04l men, sixty
Elk OF whom were commissioned officers;
6527 are known, and 55l4 fill the graves of
these unknown. Twenty three States, from
Maine to Texas, have furnished this large
army corps-men who were tried ia the
frey furnace OF war, and who willingly
gave up life that the nation might live. 1t
is told OF Alexander of Macedon that he
inferred his dead soldiers at great expense,
and distributed vast sums of money in the
pre- servatiOn OF their resting places.
In looking around you will see with what
care our government is preserving the
memory of her soldiers. 1t is the fate of
individuals to pass behind the wells of i'm
mortality, and to be soon forgotten here
below; but we have upon this scene a tails
man in the little word marked upon so
many of these headstones: unknown"
All honor to those who will not forget in
their visit to this resting place of our dead
to drop tender, blushiug bud which may
bloom into bright, full blown rose upon
the little mound marked Unknown" Oh.
how much could be said of those so marked,
Longfellow has expressed in living Ian
guage, never to be forgotten:
4 soldier of the Union mus tered out
Is the inscription unknown grave
At Newport News, beside the salt sea wave,
Nameess and dateless. Sentinel scout
Shot down in skirmish or disastrous out
OF battle, when the loud artillery dIave
Its iron wedges through the ranks OF brave
~, And doomed battalions storming the Ieooubt!
Thou unknown hero, sleeping by the sea
IN thy forgotten grave with secret shame
! lee my pulses beat, my forehead burn
When remembe thou hast given for me
All that thou hadst, thy life thy very name
And can give thee nothing in return.
While we are doing honor to the memory
OF our dear dead cOmT AIDES, let us touch
that beautiful chord, attuned to our COM
mon humanity, and remember that there
are many living whose manned limbs are a
3 mementO OF the past, and that such ur-
fortunate ones have families depending
upon them for their daily support. Let our
warmest sympathy go out to meet them in
be no unmeaning or idle show, but some.
hing to prove that the Grand Army of the
and the American Union Club re
member with soldiers pride that our du-
lies to the living are even paramount to our
1utes TO the dead. Do not let us forget their
'utferings and their wounds; but let us re-
mem Der that in caring tor the living we are
displaying practical patriotism that may
,est testify our sincerity as citizens who de- |
'lare themselves grateful for rescued re- |
public. The terrible ordeal through which |
'ur nation passed during the late unnatural |
var admonishes us that true devotion to
'ur country is to stand by it at all times
md under every circumstance. Our coun-
ry above every other consideration To it |
ve owe our lives, if it be go ordered. The
reservation Of our republican form of
Overnment from every threatened danger,
10 matter whence it may come, is our
special duty. You who are natives of the
oil can hardly realize the great boon of
berty; but he who lands upon our shores,
he subject OF foreign power, penniless
nd IN want. very soon appreciates the
rlvllege OF standing erect and drawing |
lll breath as a citizen of the American
emocracy. 1t would seem that America
'as given to mankind as an asylum, where
1e oppressed of all nations may find home
Here the lowly and dOwn-trodden, realiz-
'g the Christian justice of equality, bows
10 head in gratitude to the Almighty
ather for his signal favor in preserving
lis truly great government from its threat |
led destruction. The remains of our noble
ead are carefully gathered together, and
g tenderIy guarded and cared for by cur |
,Ople. Here are heroes from every State |
Id every cline. The American born,
hose love Of country led him to follow the
light example of his fathers; the French
an, whose love Of liberty teaches him to Z
title for freedom everywhere; the Irish
an, with his sprig of green, that
herald talisman, which drew him
arrest to the enemy's works; the German {
DO finds his manhood expand to defend 8
nerican liberty, and the black man in his
W found freedom who only asks an equal I
otectiOn in his struggle to maintain his '
izenship and earn his daily bread, all {
ese will devote themselves anew to the G
ties OF patriotism. l would be remiss to | d
7 duty on this solemn occasion did | fail G
advert to the important services of the v
'al women of the land, who, like the Y
artan mothers of old, gave their sons to &
} national cause. II
When the light went out from many an
3 and death cast solemn silence around ! V
ldering forms that once were agile still T
d cold, our women we're at their posts,
thful to the last, softening the deathbeds
many of our dear comrades, while our
liant soldiery stood tirm at the front.
ny dear good woman rendered tender -
most efficient service in the hospitals. LII
lie thousands of her sisters were ef
IN their knees at the Northern tr
Here. in this haantiful