The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-03

bands called the people together at the
Court House Square. There they were
formed in line and marched to the cemetery,
south of the city, in the following order un-
der escort OF Marshal Mshan
Silver COrnet Band.
Presbyterian sunday school.
Catholic school.
Baptist Sunday school.
Roberts Chapel Sunday school.
Christian Sunday school.
Locust Street Sunday school.
COlOred Sunday school.
Decoration Committee with Flowers.
The Choir.
Martial Band.
Soldiers.
Orator and Committee on Reception.
Committees AID Visitors, including municipal
authorities from neighboring towns.
County Officers.
Fire Department.
Band.
HibernianS.
Knights of Pythias.
Ancient Order OF United Workinen.
Patrons of HuSbandry.
Female College.
Asbury and Visiting Universities.
Citizens on Foot.
Citizens in Carriages.
The patriotic little people marched the entire
distaRce as per programme. As tho process
sion passed tho portals of the silent city
of the dead presented scene beautiful
TO behold and one not soon TO pass from
rhe memory OF those who were Wit Il esses Of
it. Nearly all carried
FLORAL OFFERINGS To THE DEAR DEPARTED.
Upon reaching the apex Of the hill in the
sacred enclosure where is situated the
soldiers monument, the speaker of the day
and the guests OF the occasion were es-
corted to a platform hastily constructed
near by. In the meantime the children
who had marched the entire distance with
out murmur of discomfort, were seated on
the green sward in front OF the stand, and
the miscellaneous assembly c0ngregated
around about. Then the exercises OF the
day were opened by hymn from the choir,
after which the Rev. l.. l. Root addressed the
throne OF grace in earnest supplicstion.
The Hon. o. Z. Morton was tnen intro
duced by Hon. ID. Z. Williamson, and said:
Fellow citizens: l despair of making my
sell heard by sn of this vast assembly.
have not the time this afternoon to say nor
YOU the time to hear all that is rising up in
my memory demanding utterance. This is
to me a solemn and q sweet occasion. It is
full OF thrilling memories, some OF which
are exceedingly precious and many oi
them are sad. It is beauti-
to come together once every year to deco
rate the graves of our heroes and martyrs.
It must be interesting and most profitable
for the surviving soldiers to c9me together
once a Year around the ashes OF their deaC
comrades there to renew and TO brighten
the chain of friendship that was first linked
together on many a hard fought field
and toilsome march in many sac
bivouac, where they had no shelter bu
tire skies and no thought to cheer but the
hope of returning home and OF country
preserved. The dead whose memories We
to-day celebrate,
THEIR BODIES HAVE MINGLED WITH TEL
DUST,
their mortal spirits are alike beyond th'
reach of praise or censure. We can possibly
do nothing that will affect them. VIII
then do we come together upoI
this occasion to decorate the graves o
our dead soldiers? First, because of it's of
iect upon ourselves, for, while it is sad, yet j
conveys to Us a solemn pleasure. lt is gOoC
tor us to be here, and to revive within on
hearts those memories OF the great caus
tor which those men DIED, Tor their suffer
ings and sacrifices. We do IL for its nfluCnc
upon our children, upon those who ar
20 come after us. There are many littl
children here to-day who Will long remen
Der the solemnities OF this occasion. An
tbey Will be instructed that, in the languag
of the old Roman poet, ''It is sweet TO di
for ones country" They will be instruct
by IL in those duties of patriotism that viii
soon devolve upon them, when the
shall take our places. 1t will be to them
pleasant and SAD recollection in the year
vet to come. We decorate thes
graves not merely to commsmorat
the courage of the men who Ii
buried here. Courage Is always bsautl
full. There can be no true soldier withoU
courage. The world has ever admired i
and it ever will. But courage
common to the mass of mankind
common alike TO the American, the Gei
man, the English, the French and the Rus
sian soldier. IL belongs TO most races. w
rate chiefly the great cause i
which these men died, the principles fo
which they fought and laid dow
their lives. We look beyond tbei
deaths to the cause for whic
they suffered. While we extend our syn
pathies to their living friends and their SUI
<iviDg families, those who died upon tn
field of battle, Ia the actual shock of wa
were never perhaps much entitled TO then
because to
DIE UPON THE FIELD OF BATTLE,
amid the clash of contending armies
fighting for a just caus.
Is glorious, but when death comes on in th
loneliness Of desOlation of the hospits
with fever, with wounds and with diseas<
with no mother, wife or sister present to min
ister IS love only can minister. and with non
but the rough hand of comrade to Tip
The clammy perspiration from the brow, the
ds,ath is terrible indeed. 1t Is q great caus
which we to-day honor, in honoring tn
ASHES Of these heroes. That cause 1 trus
will ever be fresh and green in our hearts
we are told that we should bury the ana
mositiss ,s Of the. the war. W rho say say So, so.
~ the OCEAN buried, but not the principle
for which they fought, not the character o