The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1875-04-30

surpassed III the AililalS oI ultu OAi ~
mics fought with heroism akin 10 thai which
has made forever glorious the pass Of Their
mopy &c and The plain Of Marathon, until at
last. the South was overcome by overwhelming
odds OF men aud means Lee aud johnson sur
rendered and the war WAS ended.
|, ended IL the dan liness Of despair 10 the
people OF the South--tor amid The wreck Of
homes desolalei. hopes blasted hearts broken,
we had nothing lef- OF all the glorious patli-
mony which once was oars save the honor of
our men, the virtue of our women and the
graves Of onr mauyred dead.
And these graves are ours-sadly peculiar
Is ours ours 10 keep, ours 10 honor, ours
aloue--nO nation claims Them now. The beau
titu banner which lead these brave men in tne
hour Of victory and around which they rallied
in the hour Of defeat il turlrd forever unless
perhaps when the impartial historian of the t,t-
lure shall c, me TO write Of TIE true and the
brave in Americas past. Aud OH how sacred
la our ewes are these silent mound, aud how
our hearts are stirred within us 10 their protound
est depths, a. we stand aud eonemp plate them.
When we remember how beneath each lies
all that remains on earth ot some noble patriot
who. at his cUuntry's call left home and loved
ones to meet hi- couutry's enemies on the field
of battle aud who there laid down his life in
defense OF his country's nights. That OF these
some met their death midst flame and smoke,
midst shout aud groau. and sabre stroke and
shots falling thick and fast lightning from
the mountain cloud, with no word Tor loved
ones at home. no time for a prayer 10 their
God: others ed and torn by shot ana
she'll lay wounded where they fell neglected or
forgotten. amid the confusion Of retreat or the
rush Of victorious advance, with no ear to hear
their pite0us cry Tor water no hand ~ ltheye
their agony ill the angel Of death lowered over
til, III and folded them in ais cold embrace. 1920
And So as We go from grave 10 grave, We
know that he whose earthly remains sleep be
meath suffered, bl-d and died for the right as
only true men can. But though dead ihelruo-
he deeds do survive them and our hearts are
filled with pride as We know that no shallow OF
disgrace or dishunor can ever rest upon the
memory of those who lie in these graves, but
that halo Of glory forever encirclrs them
which win burn brighter and brighter rs years
shall pass. until one day in the future, when
the clamoiings of passion and prejudice incl
dent to The terrible struggle in which they fell
shall be hushed into silence, then the voices OF
Justice and Truth shall be heard demanding
tha, their names he enrolled amid that glorious
throng Of patriots, martyrs, sag's, The noble
of all ages, whose dc-dS crowd hist0rys pages
and times great volume make When all tue
true and brave ia this great country shall, with
national pride, recount the bloody fields on
which the Southern sol le', by his deeds OF
vaor. shed brighter lusre upon the already
glorious character OF American Freeman. And
my friends this good day is dawiing upon us
now. Its light is comm 10 us from the far oil
east Only a few days ago q; the centennial
anniversary Of the battle Of Lexington, in the
State ii Massachusetts, in response 10 the
toast. The north and south, General William
L. Bartlett, of Massachusetts, soldier who
wore the blue in the great struggle through
which we have passed, in spirit OF true pa
trintism and generosity spoke the following
glowing words in honor OF the soldiers Of the
South "As an American. | am as proud of
the men who charged 50 bravely with Pickett
division on our line AL Gettyshnrg, ~ am OF
the men who btavely met and rrpused them
there. Men cannot always chose the right
course, but when having chosen that which
their couscei CO dictates they are ready To die
Tor it, if they Justify not thor cause. they al
least rnnobi- them,e yea. and men who tor Goa
science sake fought against their government
AT gettysburg, ought easily TO be forgiven by
the sons Of men who, for conscience sake.
fought against their government at Lexington
and Bunker Hill.
And even nov, my friends, as we nI
the South come on his beautiful nemollai day
"a pay our tribute M the graves of our dead sol
.ieIs and with mingled feelings OF sadness and
pride pass from grave to grave shedding tears
and scattering flowers we 20 in token OF At
fiction tor their memory and IN honor OF Their
yaor, who, of all Of those Of the North against
whom We tnuel ten years ago, would deuy Ms
if they could tLis sacred occasion or would scot
or smil- in delision a. they look upon Us now
ii there u = any such. lei us hei4ve NY friends,
they are not 10 be found among those grand
armies OF battle scared veterans. covered with
the dust and blood OF many a hard fought field,
who received from the hands OF surrenderiug
Coniedelates their conquered banner. Ihele
cannot exist IN the heart OF brave soldier an
emotion of hatred or contempt for the fallen Toe
WHO was worthy OF his steel,
luuder on the hill beyond yoar city there u
another camp over which the stars and stripes
are floating. There rest the remains Of those
who mt on the field Of battle our loved ones
who lie around Us here. la both camps now
"thier silent tents are spread a glory guards
with solemn round the bivouac otthe dead In
life they met each other ~ brave men meet and
when the call to arms was sounded, face 10 face
they came each struggling 10 maintain The
cause he deemed the right, even 10 the death.
But wh-u truce was sounded, ~ cavaliers Gt
old they stood upan h"nAra nrntrd ground
hetwpen the picket lines aud exchanged the to-
ke,s OF war like courtesy without personal ha-
ted or bitterness. These, my friends, are
words Of truth and justice truth from the lips
of the living in Justice 10 the memory OF the
dead. Sentiments to which, am ASSURED from
the heart Of every tried living soldier W no bore
the bri.lt OF the fight and from The grave Of
every dead soldier who lay down his life in de
fense OF lis principles there comes solemn
amen In my heart believe there is not
word Of cmnmendaion we speak to-day i'll
praise OF the gallahtry Of Hpsr oar dead that
would not be echo.d back, could We bat hear
their voices from III spirit land lram the grave
Of every truly brave soldier OF the North, who
sleeps lis last long sleep in yondrr cemetery.
Ii is trur that whru the war ended ii left great
gaping wounds in the breasts Of our people.
1 hesp, the soothing band # time alone can
heal it and it is not natural hat we can forget
the wrongs we suffered. Oar loved ones can
not come back to us from their bloody grayes
and none can ever till the places they iett vacant
H. our dpsulatr homes.
Hut. nav tIiruds. n We stand to-day on this
halioWed spot, IN the presence Of their glaees,
ia the pr, srnce Of thesr itjiis aud rocks who
keep llri, WATCH with the stars at night over
our han0red dead. L-t u listen to that spirit Of
moral greatness aud ero.m which bids lis
learn to forgive what we cannot forget, 10 that
spirit Of Christian charity which comes 10 az
from the throne Of God, and which bids us re
member that other hearts are bleeding aud
other homes were sad, when those who to day
lie on Wonder hin went never again back 10
kindred and to friends and to thar spirit of true
patriotism that bids US hope and pray that never
again shall this great and Curious country be
allowed to suffer the curse OF civil siite bHt if
again the sound Of war i 10 he heard IN DO
Ispd, it fight We must, and il through these
peaceful valleys tie buglr notes shail ring call
Ing the men TO arms. that ar tie sound shall be
echoed from hilltop and monntaiu-side. may It
summon IA not 10 meet IN deadly conflict our
couutrynen bat rather may it rally us-a uni
Ted bsnd, in defence Of a common country, going
forth conquenup and 10 conquer.
Aud now my fieud-, in conclusion, LEI us
remember that whilcit IL fr'le we caHe each
year aud bring beautiful iiaVers to hrteek the
laavra If oul dead heroes. sni while il il true