The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-06-01

i"IecoAhiuelhoraieu oy appropriate ceremD-
MES, each In accordance with the Character.
temperament and ature OF its people.
The chief Interest OF such celebrations is
the higher education OF the rising genera
ton, the heirs of the national glory, by in
stilling and perpetuating in their minds
the knowledge, and with that knowledge,
full appreciation of the magnitude and
importance of the grand epochs that shape
the destiny, that determine The status, that
embrace the welfare Of the nation. Such
perpetuation inspires in their youthful
hearts, as also it rekindles in their sires that
love OF country, that warns patriotism, that
glowing enthusiasm, which is the blood in
nations veins, the life-giving, the life
preserving principle. Show me the nation
that IL wanting IN such, the nation whose
sons Iail IN yielding that glowing tribute Of
love, venera.lon, admiration, alteration, and
l Will point you falling state, a declining
realm, and degenerate people.
Another design in these celebrations is the
gathering together OF the concourse of cit
liens without regard 10 rank or social
status, under circumstances which engender
harmony, concord and unity. How pow
erful are its fleets can be seen in any gath
ering of noble veterans, to recount their ex-
perIences, TO fight over their battles, 10 re-
iterate their campaign stories Need tell
any veteran who hears me TODAY.
how such meeting revives his
spirits, exal;s his faith, and
renews his love for his old companions,
for his old associations, fer his country?
Such are the effects OF all such CON
courses. Our country has in different peri
DDS celebrated in various ways many events.
The epoch of the Bill Of Rights, our first
charter OF freedom the Declaration of In
dependence, the solemn birth.d day of our
nation the birth Gay of Washington, the
father Of our country; the battle of New
Orleans, our then greatest victory; and
many other events down to the last and
greatest, the Decoration Day of the graves
Of those heroes who fell in its grandest,
noblest, mightiest, supreme struggle fer ex-
istence as 4 free and united people. As
IMPLYING the character OF this proudly
named "Land OF the Free" it will be seen
that nearly all of lis celebrations relate to
contests for liberty. Toward this have its
energies been bent, ana toward this has it
gradually risen, until the last and greatest
attained goal, the acme of complete, uni
versal, all pervading liberty, mas been
gained.
The celebration to-day relates to that
great achievement, that final elimination
of all our nations progress. lis not alone
the dead We venerate to-day, worthy
as they are, noble as they are,
beyond all praise as they must be
this ceremony indicates more, for il
celebrates, by the decoration Of their
splumn sepulchers, the great struggle in
which they fell, the holy cause for which
they forget the noble victory they won.
Let no one say this tribute Of honor to
those who died for their country, tends to
revive the smouldering fires of strife, of ILL
will, of sectarian hatred. Even were this
true, which it is not, is it right that our
great nation should bury in oblivion a
grave struggle in a holy cause, foget its
dead heroes, obliterate its noblest victory?
Whatever the consequence, its record must
we uphold, its achievements must be honor
ed, its own greatness must be justified.
But this tends to no such end. Is the
grave OF your father the place for feelings
of hatred, malice, reindications? Does the
laying of flowers over its holy mound en-
gender feelings of strife? No. In such sa-
cred precincts all malice is buried, all
hatred vanishes, all strife is dissertation.
proved when we see those who once strug-
gled in battle with all the ferceness of Sec
tartan strife, of civil war, Joining together
in honoring and TO do honor 10 the dead
Antagonists.
No more touching, no more thrilling
spectacle was ever beheld than this. No
greater cement could have been designed,
no more healing balm was ever applied to
A. Io,
tIful, what more mournful, what more sa-
cred ceremony has the world ever beheld
than these yearly gatherings, these mighty
cohcourses, to lay gentle flowers over the
hallowed tombs Of those fallen warriors,
those noble martyrs of freedom Is it nee
essary to tell you, the associates and chill
dren Of those heroes, why this day should
be hallowed? Is it necessary to explain to
you, their companions and immediate de-
scendants, why you should cheri-h and pre-
serve sacred the memory OF those patriot
fathers? Whist child cannot proudly claim
father, grandsire, relative, now lying low
beneath yor sod? What mother can fail
to talk of their deeds, to laud their hero
ism, 10 iterate and Ieiterate the story OF
their lofty chivalry, their noble sufrrings
You all must know full well that the rising
generation should be taught to venera,e
their patriotism. TO extol their virtues, and
TO emulate their deeds. Fail to do this,
and expect to see your sons unworthy the
great name Of American; your institutions
decay; your state degenerate, and your
country decline. Fail to do THIS, and rear
a race Of inglorious, degenerate men.
In view OF the great Importance and high
moment OF this celebration, it is well and
fit in this felicitous centennial year TO in
woke your earnest attention and thoughtful
consideration 10 the obvious decrease Of
enthusiasm each year; to the annual dimu
milton OF the concourse; to the annually
increasing apathy. 1t il sad to see each
wear les enthusiasm in all classes in your
orators less preparation, less order; in your
poets less fire; in the ceremony fewer flow
ers, and great curtailment; in your people
lesser numbers, less attention, and growing
apathy. Would that l had power to stir
your hearts, to strike your smouldering fires |
to burn anew, to stimulate your energies
tina; could make you ieel the vast import |
OF this day-of this ceremony Better do |
naught than act in languii, unenihusias-
tic way. 1t were better to do away with |
this ceremony, important as it il, than act |
without will and come together without |
zeal.
Your papers should herald the event |
in flaming type, yoIr pull pits should pro- |
claim il, your citizens should outvie each |
other, IN genuine emulation to make it a |
memorable day, and your ladies-bless
them, they are never wanting in them |
lecture the laggard of a |
husband thai fails; and let me here digress |
and say word in Just tribnte to our |
American ladies' No praise could be too |
high for their deserts, no honor overmuch /
for their worth. Whatever needs their ef-
forts, whatever calls for their help, what
ever pleads for their services, is met with a
ala:rity, zeal and enthusiasm,
such as does them honor and proves their
value. Bnt highest, noblest, they shine in
patriotism. Country to them means some
thing tangible to love, honor, labor for
service, sacrifice for. How many crippled
patriots now hobble over the land with
hearts filed with never-dying gratitude,
such as only noble men can feel. How
many old survivors of that dreadful
trife, now lit their feeble voices
70 do them honor, and how
many still vigorous participants will now
thunder applause for their earnest, eager,
untiring efforts, in those great times that
Tried mems souls, to stimulate the hearts,
10 sound their just praise, to laud their
deeds, to mitigate their sufferings and to
alleviate their woes. II their forms were
not in the great war, their hearts were if
heir hands could not hold the gun, their
'pirits fred the shot, and If the bullet did
not penetrate their bodies, deep in their
hearts sank the wound. All honor to the
noble women Of America, |;
Let us then in this suspicious Centennial