Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-06-06
Decoration Day.

duty OF mourning Tor the departed and
to the exciting OF patriotic feelings and
impulses. This day, decoration Cay.
should be religiously observed 10y every
citizen of this country, and he should
seek to have its ceremonies perpetuaied.
With this Object in view. anumber of old
soldiers, resilient in Paris. planned exer-
ciscs for the day, which were duly
published.
Tuesday morning broke bright, clear,
and cool, from tic refreshing showers ct
a night previous; and the good people
OF South Paris, expecting company,
dressed themselves and their buildings
ia holiday attire. Monday night two
bushels OF beans had been buried 10 the
heated earth, and coffee aud hard tack
in abundance we've provided to iemind
the old soldiers OF cAmg lite.
The monument in Market sqnarc was
p-ettily decorated with greens, flags and
flowers. AZ the four corners we've pillars
OF evergreen and ntgs, while wreaIhs
adorned The face OF The obe'isk. lis base
was also covered with nowers and greens.
Oni,s summit were ioar crossed nAgs.
Capt. Bolster hsd not only decorated his
store but erected tower over his build =
ing and placed large flag upon it.
True exhibited yards upon yards OF flag
priuts both decorating his store aud tho
Office OF Geo. \. Wilson, Esq. Frank
Thayer had . host OF little flags on every
conceivable point Of his store. Most all
the bulldogs in the village were more or
less trimmed.
At shout quarter Of eleven, procession
vas lorm,d and marched 10 Sc. Paris
cemetery here prayer was offered by
Rev. Mr. Lapham The prayer was
very earnest aud appropriate. After
prayer, aud singing by the choir, AL the
soldiers graves in tie yard were decor
atod.
Upon The roll OF honor We found
tn, following names; Hiram p. Knight,
+ p. NewLaIl,E. W. TarJox. l. Meirose
D,uipg, Horace Clark and Geo. and d.
Giles
The procession then lo-.crmed AMI
marched under the leadership oil Capt II.
\. Bolster To Pine Grove Cemetery, b,
tween s.. Paris aud Norway, marching
music consisting OF a iie and drums was
furnished by the brothers Stuart, and d
S. Knapp. Ga reaching This ground
Rev. W. II. II Bolster offered crlei
bu, tcryent prayer. Ranks were then
broken and the following graves were
decorated: Lewis c. Fogg. Chas. 5.
Mathews. Jos. J.. Merrill. Andrew 7.
Groeuleaf, Jos. II. Morse, GiibeIt !. Fisk,
F. II. N. Sbacklry, Fred Bea', b. Brad
bury. Groyernor Crockett, Sleadmau
Bennett, and perhaps few others " hica
We did not notice. Not being able tc
give the regiments, age and place Of
d,cease cl all The above, We have It
raiued lrou giving aay facts concerning
their history, having that Task Tor some
future time.
Tho procession next returned 10 Mar.
ket Square, South Paris, and loImtd
around the monument Here large
crowd had assembled to hear the address
OF Hon. J. p. STasoy Of Canton. Y
large number OF school children, under
the management and care OF F. L. Crom.
mott, \. B was very tractive feature
OF The procession. Rev. Mr. Wheelwrighr
offered prayer al the monument, The
quarteite sang, aud Capt. Bolster an
uuuuced the exercises Tor the remainder
OF The day. Alter again singing, Capt
Bolster introduced Hon John z. SSa>ey,
who proceeded thus to address the assem-
blage:
.Mr. President, Conn ades and FeHov Cai-
ems:
On the l2lh day Of April 1861, as the
frs, rays OF the rising sun tel upon the
stars and stripes, proudly floating from
The flagstaff OF Fort Sumter, the silence
ot that hour was broken by the roar OF
caDnon, prociaiming 10 the world that
the long questionable and cOmprOmi, ed
peace was al an end: that thu stun iug
embers OF that "irrepressibie coutlici' had
caught the flame that the clash of senli-
meut had fixed the boundaries Tor Sec
lional strife 10 be- holly succeeded by the
clash of arms in deadly conflict That
dear old flag, the ensign of q rising ma
ZION, whose waving tOlds command d
silence. respect, aud admiration abroad
wherever 1t had caught the breeze, was
assailed and drawn down by the very
hands whose skill and cunning were
gained beneath the security and protec-
uon il afforded. Deep and terrible tell
| the shock 10 people educated only to
the conditions of peace War! civil war /!
No foreign toe had landed on our shores
or crossed our borders Tor conquest or
| subiugaliOni but citizens OF the same
gcrat State. OF the same kindred, mal =
shaded on the field of battle, To die % E,
each others hands and TO end the conflict.
perchauce. in the same grave! Do zoe
marrel at the my stories in human con
duct? Can we trace the cause which led
men from the enjoyments oil home The
peaceful avocations OF lie, 10 brave the
dangers and vicissitudes on the field OF
carnage and death? Is itIhat our country
men find happiness in deeds OF brutality
and blood ? Is it that they delight in the
maddening destruction of iratTicidal war
No a thousand times no Sad, sad in
deed would be the commentary on the
influence of progressive civilization