The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-06-02

| quies Events since 1871 seem miraculona. The
! Goddess of Liberty has had new crowns placed
| upon her noOle brow: emDer0rB have been de
| thrOned republics established, and kingly pre-
| rOgauves shaken TO the centre, while the
t matreh OF progress ana equal rights has been
Archimides, the great mathematician centu.
rles ago, IN speaking of the power Of Che lever,
snu, "GlYe me place on which to stand and 1
| Will move the world" And we may add. give
| liberty and education standing place ana they
| VIII revOlutonize despotism ana Danish ignoT,
have already gone far to demonstrate the truth
OF IT, The seeds from which glorious future
can spring are sOwn over the earth, and the
human blood which mas been so prOfuseiy shed
~ all ares, ianus and countries, may serve TO
give them nOnTishmeut, so that the best Of fruit
may De DtOueht tOrth IN the future. Such
seems 10 be the necessary or inevitable ordeal
through which mankind must pass to SECURE
tnOse 'inalienable rights among which are life,
hDertY. and the pursuit of happiness" n
1t has long ago been said that eternal vigi-
anceiis the prlce of nbertY," but history shows
that with ali vigilance It has always cost ~ eat
zeal OF human blood to get it. In all ages of
the world. millions have given their lives 10 OBJ
tam those rights anu llUertes 10 which ali men
are entitled ny tine laws Of God and Nature.
In conclusion, may odd that 1t gives me
great pleasure to be able to say that the signs
OF the times give no uncertain indication of q
grand era Of peace aud reorganization among
the people of this vast Republic, from the north
TO the south, and from the east to the TAR west
Obliteratl1g bitterness aud saChOnalsm. aud
creating IN its stead spir1t of harmony and
good Will Let Us faithfully labor and hope,
D"
peace ana harmony among all our people, for
honest and good government for our country
1og purity and honor in our politics, and for
and Appliel in the business pursuits of our
every day llfe. mean, for all these, that good
deeds shall abound more than good words.
Friends ard comrades your attention need
not be tasked with more extended remarks.
No doubt your own reflections arouse thoughts
and scenes more in unison with he peryading
spirit of the hour. AS we depart from this hal.
lowed grount-from these graves decorated and
Deautihed, may we AL preserve and cherish the
memories OF this day, and i've in health and
prosperity during the year which will elapse
before we shall again be privileged, with SYM
pathetic hearts, TO engage in similar ceremO-
nies. And in the meantime may our fallen
comrades peacefully sIumber in their quiet
MONIES and may their simple resting PAGES
stand as speaking monuments of what they
done for the honor, peace, and perpetulty of
our country and its Institutions
After the benedicton by Rev. ]. K.
Knerr, of Weissport, the procession re-
formed and proceeded to Weissport,
marching out Bridge to White, down
White, and couutermarched up White
to School, out School to Front, up Front
to Square, and out to the cemetery,
where the decoration ceremonies were
opened by an appropriate prayer by
Rev. j. K. Knerr, followed by the de.
coration Of graves and singing the De-
coration Hymn. F. P. Longstreet Esq,
was then introduced, and was atten-
lively listened to while delivering the
following patriotic .and eloquent ad-
dress I:
| have assembled to decorate with flowers and TO
| honor III q fitting manner the graves of our pa
| tiot dead. Each year as it rolls around, IN.
| stead OF lessenlng, should increase our regard
| for this dav. The ceremonies for the perfOr-
nance OF which u is set apart serve to remind
us Of the great price which has been paid to
| keep ana preserve us a nation. They alsO serve
| to strengthen within us the high and holy senti.
menJ OF patriotism, Until quite recently the
| arrangements for the observance of this day de-
| voted principally upon the soldiers and sailors
OF the late war. The 30th of May has however
become legal holiday and therefore belongs to
| the public, TO him who did his duty as a citizen
| at home, as well as to him who went to the ten.
| ted field. It is day In which all have an edual
| interest. The soldiers dead are the nations
| dead, and tho pleasant duty which we are about
70 perform should not be left alone to their sur.
| yivtng comrades.
From the earliest ages all nations have de-
| lignted to honor the burial places of their dead
| heroes. The Greeks held IN sacred veneraton
| the fields where their warriors fought, and
| where reposed the ashes of their fallen brave.
| To those who fell at arathOn monuments were
| erected, upon which were inscribed the names
of the slam and the tribes TO which they belong
| ed. Rome stored her ashes IN the funeral urn,
| and canOnlzed her tavorite warriors. And as Tar
back as the mysterious Iites of the Druids, the
| warrior lay at rest with his favOTite dog flask
| OF wine to cheer him on his way TO the un-
known, his arms 70 protect him from the spirits
| OF evil and over his prOStrate form was reared
| the calrn OF stones. Modern nations have hOp.
ored their dead heroes In manner peculiar to
| themselves. France erects her triumphal ar
ches England speaks her gratitude in the dun.
| cold marble OF Saint Paups or Westminster Alb
| Dey' other European nations rear their monu.
| ments, and load with decorations their favorite
| grounds But where are the common sOldlery,
| who fell charging for their sovereign and cOun.
! try Their bones are mouldering beneath the
| battle fields where they fought, Unmarked, for.
| gotten, and unknown. In the reverence paid
by the nations OF Europe 60 the memory of their
| dead heroes, between the soldier of rank and the
| common soldier a wide distinction is shown.
Not so IN this land OF ours. From the highest
officer to the numPlest OF our slain, all are IN.
| cluded Ill the floral Offering. And TO those who
| sleep in unknown graves, in many places, green
plots are dedicated and suitably decorated. In
this cemetery and IN this vicinity, lie buried
soldiers o1 the revolution, the war of 1872. the
| war with MeXicO,a land the late rebellion. Heroes
all All receive the homage due TO their mem.
| ory, without regard TO the places where they
| fought Whether at Bunker Hill, Trenton,
Lunoy's lane. Buena, Vista, or GettysbuI g.
| While speaking of these heroes we would not
forget that noble lutte band OF MOravian, set,
tiers whOfn the early days OF this country reared
their lodges and altar at Gnaden HuetGen, who
fell victims TO the cruelty of the merciless
savages, and whose remains now repOse IN yOn.
DER cemetery. They too have place IN our
memory and IN our gratitude. The place which
now resOunds with the hum of industry they
found but dense Wilderness The site upon
which the Fort Allen was erected after the mas
sacre OF the MOravlan settlers, is but n short
distance from where we now stand. Fellow
Citizens Of WelsspOrt and LehightOn, your 10
ca1ity is noh IN historic memories, aud In the
possession Of some OF the most interesting land
marks of the past 49,. B..
standing amid the graves OF the soldiers Of
the late war how yividly do we recall TO mind
| the events which called them 10 arms Wei dc
we remember those scenes of warfare winch
| desOlated some of the falriest portions OF 0uI
| land and drenched their wales in BLOOD. When
| the news Of the firing upon Fort SuInpter reach
ed our ears, what an uprising OF the loyal masses
did we witness when we saw the gigantic pro
portions which the Rebellion assumed, now
We're our hearts stirred within us strong mel
looked each other in the face aud anXiOusly
silent and looked thoughtful How dlfficulI
and periOui seemed the undertaking before us
In tue face Of the dangers and dlscOuragementi
| which presented themselves, the Question arOsI
| all over our land. Can we conquer the Rebellion
from the Allanuc To the Pacific, from oul
Northern lakes 10 the SoUthern States came thI
. \ answer yes W. eau. and at once more men re
spOnded 10 the call of President IiucDln than
p could be equipped. American wives and moth
, ers, with spartan fUrtitude, sent forth the
husbands Rnd sons, with their blessings upOI
them, to tignt IN defense OF the Union Regimen
after regiment wended its wuY to the seat o
war, untll at one time, our army numbered owe
a million OF men The trials, dangers ana sacri
= fees of that noble army Weie never surpassed
II indeed equalled, in the annals OF warfare
: They made longer marches tnan that of Hanni