The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-06-01
Col. Mungen's Speech.

Col. Mungen's Speech.
LADIES AND GENTLENES:-we have met 10 day
TO pay tribute of respect TO the memories of our
hOnored dead-a tribute to the worth yalor and
patriotism of those brave and gallant men who
laid their lives upon the altar of their country
those heroes who died that our country should be
preserved and kept one and undivided; those gal
liant soldiers whose motto was: Liberty and
Onion, now and forever, one and inseparable,'
They knew no North, no South, no East. no
West; but the irhole Unionl That glorious inner
itanee left us by our Revolutionary sires, We
decorate with flowers the last resting places of
those whose remains lie quietly here: but our
thoughts reach out, as well, to the thousands OF
equally brave and patriotic aen who fought and
fell in their countrys cause- and whose remains
now quietly rest in their unknown graves, away
in the sunny southland. But they are none the
less remembered the less entitled 10 the
thanks OF grateful people. They all died for
their country, In the hearts of their country
men their memories live ever fresh and green!
They felt when they enlisted and bade farewell
TO those near and dear TO them in the ties of kin
dred-when they left the loved ones at home
they felt that thrill Of patriotism which every true
man and citizen ought to feel. They were willing
tOdie, if necessary. TO save their country! They
felt that their country could not be honored with
too deep a reverence, that il could not be loved
with an affection too pure and fervent: that it
conld not be served with an energy Of purpose
and faithfuiness of zeal too ardent and stead
fast! They did not look upon that country mere
ly as the North, with her thousands of Villages.
and numerous populous cities, her harvest homes
and her frontiers of lakes and ocean not as the
East, with her hills and valleys her commerce
and manufactures, her countless sail and steam
vessels, and the rocky ramparts of her shores:
the West alone. with her OF forests.
her vast expanses of prairics, her mines OF gold
and silver, her Pacific coast, her beautiful Ohio
and majestic Missouri: nor as the South only.
with her mimic snow of the cotton fields, her rich
plantations of the rustling sugar cane and the
golden robes OF her rice ields-they looked upon
these as but sister families of greater better
hOlier family-one IrhOLecOUntTy, For that country
that Uniou of States, that land of liberty
1.-The land OF the free and home of the brave
they laid down their lives. They sealed their de-
votion with their hearts blood
Ny dear friends, we cannot respect the memories
OF those patriotic heroes too highly. We cannot
feel too deeply the debt OF gratitude we owe to
those brave men. Nor can We sympathise too sin
eerely with the thousands of widows and orphans
who were left with fearful eyes and aching hearts
TO mourn their sad bereayements.
The strewing of flowers on the graves of the dead
is of very ancient origin. History tells it has
been custom-the custom OF all civilized nations
OF the erthas far hack as history reaches, 10 dee
orste the last resting places OF the heroes vino fell
their ccnu;ry's cause a. well as Of those whom
their country loved for their worth as citizens
and statesmen: and also the beloved dead of all
rank. stations and occupations in life. The peo-
pie the south srew the graves OF their loved ones
who fell wearing the graz" and they began it
quite early in our civil struggle.
But the honored and lamented Lincoln who fell
by the hand OF an assassin, gave an additional I'M
petus and sanctty, in our country, to the custom,
at Gettysburg. That patriot President, on that
blood stained field. on that sscred and memora-
bic ground, where he''boys in blue'were sleeping
beside the '-boys in gray that martyr President
of our Republic, when about TO commence the Ger
emony Of strewing fiowersin common, ,On the graves
OF both gave utteance and expression to those i'm
mortal words: Uith Malice totrnrd none srth Char
ity for Gu srih frmReSs IN the right Col gircs s
TO see the right" &C. He had charity enough To
think that those boys in gray" although certain
ly in the wrong. believed they were in the right
and although they died in supporting cause that
neither you, nor l. nor Mr.. Lincoln. could for Il
moment endorse STILL with that Christian charity
which teaches us to love our enemies, and 10 for
give those who trespass against us he willing
to strew the flowers on the graves of the boys in
gray who lie buried there. as well the
graves of the "boys in blue" who sleep beside
| them, Oh, what lesson OF charity and forgive
ness, Malice toward none: Charity for all.
Now. although did not vote for Lincoln for
President, although raised regiment, went to
| the war. participated in many a bloody battle
against the Confederate soldiers, and did all
could do to put down and crush out the rebellion,
yet those noble and generous words. apd that lib
eral and forgiving conduct OF Mr.. Lincoln, on the
occasion referred to- made me admire and respect
him as long as he lived. That sentence alone
uttered under the circumstances, is enough to
immortalize the name of lincoln. believe that
he was truly great noble and generous man.
| But spoke of that country for which the heroes
died, whose graves We meet TO decorate, and
whose memories we delight to cherish and perpe-
tuate do not refer to our country merely a. the
geographical part of the earth's surface Of which
the United States and Territories are composed
| / do not allude merely to our forests and praireS
our mountains and valleys. lakes and rirerS cit
les and villages, rocks and minerals, woodlands
and clearings, lovely hills and dales. These are
all grand extensive and beautiful enough to fill
the heart of any American with just pride. But
there are other things which belong to US. and
which go to make up that country, which are
parts and parcels of it, and to which wish to re-
| fer; and do so with pride and pleasure.
Tne d1story Oh the Revolutionary War Is
ours, the Declaration of Independence and
| the names or It's immortal signers are ours.
The heroes OF the war OF lsi2,and OF the Mex
lean War, are ours. The glory and the great
ness OF the Union are ours. These things
t. and thousands Of others, are but parts Of
our great and glorious Union. They are
ours. ours to admire, ours to love. ours tn
cherish and perpetuate! The early struggle
OF the pioneers who drove back the savage