The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-06-01
MEMORIAL DAY.
Observance of the Day i'm
Portland.
il.
The Decoration of
Graves.
Services Held Elsewhere Through.
out the State.
A DAY HONORED IN THE OBJ.
SERVANCE.

AS each year rolls around the observance Of
Memorial Day becomes more general in this
city and throughout the state. There is no ap-
| parent disposition on the part of our citizens
to forget the brave men who laid down their
| lives for their country, but all join in paying
them tribute on the anniversary day. The
day has never been so thoroughly holiday as
it was this year in Portland, and as far as in
formation is received, throughout the state.
| The day opened here warm and pleasant, but
| not too oppressive for comfort out of DOORS
| At an early hour the comrades of Post Bos-
worth were astir preparing for the duties of
the day. They gathered at Grand Army hall,
where the ladies of the Bosworth Relief Corps
were busily engaged in arranging the flowers
which were to make up the floral offerings for
the graves. The citizens responded very
promptly to the call for flowers and the COM
mittee were much gratifsd with the result.
To one unacquainted with the work there is no
idea of the labor to be performed, even on the
morning of Memorial day. There was great
| number of flags displayed from public build
Jugs and private residences throughout the
city. Business was generally suspended by
noon.
DuifuS INC lUloHOUu sQuduS NislL6u tH6
several cemeteries, and Lincoln tree with deco
rations At Calvary, Father McKenna de-
lvered brief address. The squad in attend
ance W IS escorted by Chandlers band and the
Montg )mery Guards. At Ligonia Village the
public school children, all dressed in white,
decorated the graves, assisted by the squad
under Comrade Pennell, and sang memorial
hymns. Appropriate Rotations were deliver
ed by Miss Evans and Miss Ada Hamilton, and
Rev, f. E. Clark delivered an address. Rev.
j. P. Adams offered prayer.
AT Las p. M. precisely the procession, head.
ed by Chandlers band and the 1st regiment
drum corps, left Grand Army hall under Chief
Marshal Nickerson. The police were under
the command of Officer. freeman Merrill and
made fine appearance, showing the benefit
of their recent drill. The military escort was
furnished by the Mechanic Blues, Captain
Rich, AZ men. while the Portland Cadets, Capt.
Winsow, with 80 men, acted as color guard to
Post Bosworth. The Post turned out So men
and were 10 charge of Post Commander W. e.
St, John. The procession made fine appear
ance as they marched over the published route,
and 10 passing down Elm street they paid a
salute to Comrads Heury A. Gray, who was
unable to participate At the old Rochester
depot train of twelve cars accommodated the
procession and other visitors to Evergreen Gem
etery, while the horse cars went loaded. At
the Cemetery the usual services were solemn
lied by Rev. Mr.. Gibbs. Among the emblems
was that contributed by the f. and E. Club
to Messrs. Morse and Roberts of the 18th
Maine.
City Hall was densely packed 10 the evening.
The Mayor and other members Of the city gov
ernment were present. Chandlers band fur.
nshed the music. Mr.. 81. W. Bryant recited
the beautiful poem, "The Nations Dead"
Gen. G. P. Mattocks delivered the grafton,
which was very eloquent and the speaker was
frequently interrupted with VAIN applause.
The following is an abstract:
To battle death is the ambition of the liv-
ing; to live after death the hope of the dying.
We have met to consecrate the memories of
the gallant dead and to deck their honored
graves with garlands of flowers plucked from
a beauteous earth. When they bequeathed
us this legacy of national glory and univer-
sal freedom, did they not by the manner of
their death, as well as their gallant deeds
while living. plainly say to US who should
survive them, $50, tell our dear ones at
home, tell our children, and our children's
children, that we died like men,
Our soldiers, as they stood in long lines
before the frowning earthworks at Mine
Run, awaiting the signal for the charge,
knowing full well that to advance was to die.
pinned to their breasts little pieces of paper
giving the name, rank and regiment of each
wearer, thus plainly showing that while they
could calmly face death even in fruitless
battle, they could not bear the thought of
filling unknown graves. Such touching
scenes remind us that the desire to be remem-
bered after death is an instinct of
our natures, which we do we'll to honor
and obey. 1t was the last wish of
the great soldier of France, that his re-
mains might rest on the banks OF the Seine,
amidst the people he loved SO well; and from
year after year reverent hands have plnced
garlands of immortelles on the Emperor's
tomb. This beautiful French custom has been
fifty transferred to these shores, not for the
idle purpose of perpetuating the glory of a
single name or of concentrating the deeds
of single class or family, but to preserve
among the living the sacred memory of those
who died in obedience to their country's
call. We are but initiating an honored
Roman fashion, which required of some
relative or friend, fit eulogy of the deceased,
and recital of his honorable deeds. Upon
such occasions, it is right and proper to re-
call the names which Maine delights to
honor,-Hooker, who, amid the din and
roar of Charlottesville, paused and en-
braced the PROSTATE form of the gal
liant Berry; Howard, as he raised his
shattered and bleeding arm and led on
the gallant charge at Fair Oaks; Chamber
lin. as he stood with his brave regiment
upon the crimson crest of Little Round Top,
and hurled back the rebel forces or later, as
the defeated troops of Lee laid down their
arms at his feet. AS the army of Northern
Virginia filed past there was no expression
of defiance in their manly countenances; in
the eyes of the victors, no look of exultation
The great issues have been decided by the tri-
bunal to which both parties had appealed,
and the men who made the war, but did not
fight its battles, are alone dissatisfied the
result which they did so little to accomplish.
1t has been charged that these solemn cere-
monies tend to revive and embitter the
animosities and passions of the war; but
you, who at the battles close, have spent the
long hours of the night, which your weary
bodies claimed for Sleep in ministering to the
wounded and dying in blue and gray alike,
you know that the memory of those days will
never kindle in your patriotic breasts any
but feelings of respect for the gallant men who
| for four years opposed your onward march.
| 1t was not the soldiers who made the war,
and it will not be they who will revive or
| perpetuate its hatreds. In Congress where
| the mighty interests of nation are to- day
| subordinated to the plans of political cam
paign, the most loyal men from the South
are those who attested their devotion to a
mistaken doctrine by their valor in the field ;
and the most warlike and noisy opponents OF
Northern opinion are those whose dangers
| during the war were borne by substitutes,
and whose deeds of valor are heralded by
themselves alone, or go down to history upon
the pages of the ponderous ledger, which
| shows a larger credit balance during these
few years than during all the rest of Their
| lives.
Sooner would deck the grave of him who
sought my life in open battle, than of him
who stayed at home, and babe me go, and
faltered as went and now bids me banisl
all the recollections of my soldier life.
Where in the scale of civilization can WI
place those who find aught to condemn in ,
soldiers tear dropped over comrades grave
Even the people of the South forget the
hate, as they see the little squads of tn
Grand Army strew with fragrant flowers tn
grave of those who pined and died in South