Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-06-01

Mayor, Poet, and members of the City govern
ment, in carriages.
The column under the guidauce of Major John
r. r chards Chief Marshal, and Maj. Frank Rus
sell and Capt. James Walker, Aids, proceeded
through Water, Neal. Beach and Washington
streets, TO the common, where the several organi
cations We're formed in hollow square about the
soldiers monument, where PRAYER was offered by
Post Chaplain, aud dirge played by the Mon
mouth Rand.
Post Commander Wadsworth then delivered au
excellent and Appropriate address, OF which the
following Is an epuome:
Mr. WAbswoRTH's ADDRESS
lie saii We as comrades had assembled once
more, comrades, IN COMMUNICATION of the
heroic DEAD, under the shadow of thi. memorial
pillow. Ii was fitting to dwell again in magma
ton amid the scenes which had rendered their
lives consp,Cuou- and then names Immortal in the
hearts of grateful coanti ymen. and recall the
monotony of camp life, the hardship' of the
rampaign, the bvouac, and the shock of battle
,hared with them Many a comrade before me
lives over again to-day the joys aud sorrows, vic
torres and defeats, of those times To-day we
are fighting over the btttes of the Peninsuar, of
Frederick. burg. of Getty sburg, and the Wilder
ness, aud bring to mind the words and deeds If
our gonzales in those fierce conflicts. who have
zone before, and the strrwing Of their graves
with flowers and decking their monuments with
garlau Is is. to Us, NJ unmeanDg ceremony.
In all ages Is has been the custom to observe
with fitting ceremonies marked events. Greece
crowned her victorious athletes, and lordlv Ro-
msus crowded the Coliseum to cheer the combat
ants Of the The Isl aelite ate in haste the
paschAl lamb to commemorate his deliverance
from Egypt and death The day that u-hered in
our republic as a nation has been, and he trusted
would continue to be celebrated with joy SO too
is the day set apart to commemorate the great vic
tory OF the union srmie-, which crushed treason
and gave liberty to four Millions of bondsmen
Nor would We who stood between the govern
ment bequesthed to us by our fathers. and anar-
. civ, hinder the work Of true reconciliation be-
tween different sections OF our country by annual
ly remind ng them of their defeats, by public re
ioicing al the success of our armies. One priv
ilege claim that in the glad spring time, when
the eaaih has decked herself in bridal airav we
may gather few handfuls of natures own orns-
ments and spread them with frsternal hands
above the graves of those we knew and loved so
well There we've patriotic dead not simply SOL
diers, or comi AIDES but heroes identified with the
cause of right aud human freedom.
In some sections the custom has prevailed to
decorate the graves of federal and confederate
soldiers Unfortunately. This does not imme-
distey concern us, yet it is question whether il
is proper for us TO accord to the memory of those
who endeavorcd 10 destroy this government the
same honor we bestow upou ii preseivers. Shall
the same premium be paid to treason that are
glad to award 10 loyalty While it should be
lar from any true soldier of the L MON army to
refuse any hand that is reached to US across the
bloody chasm, shall degrade this beautiful
ceremony by stripping il Of ITS true significance :
This is a tribute TO loyalty as manifested in the
lives of those whose memories we honor to-day.
Let this custom be observed through coming
wears, until shall prove to the nations Of the
earth that IN whatever else "Republics NAV be
ungrateful," ours Is not ungrsteful for the ser.
vices mindful OF the sacrifices OF her loyal
dead.
1t is sad thought that organized there is no
source from which We can draw recruits to fill
our thinning ranks. As | look along the line to-
dav | miss one familiar face which never alb
sent before from this service. Conrade Stevens
was true soldier, aud his example may well be
followed. As years roll on, by will drop
from our auks and join in the everlasting cam
pagn with those who have gone before Ia a
lew veais our organization will have done ITS work
and be known only IN history. As in days OF yore
10 manv a hard fought battle, with closing ranks
we rallied around the old flag, so now let sup
port the great PRINCIPLES of our institution.
| After the address the procession was reformed
and mar ched to Oak Grove Cemetery, where the
beautiful ceremony of decorating the soldiers
graves was observed in the usual manner.
The exercises IN The even ing were held at John
son Hal, al the room being occupied. Opened
by singing "Our Comrades meath the Sod" by y
Quattttte Prayer offered by Rev. Mr..
BIaisdell. Singing followed by the Quartette, 40.
,,rew these graves with flowers and original
poem was read by Mr.. j. NJ. LsIrabee, entitled
The Nations Dead" which is highly spoken of.
The Grafton wa, then pronounced by Herbert NJ
Heath. E-q, OF Augusta. Below we give an alb
strsCt.
| Mr.. IlEATH's ORATICN.
These memorial scenes remind ore of an ale
gorical painting IN luxembourg, descriptive of a
long procession of kings, apostles, disciples, Rp-
mans. crusaders, and all classes of MANKIND pay
ing homage to the Infant Saviour in the lap of the
Virgin May. Here are professions nnumershle.
| American treemen, kings by the grace of God,
and apostles of the new faith human equs lity.
>trai ; of solemn music arise from every village
in the land to mngle with the sobs of the bere aved
and make chord OF purest harmony. Before
these mar yis graves we know no party, no sect,
10 bitterness. No silvery tOngued eloquence can
herald their praises, no flowing Ismhics sing their
noble deeds Men say contemporary patriotism is
thing of the past subject fit for rhetorical" gush
alone. II j. a malicious falsehood that emanates
from cowardly knaves that skulked at home in the
hour of peril, TO reap rich fortunes from the mis-
erv of the nation. We brand it as false IN the
name of the sobbing wives that said, GO, my
husband, 90. God and your country guard you -
We brand in the name of the brave mothers that
said with the Spartan matron, my son, come
back # he Fates will it, upon thy shield not
,rih it," We brand ii In the name OF the falling
ears that to-day bedew a thousand graves.
WHY do we pay such adoi atlon The men of
ancient Rome deifed their heroes. The tawny
Indian ascrined immortality TO the brave slam ia
battle. Theological or not, we must say amen -
and raise high these brave defenders of liberty,
who died As did Ose greater than man, for, like
Him. they died that men might hive. Let US hope,
the rand anthems of artillery and sped their way
to heaven along the path lit up by the cannons
ii sh.
WHY is this continent a sepuchre of heroes !
What were the causes of such bloody nterIe-
cine w.r; slavery was not the only cause for the
dissectiug kn fs of the historian reveals gangrene
or which slavery only an effect. Nor was
craftsmanship, for posterity sitting As grand jury,
will report mo bill" A diAtribe against slavery
. to-day in bad taste. 1t would be building a
man of straw.
C4lboyn once said 1--WE must study not human
itv slonc. hut nature also" Nature rules supreme.
Man bends his neck submissvely to her laws.
Nations are made up of men and like men are
moulded into form subject to natures laws.
The visionary theoiist NAV believe that parch-
ments alone will preserve nations. Parchments
hind Great Britain and Ireland, but the union l.
unnatural The lri,h uat.on cannot rest until
Robert Ermet's prophecy is fulfilled. Bear in
mind the great priucple that undernesth the foam
inc torren Mt Of the popular passions of the hour
rms the silent current of natures laws.
Two centuries and half ago, feeble colony
on the shores of New England knelt to give
thanks amid drifting shows and rocks clad in
CLASSY ce,rments Of ice. Thew sought to found a
government based upon principles of eternal jus.
Uce Europe laughed at the new Utopia for his
tory had failed to record such dream. With all
puritans were animated nv m