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

| afternoon, about the time for forming the process
Sion Water street was lined with an interested
| crowd of people, the rain not seeming to dampen
their srdor but proving quite di>agi eeable lor the
| time being
| The comrades Of the Post assembled at their
| hall earl, in the afternoon, and soon proceeded
to the depot TO rec i've John b. Hubbard Post, of
| Ila'lowcl who had kindly accepted the invitation
of our o,a Post to participate in the ceremonies
of the occasion. The Hubbaris received cor
| dial we leone from their comrades, and were ac
compsnied nv the Haow,ll Cornet Band in full
uniform. This Band performed most excellent
music during the march, and fully maintained it,
good character - mu.lcsl organ zation. Mar
| shall gallagher, assisted by his corps of Aids,
was view prompt in making M the procession,
which was formed on W tter street, near Market
square, in the following order:
S. J. GALLAGHER, Mar.hal.
Ahs-C. II Gibbs, Geo Z. B,ickeft, ! II. Dol
| liver, W Is Lspham, J. NJ. Libby. J. o Webster.
Augusta Cornet Band 20 pieces.
| Capital Guards, 10 men, under command of Lieut.
+. II Ballad.
Seth Williams Post 10, G. 4. r.. Commander
Blanchard between 10 and 80 men.
Other EN-Soldiers.
liallowell Cornet Band.
| John H. Hubbard Post 90, G.. A r.. of Hallowel
Commander Fuller 80 men.
Carriages in the following order:
| Orator, and President of the Day.
Maj ! p. Farley, CONT Kennebec Ar.enal
STATE Offices. Augusta i'v Government. Clergy
Officers Of Insane Hospital. Citizens.
The procession moved at half past two O'Clock
along the route laid DOWN in the published pro-
grimuie. Il male very fine appearance with the
| sialwart noble men of the Post, the two band. Of
music, and the carriages Of flower. One beauti-
| full device was the representation of a monument
which was mounted upor carriage, and which
from base to point covered with flowers. 1t
wa the feature of the process IN. Behind this
was long carriage, on which was arranged in
full sight bouquets all prepared for the services Of
decoration. Il was the first appearance, in pro.
cession, of the new Augusta Cornet Band, and we
must they surprised the public with their pro.
fciency, aud received praises every hand
We would not he ashamed to compare them with
anv bs nd in the State. Now let effort he made
for the purchase of a uniform. The procession
marched to Forest Grove, Mt. Vernon, Mt
Pleasant and the Catholic cemeteries, where
emitting ATTY formal rr,Iiminary ceremony,
the beautiful and impressive service of
decoration performed by the comrades of the
two Posts. When the graves Of the soldiers for
merl, known, were reached, the comrades were
drawn up in line and prayer was offered by Rev.
Mr. w ade previous to the decoration. There
was no lack Of flowers, the gardens throughout
the city having contributed their richest treae-
ures and levies having made upon Conservatives
outside the State. Every mound where rested
the remains Of person who hal died on the fell
OF battle or of wounds sickness received OF
contracted while in service, received a liberal
contribution of flowers. We have several times
published the lat of lliers buried here, whose
name, were positively known and these need not
be repeated now. These delightful AID sacred
services hsv ny closed, the line was again formed
and tue procession marched to Water street,
where ranks were broken.
Grani,e Hail was flied at an early hour for II @
evening services. The exercises opened with
music hy the Augusta Band, led by flanagan
THIS was followed by a most impressive and ap-
propr ate prayer by the ReY. G. w. Whitney, pas
tor of the Universali,t church. An exquisite
piece Of music wa, then Teriormtd by the b and
when the President Of the Day, Hon. WIN. Penn
Whitehouse, delivered the following brief but
patriotic address;
JUDGE WAREHOUSES; Address.
To-day many thousand graves on many hundred
h H. les have received their annual decoration OF
fresh spring flowers. All over the breadth Of the
land the sous and daughter, of rescued nation
have left their daily tasks, and laden with the EN-
bems of their hearts emoiIon-, have bent their
steps towards hslowed spot, where moulder the
remains of the nations honored dead. Nor have
they passed by with neglect the graves of un-
known soldiers; for they have remembered that
somebody's loved ones are resting there, aud that
ia the hereafter they need no maidstone to tell OF
duty done.
The Observance of this ceremonial seems to
have taken its place among the established Gus
toms of the nation for tue present century; and il
is right that 1t should be so, for it is inspired by
sentiment which mas been cherished and veneraed
hv every people of every age,-a sentiment so
deeply implanted in the haman heart that it never
has been and never can be altogether stifed OF
obscured by all the sordid and selfish pursuits of
life. the ancents not only brought flowers to
strew 10 the cor querors way, and made the laurel
wrea'h for the vlctors brow, but wove chaplets of
flowers to adorn the resting-places of their heroic
dead And the poet tells us that even the savage
chieftain who fell at the head of his valiant war
liors was remembered by the silent Indian
maid" who scattered flowers over his burial place.
But we need not cali upon the storied past for
any precedent for our guidance. grateful peo-
pie will instinctively pay this tender tribute of
reverence and love to the noble memory of their
couutrys defenders. 1t is true that hese sleeping
MARTYRS have no need of these little off rings of
ours They have received a crown of glory which
infinitely outshines any garands OF ours. BIT it
is altogether fitting and proper that we continue
to cherish these parrot memories; aud the hear
finds no better expression than through the bright
and beautiful flower natures hopeful offering
and loves last ft,"-and now when nature /,
instinct with life that is climbing to goal in
grass and lowers ii il meet that we perform, this
delicate and sacred service in honor of lives that
are ever reaching higher.
We have assembled tonight, on the twelfth
anniversary of the day, to complete this beautiful
memorial service and all over the land the peo
ple have bee n invited to gather around the camp
fires of the Grand Army Posts and renew then
devotion to the eau e for which these unnumbered
sacrifices were made. They are invited once
more to renew their oath of allegiance to the
Union which these patriots maintained by their
labors and cemented by their blood.
Thus may he k, pit alive 10 the hearts OF the
people the idea Of equal justice and equal liberty
for all Gods human creatures, and the idea of a
constitutional government which will protect aud
defend it. 1t is for this idea that the whole es-
adjustment Of kings, lords and commons, and all
the laws tf all he realms Of The earth should
exist; t was 10 this ilea that the American Re
public bad its nrig it has been fJr this idea that
il is still upheld and perl ted to endure aud its
people will never filter, and never flag IN their
devotion, until Ihs idea is vtalZ ID in our insti-
nf he