The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-05-30

rleTCe anu long was oIuSBle, dlu NJ uluco
doubtful, but our triumph was complete. On three
hundred battle fields, in the blood OF three
hundred thousand OF our slain fathers, and broth
ers, aud sons, amid the storm clouds OF war 1t was
written, with the bayonet, that this is NATION
The heresy Of secession was exploded. A con-
struction was put upon the Constitution that gave
to that instrument some value and some signif-
cance. The Nation was reality and supreme over
all the States.
The idea of pemanency was engrafted upon our
Government and its institutions as it never had
been before. Slavery was abolished, and with it
was removed not only the original cause of all our
trouble, but the only difficulty that stood in the
way of perfect Union.
The freedmen were enfranchised, and thus was
ACCOMPLISHED great work in the elevation of hu-
manity, and was brought about, for the first time
In our history practical realization of the doc
trine proclaimed by the Declaration OF Independ-
ence, that ''all men are created free and equal"
The republic was planted upon the broad and sure
foundation of liberty and equality for all, and
commanded TO go thenceforth forward as one ma
ton and not many; the people OF every section
and State marching shoulder to shoulder as one
people, united in u common brotherhood, with
common interest, under common flag, to COM
mon destiny.
Such was the origin, such the character and such
the results of the war of the rebellion. l have
thus BRIEFLY alluded TO these matters only that we
may the better understand the purposes of this
days work
survived that struggle fell in it, living or dead,
haven't single unkind thought of any charac-
ter or description whatsoever. Nor do believe
that any Union soldier has. On the contrary,
know it is the sncerest desire of all to every
wound of the war healed every breach and gap
| closed up, every animosity, bitterness and jeal-
ousy engendered of that strife forgotten, and
every Just cause for sectional difference and sec
tional estrangement buried out of sight forever.
| know that all yean for that more perfect Union
| which can come only from love and affection on
the part of the people OF each and every section
for the people OF each and every other section Of
| the whole land. But at the same time know,
| too, that we don't want, and can not afford to
have these results at the expense of sickly sen.
| timentalism that would dwarf the patriotism OF
which they should be born. The principles for
which we contended-for which these brave men
died-were sacred and never dying principles.
When you and ! and all OF us are dead and gone
and forgotten, they will be living still And they
will be just as important then, in their relations
to humanity, as they are to.day-and they are
| just as important to-day as they were when we
| stood up for them on the field of battle. They
were secured the fruits of that struggle for the
| equal and common benefit OF every man, woman
and child whether white or black, in this whole
land, With the blood of our slain they have been
| inscribed into and made part OF the funda-
mental law OF the country, and there they must
and forever shall remain-each and every yest1ge
thereof And 1t is by this token that we are here
]. to-day.
| great struggle ended-almost half generation.
The friendships, the acquaintan es, ana lhe az,
tachments we sustained toward these departed
| ones nave llllb lOilk lufoS " hi
been largely transferred to others Probably not
one IN a hundred Of this audience ever knew per
sonally even a single one of those whom we are
| here to honor.
But we ali knew the great cause they served and
the great sacrifice they made. And it is in honor
of that cause and in recognition OF that sacrihce,
rather than for anything personal, thatwe are here
| to-day with our gaIlands OF flowers. hecome not
only that we may, in this beautiful manner. ten
| dery pay tribute to the dead, but that we may, at
the same time, and more especially, teach an i'm i'm
gist of that lesson is that these men fell in strug-
gle that was vastly more in its character and con
sequences than Greek meeting Greek; That IL
| was a struggle in which ones side was right and the
| other was wrong, and radically and reasonably
wrong too-a fact as eternal as the hills OF Rome
"a fact that should never be forgotten while these
| graves are remembered. That it was q contest
based upon and waged for the highest interests of
| human Kind, and that by the evidences which we
| day manifest we not only appreciate these
| achievements, but we intend that our children
shall appreciate them too, and that all shall
| stand committed TO their preservation. We
would teach also that the people of this conn-
try in the matter of patriotism are not going
backward, that another such exgency as that of
| 1861 would be met in the same way. If any man
doubt this, II any man think there is less patriot
ism i'll the country less devotion to the Union less
| love and affection for the old hag-let him look
abroad over the land on this national Decoration
| Day and be undeceived. Let him witness the i'm
preSsive spectacle of a whole people gathered in
| sorrow, but with the choicest flowers of spring
time in their hands about the graves of their dend
soldiers. Let him listen TO the patriotic hymns
that will be sung, the fervid sentiments of patriot
ism that will be expressed and from these things
let him learn that the loyalty OF this people is as
unquestioned as ever. Yea, let him learn more
than that! Let him learn, especially if he be
| Confederate Brigader Congress demanding that
every vestge OF war legislation be torn from the
statute book, or socalled silver tongued orator"
from the Blue Grass regions talking about the
rebel dead being martyrs TO aholy cause that is to
be revived and vindicated in the near future, let
him say especially If he be one of these classes,
learn that by so much as we mourn these lives by
SO much is there less Of patience for treason than
ever before.
And let all learn that to him who serves his
country in the hour of his country's need, his
country will be grateful that his life will be COM
memorated, his virtues extoled his example ex-
alted, and his grave, no matter how humble, an
honored spot wherever found.
Nor wreck. nor change, nor winters blight,
Nor times remorseless doom,
| Can dim one ray of holy light
That gilds his glorious tomb"
Let the living learn these lessons and heed them
and no labor OF love could be more profitaby per
formed. 1t will keep alive and strengthen the de-
votion of those who have been tried. 1t will cul-
tivate deep and broad patriotism in those who
are coming after u.s. that will the better enable
item 10 appreciate the demands of their country
upon them. The inspiration that is born OF such
a ceremony as this is beyond description in its in
fluences for good. The names of Lytle and Nc
Cook and hundred others that might as appro-
priately be named, are suggestive OF all that the
pllrest patriotism and he lofties heroism can i'm
ply. 1t is good atm osphere TO come into 1t is
| a pure fountain from which TO draw instruction
In the elementary duties of citizenship. Let us,
then, as each spring brings its fresh supply of flow
ers, remember that portion OF them are due to
these graves and that by all the duties Of patriot
ISM by all the obligations of gratitude, by all the
| ties of affection, we should not fail to gather
them and bring them, and lovingly scatter them
| here.
| And while we are gathered here to-day, and as
we come here in the years that are TO follow, let
us remem Der another thing: Not all our heroic
| dead sleep their last sleep in our cemeteries
There are many graves in this land to-day equally
rs deserving those we have honored, about
which no kind tribute payers are gathered or ever
will be gathered.
| on the mountain side, in hundred kinds OF hid
den. obscure and unfrequented places, Where
ever on the hardfonght field, or the lonely picket
| the deathful missile OF the enemy reached and
struck them down, lie and sleep the gallant un-
| known.
God, in His infinite wisdom and goodness, as
| though jealousy reserving it unto Himself has
deprived us of the privilege of decorating their
| graves.
lege of which He has not deprived US, and that is
of constantly remembering them and praying Him
that He may annually stretch forth his hand, and
causing to descend the earlier and the latter
rains, make to grow thereon flowers even more
luxuriant, more fragrant, and more enduring than
those which the fair hand of love and affection
have to-day strewn over the graves OF the known.
And now as we turn away from this sacred spot;
as we quit this inspired presence of the dead al
we go again to the battles and strfes of another
year Of life let Us carry with us the influence Of
the hour. Let US cherish these sacred memories
and be governed by these holy impulses, not only
one day but every day in the year. The remnant Of
that grand army to which we were so proud to be
long, is rapidly melting away before the ravages Of
time Only few more years, and you and !, anG
the last one OF us, will have been numbered with
the dead. May we 30 live and so act our severa
parts that when that time shall come We will de
! - l.ritl llar