The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-06-12
OUn WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. June S. 1879.

~
Of Government were closed to enable
The Government employees to unite iii
paying their tribute Of respectto those
who gave their lives 70 save their
country. Tbs center of attraction
on that day was at Arlington Gem
etery, where nearly ten Thousand
Union soldiers are buried, and the Gem
etery kept in beautiful order at the
expense OF tho Government
About eleven o'clock President and
Mrs. Hayes reached Arlington, after
remaining at the Lee mansion short
time, proceeded to the grave of the I'M
known which contains about eleven
hundred are buried, upon which Mrs.
Hayes placed q handsome wreath.
Her example was contagious, and in q
very short time nearly every one pres
ent, by following her example, made
this resting place of patriots one mass
of flowers. N a a
At noon a national salute was fired
by detachment of the United States
Signal Service; and at its conclusion
the rush was for the graves Of the I'M
known, where dirge was played by
the Marine Band. A procession was
then formed which marched down the
main road Of the cemetery where it
divided and the ceremony of decorat-
ing the graves began. Flowers were
str0Wn and small Union flag placed
at the head of each grave. at the con-
clusion Of decorating the graves, they
gathered at the ampitheatTe, where
seats were arranged for over 100 pei
sons on the grand stand. Upon the
stand were seated President Hayes,
Mrs Hayes, Mr.. Webb Hayes, Secreta-
ry Sherman, Senators Allison, Bruce
and Window, Generals Sherman, Dunn
and Meigs, Judge Swayne of the SUI
preme Court, and many other distino
uished gentlemen and their wives.
The Marine band played beautiful
selection, when Commander Harrison
Dingman called the vast assemblage
to order in few and well-timed re.
marks Rev. A. T. Mason was then
introduced, and invoked the Divine
blessing upon the work being perform
ed and upon those participating. A
chorus by the Washington Senger-
bund, "Th3 Lords Owl Day" follow
ed, and WAS rendered in their more
than usua+ grand style, each partici-
pantseeI g imbued vita the spirit
of the occ~slon.
r. M. p ggett, OF Nevada, was intro
ducod, au@ read an original poem, APP
proprlate Tor the occasion.
The Marine Band then gave another
choice selection, and the Ssengerbund.
rendered the Soldiers Farewell in a
beautiful and feeling manner. Hon.
j. W. Refer, Of Ohio, the orator Of the
day, was next introduced, and deliv-
cred a patriotic, grand &rd aloqaant
Grafton. 7 cannot resist tbe terap25i0I
to give some extracts from the same.
"BUt for the Rebellion there would
have been a Dominant part o2 tile citi-
zera Of our Republic who woal(l. have
continued 10 djsobey the Divine com
mand, I'm The sweat Of thy brow shaft
thou eat thy bread" and they would
yet be engaged in eating bread earned
by The sweat of the face of their TN
fortunate and still untutored black
bretheren.
But for the Rebellion, civilization
and Christianity would have stood
stillin at least one-half Of the terrific
ny Of this Union. But for the com
plete overthrow Of the Rebellion and
the triumph Of the U,nien arms, this
now united nation would have been
dismembered,
TWO FLAGS
would have tioated over the 1nbabit-
ants Of . divided country, and at least
one new nation would have been in
being having for it's primal object the
preservation and perpetuation Of hui
man slavery,
chad the Rebellion been a success
the baneful doctrine would have at
tanned that our national organic act
conferred 40 power not subject to be
controlled, withheld OF terminated by
State authority.
Had the Rebellion triumphed and
the Confederate Sfatoo hoao,,,o ~ ~