Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-06-04
DECORATION DAY.
Appropriate Observance In Perrys-
burg, and Large Attendance.
MusIc, RocItatIons, Rain. Etc.-EIo-
qucnt Addresses by Rev. a. n.
HObinsOn and Hev. Rob-
ort ucCunes

lOTneu luelI TCtpeChlNe uutleh pIOWptly
aud we'll. All the forenoon Of Saturday
the Town Hall resembled large bee hive
The little girls were passing in from every
direction with Mays Aorul offerings, and
the larger ones inside were not drones
but busily engaged in weaving crosses
wreaths and boquets.
At one o'clock, the hour set for forming
the procession, the clouds were threaten.
ing aud II slight shower Of rain was fall.
ing, This necessitated change in the
programme Of out door exercises. The re.
port was cent out that the Addresses, reci.
tations, choir music, &c, would take place
at the hall, and in short time the hall
was filed to its full capacity.
After somo stirring pieces by the st. Jo-
seph and ArOn Cornet Bands the assem-
blage was called to order by exMayor
HIGGINs. A choir composed OF eight oil
our best vocaists, then rendered with fine
effect Americas Hymn" which was fol-
lowed by an impressive prayer by the
Rev. G. A. ADAMS.
The Rev. A. b. ROBINSON was then in
troduced and delivered n most eloquent
and appropriate address for the occasion,
which we are pleased to give in full below.
This was followed by selection from
the Arion Band, after which Rev. ROBERT
MCCUNE was introduced and entertained
the audience with an address full OF meat
and eloquence, synopsis OF which will be
found below.
Miss LILLE S. OBLINGER followed with
recitation of WILL CARLToN's beauti-
ful poem, entitled "Our Army of the
Dead" The sentiment of the selection and
and tie eloquent manner in which it was
delivered, called forth prolonged APP
plause and many compliments for the tai
ented young elocutionist.
Red, White and Blue" was rendered
in a pleasing manner by the choir, and
followed by a recitation by Miss MINNIE
YEAGER, entitled Looking Back" which,
as in the production of Miss OBLINGER,
called for merited applause and compli-
ments, and showed that both have rare
natural gifts which have been greatly
improved under the careful training oi
Mrs. ]. d. IRVING.
At the close of the proceedings in the
hall the procession formed as per pro-
gramme, and Notwithstanding the drizzling
rain large number formed i'll the pro
cession, and about nm equal number
marched on the sidewalk to Fort Meigs
Cemetery, where the surviving soldiers dis
tributed the floral offerings, while twenty
four little girls marched around a hand
some memorial monument erected to the
memory of those buried in Southern and
unknown graves, singing as they marched
with touching effect the song entitled,
" Sweetly they sleep in the shadowed vale" D."
Prof. w. A. WILLIAMS, of Haskins, led
the Arion Band, and Prof RosBACH led
the St. Joseph Band on this occasion, and
we have heard many compliments for the
progress made BY our young bands.
Sixteen different regiments and batteries
were represented in the procession, viz: Sd
Cavalry, 9th. 18th, l4lh, 21st, 25th, 37th,
49th, 55th, 9th Tooth, 111th and 1Slst
OHIO Infantry,nnd 1sl U. S. II. A., 4th Mich.
Cavalry, and Tooth N. Y. Infantry.
The following is the eloquent address OF
Rev. A. II. ROBINSON.
1t is related th at after the battle of Chick
a man was found erecting a sim
pie stone over freshly made grave. He
had come from the far west TO find the spot.
1t was not a brother nor son whom he
mourned, but his neighbor, who had offer
ed to go as his substitute, and who on this
battlefield had received fatal shot. So
the name and circumstances were placed
on the stone, and underneath were these
words" He died for me-"
A similar thought has prompted our
coming together to-day. We honor the
memory of those noble patriots who fell in
defense of the national life-our brothers
and fathers who went out TO battle for the
country but did not return, for whom others
gave the response at roll.call, dead upon
the field of honor" They number more
than half million now, those who fell at
the time and those who have since died
We strew their graves with flowers, we deck
their monuments with gnrlands, to show
that their patriotic deeds are held in CRATE
ful remembrance.
But what's the use? Our poor offerings
can do the dead no good. Heroism needs
no heralding. Nobility needs no commem-
oration. There was much truth in that
epitaph Of Euripides-" This monument
does not make thee famous, o, Euripides,
but thou makest this monument famous"
We meet to show that we are not devoid
of gratitude, that mother of virtues ITO
show that we appreciate the sacrifice made
by our fallen dead. And how great II sac
rifice it was They lett business and fam.
lily and home. to endure the privations and
brave the dangers OF camp and battle field.
Charles Dickens, after visi: to this coun-
try, gave the result of his observation at
follows: "The principle topic in Ameri-
ca is Dollars" In 1861, and the years
that followed, il was proved that the Al.
mighty Dollar is not The only thing that
can touch the heart of true American
When great principle IL at stake he for
gets his dollars, and is ready with heroic
self-renunciatiOn to lay the richest sacri-
flee upon his country's altar At the call
of duty and dagger and suffering the quick
kesponse, Here am send me" came from
a million and half of willing hearts
One hundred and eighty thousand of them
languished in prison. They were willing
to starve for us. They were willing to die
most loathsome deaths for us. They were
willing to lose their reason for us. The
resting places of some will never be cover
ed with flowers. From the gunboats OF
our Western and Southern rivera, iron
our fleets in the Gulf and along the stormy
Atlantic coast, many a form with heavy
committed to the deep, there to await Ill,
time when tho sea shall give up its dead
Some went out with their comrades 10 tn
conflict; but after the return, oppOsit
their names in the battle record was place.
that deeply pathetic word, Missing.
And now their only epitaph is this, $50
knows" Forof many OF our honored heroe
It may be said, as of the leader of Israe
No man knoweth the place of hi
sepulchre." In unmarked, uncofIined an
now unremembered graves, the bodies {
some were hastily laid while the conhiC
went on.
"a soldier OF the Union mustered out
Is the inscriptlon on an unknown grave
AT Newport News."
Speaking OF this nameless grave, our po'
LSngfellow continues
Thou unknown hero, sleeping by the sea
ln thy forgotten gravel with secret shame
feel my pulses beat, my forehead burn,
When | remember thou hast given for me
All that thou hadst-thy very name.
And can give thee nothing in return"
We do not forget the sacrifice, no le
heroic, made by wives and sisters az
mothers who chserfully gave their beI
their all. And when, after long months
weary anxious watching and prayeri