Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-06-12
Fifth of juno at Winchester.


I decorate the graves Of the soldiers in Stone
/ wall Cemetery" 1t is estimated that twenty
I thousand persons were upon the streets-hf-
/ teen thousand Of them non-Iesidents OF the
town. Gov Holiday welcomed the Mary
landers in the following speech:
! Citiseas and CiizeR-SoliiyS qf Maryland:
You have come to pay tribute to the men,
ory Of the sons Of Maryland who died in the
Confederate war and now lie buried here
They fell side by side with our own soldiers on
Virginia soil, and when the strife was ended
our people gathered the remains of all with
teuderest care and buried them in yonder &C.
rneiery. In the spring-time of every year. on
the anniversary Of the death Of one Of Viz
einia's heroes our matrous aud maidenS and
children have strewn their graves with flowers,
praying that their sisters from above might,
catch the beauty and fragrance as they rise,
and weave them into earlands with which to
crown the spirits Of the brave.
We bid you, one and all, most cordial
welcome to our homes and hearts. This Is
your day: 10 be remembered in the future
years by the monument you bnild We Will
follow you in your holy work, and stand a
round to pour out upon it our gentlcst sympa-
thy and love. | make bold to promise that
as we cherished the men by whose side we
slept, and watched, aud fought on many
fields and through many dark and bloody
; scenes, and as We have collected and guarded
their remains, so will we and those who shall
Gil our places in the coming time protect this
monument from yandal hands aud forever Keep
their names and memory green.
Maryland AID Virginia have many associa-
tons and ties to bind them. History has
shown how our fathers were united, aud how
their hopes and aims were one Commerce
! has bound Us together with iron chains
Social intercourse and the more lasting and
T sweeter cords of domestic union have made
, the life Of the two States to flow in many
/ Common stream and row we come to weld
another link, which by wise decree is one OF
the most subtle aad fr-reachng that can
r unite the human family, and has held among
= all peoples aud tribes since Abraham bought
10 the cave Of Machpelah wherein to bury his
beloved dead
But why should such vast crowds assemble
r aod from such great distances. every heart
j. beating with the same impulse? 1t is not
hard 10 tell The men whom you thus honor
G left their homes, TO which lhey were no more
@ return. 10 their countrys cause. Religion or to
patriotism alone could mpel a movement so
Widespread aud profound and the annals Of
q The four-years' Confederate war presents q
, sclfabnecation and heroism which has few
u parallels in the worlds history.
i That is a shallow bluulcr, prompted by is-
# norance or malice, which finds only rebellion
, and treason in a struggle which went TO The
very sources Of society, aud for which men
surrendered their fortunes and their lives
Il Out of that struggle good must spring. Those
- who engaged in il were worthy Of any cause,
10 and on either side if they did not obtain sue
cess, by their unselfish devotion they deserved
il. They were honest aud brave, aud from
= their mutual su;leriugs must come that great
Il ness which will be The heritage Of the race.
~ Patriotism is rot a feeble and sckly
- growth There is no power like it save TelI-
eious faith 1t flourislres amid the storm. 1t
% grows more vigorous behind the heaviest
= prison bars. and upon the bloodest fields Of
o battle Il is uuselish, and thinks alone Of the
welfare u the Father land. Ii survives the
snlGcst tide Of fortune and the bi,eIcst Wei
ssitude % ,ime. Ii may be cru d, but Il
81 reyvcs; changing It's views Of what may be
10 for It's cUuutry's good it ever bears that conn
try on It's soul and 10 the lofscst aspiration
for its glory, Us the Phenix sprusing from
" It's own ashes, IL scattcrS tcuclactllus on The
q world, ike Feathers from its spicy nest.
is All Of us here to-day Claim 10 be iuspIcl
"a with It's gcuius. We will 60 now and dcdl-
cato the monument to the memory Of oar
houorcd brothers. And as We stand with I'M
II covered head about their graves, not deiamina
+ The cause for which they 50 molly lcll, we viii
?. remember the high and holy spirit which
j.. moved them ia the hour # death, and with
our faces to the ky We will pray tha; Il may