The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-06-04
THE NATIONS DEAD.
Ceremonies on Decoration
Day.

lllC cNiu Va thlS WY DC-
longs the honor Of first observing Dec
GRAFTON Day in Mankato. The cere-
monies were appropriate and reflect
high honor upon the patriotic impuls-
es which inspired so graceful an act.
The threatened inclemency of the
weather for awhile retarded the gath.
ering. but at half past . O'Clock, the
odd Fellows marched from the Hall,
and the Opera House was soon well
filled with Il fine audience. The exer-
cises were opened by prayer by Rev.
J. b. Little.
GRAFTON BY l.. J. DAVIS.
DR.. +. J. Davis then delivered the
following excellent address:
1t is swift current, that stream of
life on which we all ride. Swift and
irresistible as is the course of time,
nevertheless by the wisdom of our
Creator, and the ingenuity of man, it
has been divided into periods. BY
the recurrence of one of these points
Of division, we find that a decade and
half has passed since the close of
one of the most eventful epOchs in
the history of our country, namely,
the late Rebellion. 1t seems emf.
nently proper then. that the people
and surviving soldiers who played
their part in the great war, should
meet Oh occasions like this to COM
memorate the memories of our
country's fallen defenders, and scat.
ter in rich profusion fragrant flowers
over their graves.
Thoughts like these suggest the
propriety Of saying a few words in
regard to the formation by our gov
eminent of national cemeteries. 1t
was eminently proper that our gov
eminent should not forget that noble
army of martyrs, officers and privates,
who laid down their lives a willing
sacrifice upon the altar of their coun-
try; whose remains were left by the
stern necessities of war. far away
from home. where kindred and
friends could drop no tears, place no
flowers over their graves, or protect
the hallowed spots from intrusion or de
secratiUn. They were scattered
broadcast over remote and deserted
battle fields; dottinS every hill and
grove; lining the roadside; along the
hanks of our rivers: upon deserted
camping grounds; in fact. everywhere
over the widely extended country
traversed or fought over by our gal
liant armies. Hence it was belitting
tribute upon the part of the nation,
in grateful remembrance of our fall
len heroes, to gather up their scat.
tered and shattered remains. and with
careful tenderness of bereaved friends
lay them down in grounds consecra-
ted forever to the memory of their
deeds.
Greece, in the days of her splendor,
laid under contribution the eloquence
of her most gifted orators to pro.
nounce eul0gies over the ashes of her
sons; and France, in her triumphant
period, made feeble and partial eff
fort to gather up for honorable burial
the bones of her citizens that had
fallen in battle; but it remained to be
the honorable distinction of free
America, to have searched the coun.
try through with the careful and
scrutinizing eye of the most devoted
friend, and gather in the mortal re-
mains af her slain soldiers, and as
sume forever, as her high privilege,
the task Of keeping sacred vigils over
their graves. Such a conservation
of nations power and resources to
ba ,unrlH hoo noya,
messed. A movement like this well
deserves to take its place in the an
mails Of all coming time by the side of
J. at wonderful sanitary work which
miniStered SO tenderly to the wants
of thu living. Yet this is no more
than We should have expected. In
the past history of nations, with per-
haps the approach to an exception, the
soldier in the ranks has been looked
upon as a pawn upon the worlds
chess-board, with which kings and
emperors might play for q time, and
when their work was done, and they
had fallen, to be abandoned forever
no longer Of use; no longer number
ed.
But in this war, the armies which
went forth to do battle for their
country were essentially in the ranks
and file, as we'll as in their command
ing officers, an integral and cOnsti-
tuent part of the government itself.
Thus we have the grand and sublime
spectacle of a part of gov
eminent devoting itself to voluntary
death TO save the rest. 1t was, in
deed fitting that the surviving por.
ton should raise up in grateful HON.
age to that which had fallen, and by
some worthy national act, record in
ineffaceable characters its hottest
and noblest sentiment. Such records,
amsng others, are these points of
sculpture of the dead. Established,
ornamentcd, and forever the object
of national care and protection, Nhey
will, yea have, become so many inef-
faceable historical records, illuStrat-