The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-06-04

DECORATION DAY.-May 30, Decoration Day, sci
apart as sacred to the memory of the heroic dead
was appropriately observed in Ottawa on las,
Monday, the exercises beginning at , o'c clock p. NJ
AT that hour the Ottawa Guards left their armory,
headed by Fitzgerad's Band, and moved to Wash
ngton Square, ria Madison and Columbus SITS
At the monument took place the formal musical
and literary proceedings of the day. The monu
ment itself was decorated with flowers and ever
greens, while band Of evergreens foot wide,
bearing in white and colored flowers the legend
I'm Memoriam," hung, half encirclng the shaft
from the feet of the figure above. The stand
was decorated with evergreens and flags, and the
pretty faces of a host of children bearing boa.
quets and baskets of flowers. Here were also
The musicians and the members Of the various
COMMITTEES Having waited for some time after
the hour set for Col. Hit, the exercises were
begun by Mr. l.. W. Brewer as president OF the
day The band played the March in Saul"
Rev. Mr. Arnold offered prayer; the choir Misses
Laura McNair and Grant soprano; Misses Mel
lie McNair and Smeeton, cOntralto: Messrs.
Prchard and Butterteld, tenor; Cooley and Pru-
EFT, bass;l sang Dear is the Spot" Then came
the address by Rev. I. J. Valentine: Few are
the days and rare are the occasions that call a
halt TO all the people of this land. In the hurry
of this every day life we, as a people, find little
time for leisure and rest. Frequently there are
local pauses, but seldom do the great wheels of
government cease or invite rest by official ex-
ample. We linger little on the 22d of Febru-
airy; or 25th Of December or on the lst Of Janu.
airy 10 extend the hand Of well wishing. OF a
recent origin is Thanksgiving Day, and still
more recent is the origin Of day OF dearer i'm
port-May Both Though not a national holiday,
it is one set apart by all for purpose. What
does il mean Let me me point the an
alogy between this festival and that other APP.
pointed by that matchless Leader Of men, when
on the eve of parting from his followers, he in
sttuted sin pie service: DO this In remem-
brance Of Mc-tha. Leader whose deeds made
possible those Of men Of later day. So to-day
we meet and have this ceremony in memory Of
them and for what they fought and died IL is
well to recall their deeds and why they fought.
II was not for political party but for great
prinCiplc-netional unity and existence" Trac-
ing hastily the constitutional and popular views
past on American slavery, Mr.. finds the south
fought TO conserve slavery, best accomplished
by divided nation; the north fought tj for ma
tional unity, and (2) as a means 10 that end the
abolition of slavery Few will be found
to-day regrettng this nation Is unity. Its di-
vision would have been a great blow % civiliza-
ton and liberty on this continent. II there could
be two governments, why no or D or 10Y The
logic Of events would have made that possible,
and we should fast have gone back to the cundi-
ton Of old Greece, been broken up into small
fragments TO become the prey Of any invader or
any strong arm from among us or destroyed our
selves by fighting one another. So our debt Of
gratitude is due 10 those who left US undi-
yided land.-A storm coming on, the ad-
dresss was here brought 10 a close The choir
sang, I'VE Deck Their Graves Alike To Day.
the band played romanZa, departed Days"
when the ladies with the children departed for
the cemeteries, where all the graves OF soldiers
were decorated with flowers.