Morning journal and courier., 1882-05-31
sides the President and members of the Cab

sides the President and members of the Cab
 inet were General Grant. Major General Han cock and staff, Roscoe Conkling, General Shaler and staff, Mayor Grace and members
 of the city council The oration was by Colon
 el R. G. Ingersoll. He traced our history
 down to the breaking out of the civil war and
 said there were few men, few women who
 had courage to attack this monstrous crime
 slavery. They found it entrenohed in the
 constitution, statutes and decisions, barri-
 caded and ba5tioned by every department and
 by every party. Politicians were it's ser
 wants, statesmen it's attorneys, judges it's
 menials, Presidents it's puppets and upon it's
 altar had been sacrificed our country's honor.
 It was the crime of the nation, of the whole
 country. North and South were responsible
 alike. To day we reverently thank the abo-
 litionists The earth has produced no grand
 CT men, no nobler women. They were real
 philanthropists, true patriots. The
 abolitionists were heroes. He loves his coun-
 try best who strives to make it the best. The
 bravest men are those who have
 the greatest fear of doing wrong. Mere
 politicians wish the country to do something
 for them, true patriots desire to do some-
 thing for their country. But let us to, day
 be great enough to forget individuals,
 great enough to know that slavery was trea- son, that slavery was rebellion, that slavery fired upon our flag and sought to wreck and strand the mighty ship that bears the hope and fortune of this world. The flag for which heroes fought, for which they died, is the symbol of all we are, of all we hope to be. It means national hospitality, that we must welcome to our shores the exiles of the world, and that we may not drive them back. Some may be deformed by labor, dwarfed by hunger, broken in spirit, victims of tyranny and caste in whose sad faces may be read the touching record of weary life, and yet their children born of liberty and love will be symmetrical and fair, intelligent and free. That flag was given to the air in the Revoluton's darkest days. It represents the sufferings of past gi0ries yet to be, and like the bow of heaven it is the child of storm and sun. This day is sacred to the great heroic host who kept this flag above our heads, sacred to the living aud the dead sacred to the wives who gave their husbands, to the mothers who gave their sons. These brave, these incon4 parable men. .I founded the first republic. But what of those who f. There is no language to ex- press the ds lowe, the love we bear to all the dead who U1sd for us. Words are but barren sounds. We can but stand beside their graves and in hush and silence feel what speech has never told. They fought, they died, and for the first time since man has kept the record of events the heavens bent above and adorned a land without serf servant or a slave. Colonel Ingersoll was frequently interrupted by round of ap plause, and at the conclusion the applause and cheers lasted for several minutes The programme was concluded with the rendition of MT. Bangs song, "The Two Grenadiers," " and "Army Calls" by the band.