National Republican., 1883-05-31
TILE ON soID1rRs, HOME.

troops.
THE OLD SOLDIERS HOME.
The ceremonies at tho old soldiers home
were peculiarly beautiful yesterday morning
They commenced early, beginning promptly
at 10 o'clock. A stand had been erected on
the northern part of the grounds and several
thousand seats placed in front of it. Long be.
fore the hour for opening the services the
visitors began to come in. Every grave in
tho cemetery had been decorated with tiny
flag, and in and around them and under the
grand old trees strolled the aged vet
| Grams of the homo, tho link between
tho tombs that were decorated and
tho hands that decorated them. The
beautiful grounds harmonized with tho beau
| tiful morning, and tho ceremonies were full
of beautiful solemnity. At one corner of the
| cemetery Norway spruce flung out its firing
ing plumes that dropped in seeming accord
with the character of the service. The sum-
mcr haze lay in purple wreaths on the dis
tant uplands tho tall grass waved in the
morning air, and over tho red blossoming
clover ran ripples of silver in the fresh May
breeze. The laurel blossomed and the japo-
nicas and vergillia grew thiclSly between the
graves And the people who assembled here
were in fitting tono with the influence Of tho
| scene.
Precisely at 10 o'clock the battery of the Cd
artillery fired salute of 80 guns, and then
tho meeting was called TO order. On the
stand were Gen. and Mrs. Sherman, Chief
Justice Waite, Hon. Hugh McCulloch, Mrs.
Gen. Robert Anderson widow of the hero oi
Fort Sumter, with her daughters; Mrs. Gen.
Thomas, of Nashville fame; Gen. Ayres,
Gen. and Miss Rosecrans, Gen, McCook,
Postmaster General Gresham, Mrs. Rug
giles, Mrs. Gen. Miles, Miss Frelinghuysen,
Mrs. Miller, ex-Justice Strong, Surgeon Gen.
eral Crane, Gen. Sturgis, superintendent of
the home Quartermaster General ingalls,,
Judge Advocate General Swain, Mrs. o. L. @.
Hunt, Mr.. Justice Harlan, Senator Conger,
Col. George B. Corkhill, Rev. DR.. Butler, DR.
| II. N. Howard, Miss Rila Spaulding, Miss
Annie Sargent, Miss Mary Uttley, Miss Hat
tie T.. Pettibone, Mrs. Jouy, and others
Capt L. M. Truell called the meeting to order
as follows:
Mr. EDWIN NJ. TRUELL's ADDRESS.
| COMRADES AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: The
custom of paying a tribute of flowers 10 the
memory of the dead Is lost in antiquity, but 1t
mained for the effects of great civil war TO bring
this sentiment Into such general regard as TO OBJ
which all might unite in a service Of latitude
and praise to the memory of those who have gone
the hesr hose ShO Shared fSS
and the hazards Of upholding the cause for which
the union soldier died; The The spirit that
tala their. 4, government leads also to graft
tude for the blessings they enjoy under It's
who fell and OF those who survive. But as time
rolls on the thoughts Of all turn back to the
ot our present condition of peace, safe government
stAe fact that these men died. that those remain-
ing might live In the enjoyment OF the blessings
saal bs s
more fully understand their obligations Sunday
before last met venerable white haired friend,
who early in the morning,was on his way alone u
Arlington that mghtiest ofall cities ofthe dead
He said he liked TO make occasional visit to the
silent city and submit himself to It's wonderful
| influences. its tremendous impressions and the
lesson II teaches. 1t Is with such feelings, to re.
new our memories Of the past and fit us for all the
unite In the exercises Of memorial day. We viii
now address ourselves to the duties OF the occa-
sion, the first In order being prayer from Rev
1 DR.. Huntley.
Rev. DIR. L. D. Huntley then offered long
and fervent prayer. Capt. Truell read "OuI
Dead" poem written by Capt S. II. M
Byers, which was read two hours later at Os
kaloosa, Iowa, by permission of the Grand
Army.
OUR DEAD.
Hail to the dead-the nations dead
Who sleep by wood, and field, and shore.
To them we come with loyal tread
And kneel beside their graves once more
With notes of bugle- e-song and drum,
|
And grateful hearts, again we come
To deck these soldier graves ofours.
With hopes undimmed by flying years,
And faith renewed by the great past.
| We see amidst our funeral tears
| The glory that was born to last.
Once more beside each verdant grave
We gather, and with pride recall
How heroes blood alone could save,
How heroes sons alone could fall.
And lifting up the veil of years,
We hear again the nations cry
Its dark distress, Its anguished fears,
Its wall for help-for men to die.
We see the tramping thousands come,
Their tents shine white on every field;
The nations heart, 1t is not dumb,
1t cannot fail, 1t will not yield.
No longer spears and battle blades
To pruning hooks and slaves are bents
From farms and hills and far of gladea
The dreadful news Ia quickly sent
And sounds of drum and Changing steel
And braylng horns are In tho air
And quick the pulse OF men who feel
Their own hearts blood is flowing ther
And there are partlngs none may tell,
7 And faces paled and lips all dumb,
And broken hearts in one farewell
To those who 60 but never como.
Like to the torrent bounding down
From some tall mountain TO the sea,
From shop and village, farm and towns
Come the young nations chiyalry
And once again is heard the cry
| of squadrons charging 70 the death,
And bombs and shells go shrieking by
Borne on the red hot cannon's breath;
And 1erce and far DER southern fields,
| Like the dread sea to terror blown,
Comes the fierce foe that mover yields,
Or yields 10 death, aud death alone.
On, on, we hear the battles din,
"on, on" we hear our leaders cry
There is no way but deaths TO will
"on, on" the bugles make reply.
With Farrngut among the shrouds,
| Wherever dangers signals be,
With Hooker fighting In the clouds,
With Sherman marching TO the sea,
On, on, we hear them once again
Shout back the fierce, old rebel yell,
And though from ships and ramparts rain
The sulphurous smoke the fire Of hell,
| still on, until the withering blast
Is slenced like the trampled dead
And fair as morning shines at last
The stars and stripes above their head
They sleep to day in silent lines,
Heroic men, whom fame hath lent
The glory that forever shines
| 10 be their lasting monument.
And men and years may pass but they
Shrined In their cOuntry's bosom, live
In fairer forms than flesh or clay,
The litter forms that fame can give.
Sleep on, sleep on, heroic dead,
II little reoks what We may say,
For thore, beyond your narrow bed,
| Shines the new light your better dayi
And midst the music OF the spheres
That sound the soldiers TeSeille,
Where march and oounteTmaroh the years,
s. NJ BYERs.
Maj. Fred. Clarke's song, "sleep, Soldier
Sleep" was then sung, as later on in the day
was rendered at Arlington and then followe
brief and eloquent Grafton from Judg
Strong
ADDRESS by Hon. WILLIAM STRONG.