Omaha daily bee., 1883-05-30
DEPORTATION DAY.

With flowers and dirgea, with the
praises Of the orator and tho fearful
homage of a great republic, a united
people to-day will pay their debt OF
grateful remembrance to the nations
heroes. Sectional boundaries will be
forgotten over the graves of our dead
soldiers whose lives sealed the verdict
of their swords ~unsheathed In defense
of freedom and national sovereignty.
The touching ceremonies OF this ami
verssry, now fxod In the nations
calendar, will bs participated In
by all classes. The influence
of death Is %leveling. Nc less so Is that
of gratitude. Comrades, az they
march In solemn procession through
the streets of a thousand towns and
villages, will be Joined by those who
recall but slightly the stirring years of
civil strife, but who are not too old
to forget the resultS gained by the
valor of our citizens soldier inIcement-
Ing with their blood the foundations
of national unity. Pride and preju,
dice, political rancor and partisan
strife will be alike forgotten
over the low mounds which
raise their flower crowned heads
In our cemeteries. Time, the
great softener has removed from
our memories all but the preg.
nant facts of heroic self sacrifice.
Individual faults, human fsilings,
private animosities will be sunk from
sight, buried under the fragrant and
flowers which speak of q peoples
gratitude. 1t Is o touching and
beautiful custom which we are perpet-
uating In this celebration of decora-
ton day. Simple as are the cere-
monies, they are pregnant with mean
Ing to the generation which has arisen
since the close of the rebellion.
Dulce ct deeorttm mo,i est patrie. cit
Is sweet and glorious to die for one,
country" sang the old Latin
poet. This Is the true Significance
of the day. Patriotism, valor, self
sacrifice and the Willingness to yielG
up life Itself rather than the princi-
ples without whose possession a pa
tional life would be barren, these art
the qualities which we commemorat,
to-day.
1t Is q day for the living no lea'
than for the dead. The ideas fol
which our soldiers fought were vital
lied and ohrystalized through the ago
niles Of q great conflict and inoorpora-
ted through their heroic valor In thu
nations historical advancement. /
was for us, the living, to preserve whs'
was achieved by the dead. 1t Is for u
to p%erpetuate In progressive action tina
priceless heritage which they pur-
chased with their blood.
Nor to-day will be forgotten thu
remnant of that mighty army which
twenty years ago fought In fearful
conflict on many q bloodstained felt
In the south. These veterans we still
have with us, though year by year
more Certain conqueror than the battle
is rapidly thinning their ranks. TIL
nation will not forge. tho valor Of tn
living In oommemorating the heroiHn
of the dead. Az we watch the littl
posts fang.through our streets to decl
their comrades graves there will still
be traces of the old flush of prid
which rose to our faces when the boy
ip blue marched to the front, at thei
, country's call. We cannot and W
will not forget that the survivors wer
exposed to the same perils to which g
msny of their fellows succumbed
The sleeveless arms and Skaters
: limbs will tell q scarcely less touchin,
story than the silent graves which W
l hasten to cover with our floral offer
/. ings.