Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-06-01


men as they tvmed away ftcv, hcu,e snd frieuds
Ia face TIE dangers of war. Uow douhtfet was
| their prospect NJ success: how uncertain was
their hope VI reward, Yet how willingly they
died, eten -b.n they feared they were dying
10 vain. rerl,sps ,aev met tl,eiv borrid death
uunoticed and lonr-sur,icd In the long trencli
with their slain c,mvads. with oo word or
hymn or tear to hnllow tie spm. They Gil a
nemeess grave, with DOT even siespe slab h
mark the spot; their very fate perhaps un-
known ~ dearest friends. What . gloomy,
cheerless death what a repuisive burial.
There they lie uuremembered, unpiuted, On.
praised. They died fov right; they gave their
| very lives. But now thew are forgotten. WIZ
II be ferever3 MOI Gods law Of compensa-
tion does not chscge. How wob,y does time
| reward them to-day. What R'oriUas scers
Dies this days sun behold. All over the land
from every city and village anil hnmlet come
a grateful people IN tn hrongs with hands laden
| with flowers with which to crown Them with
| lips laden with songs OF praise Of their brave
| deeds. They come with hearts over flowing
| with RvatitNde to those brave men who flung
away their precious lives as though they were
worthless things, In order that owr nag might
| be the Nag Of freedom. In order that this glor.
ious government Of the people. for the people
and by the people might eot perish from off the
earth. To-day the nation grants to the hun,-
blest Of her defenders grapder naemorial than
they ever dreamed of-a more glorious remem-
brance than they ever hoped for.
| And To-day, while orr hearts are klled With
gratitude To the buys who wore the blre, let us
remember in kindness the dead who wore the
gray. Let us cherish for their memory
| broad, generous charity, rather than q naVow,
selfish hatred. They struggled and they fail
ed IL TREY erred they paid the extreme penal
iy, aud to-day the daisys bloom as brightly
| Ger their graves as upon the mounds above
the dead who wore the blue, The creeping
grasses never question whether the blue " tlre
gray sleeps Meath th, ir tender blades, hut with
| impartial love spreads its green mantle over
| both Let us learn to-day of nature, and while
we crown the blue with laurels let us grant a
wand Of witiow for the gray. While we deck
| the blue with roses let us strew the gray with
| lilies.
| hut while we forgive the dead aed repcntant
| traitors aud remember them or'y in kindness,
let us never cease to cherish a holy hatred of
| treason. Let us never hesitate to raise de-
| nuuncing voice and an averging hand wherever
treason dares to rsire its head.
| The great questions in suying which these
men have died, are questions M longer. With
blood have they been sealed as mmovable.
| eternal truil,s- beyond the reach of contr0ver-
sy and debate. As the result Of this great
Struggle we stand to-day upon higher plane
ni civilization. 10 day it Is trne that in our
| land all men are born free aud with equal
| rights. To-day no man however humble can
be treated MS II chaule. Freedom is the heri-
tage of every human creature meath our flag.
| These grand and lofty principles have been
Rtaven on our iunda mental law a,d are part oi
our heritage Of rights They are grand In
themselves because of the broad and generous
sentiments they possess; they are duubly dear
to US because ot the fearful price they cost us.
| They have raised our nation from the narrow
primer ples-on which il stood and placed it IN
the broad platform Of equal human rights. wide
enough and broad enough To hold all mankinh.
and says to every human creature your rights
are sacred and sl,aR be protected.
| While we remember those who Welded up
| their lives for us and now rest within soldiers
grave, we should never forget their living com
RAIDS who are still amoaR US. They bure their
share OF danger and should receive their need
of praise. They Eisked their all in defense of
| the hag and we who 1--we to see that banner
should never cease 10 honor and reward them
while they live, and when death brings them
marching orders and they take tler places one
by one beside the silent ranks of this quiet
army we should not forget to strew their graves
with aowers on this day's recurring anniversa-
| ry. No higher sacrifice was ever made tor
liberty than these brave men laid upon her
alter. Their blood has renewed our national
life and added vigor to our growth. With what
marvellous has been our development
since these brave men made their
mighty sacrafce. With their lives they pa I'd
the price fol this great prosperity which we
now enjoy. The purchase which they made is
ours TO enjoy and not only to enjoy but to main
tain and preserve They won the victory but
its glorious fruits they could not taste. Give
them the roses now for they have had their
share Of horns and briers. Strew flowers Ger
those weary feet for they have travelled o'er a
rough and stony road. Twine garlands round
those brows that in the past were grim with
wars sulphur smoke. Let no rude sound DIS
turb their quiet sleep, for in the past they have
been startled by the midnight raid and their
ears have heard the screaming shot and burst
ing she'll. Let poets sing their sweetest songs.
let tupelul choirs Giant their choicest meio.
dies let eloquence in lofty strain prociaim
their praise; let maidens crown them all with
laurels and with roses. Yet having done all
this We feel that it is not enough. Our highest
efforts can not reach them. Their achieve
ments ire too grand for human acts te recon-
pense; too lofty Tor mortal tongue To exalt.
Their hig hest praise is the simple story of
their own grand deeds. Their highest honor is
that glorious page of history which they wrote
with their blnod aad traced with their swords.
The highest proof of this valor is that bright
banner with every stripe uudimmed, with
every star restored, shining aud glorious Here
le. .os leave them wrapped in their glory for a
winding sheet.