The National tribune., 1883-06-07
OUR DEAD.

Hail to the deaa-the Nations dead
Who sleep by wood and field, and shore,
To them we come with loyal tread
And iSueel beside their graves Once more.
NIt3l notes of huglc-scng end drum,
And flying flars hud sweet May flowers,
and grateful hearts, again we come
To deck these soldier graves of oars.
With ho5,es undinlnacd by flying years,
and faith renewed Isy the great past,
we see amidst orr funeral tears
The glory tIst ly.ss bern to last.
Once more {e-iGe each vcTdant crave
we gather sBd with pTideTeo5il
How heroes blood alone C0Eld save,
How heroes sons alone could fall.
Ard liaiag mp The vel Of years,
We heav ae-ain tI.a Nations cry
It's deriS distress, SIS a1guisaed fears,
Itswail .or l.eiD-fur n1en 90 die.
We SEE the tE4ml}ing thousands come.
Their tents slime white on every Geld;
The Nalicn's heart. Il S not dumb,
il ca-a not tail, it VII rot yield
Nc longer spears and iattle blades
To pruning hooks ;tIE4 slaves are bent;
From farms and hills ani fag.Dif glsdes
The arcfl1f1l news Is quickly sent;
And sounds Of drum and changing steel
And bfaylrS horns ar2 }n the gir,
And quick the Pu!ze Of men yTlt3 feel
Their oyE he8Tt's bloosi is flowing there.
And faces Pa}eI and lips al dumb,
Ans broken hearts N one farewell
To those WHO 30, bnt never come.
Like TO the torrent bounding down
From some tai mountain 10 The sea,
From shop and village, Lai1n and town,
Come the ) soung Nations chira}ry.
And once again IS heard the cry
OF squadT01.S charging 10 their death,
And bombs and shells 90 shTielzlng by
Borne on the Ted-hos cannon ; breath;
and fierce and far DER southern fields,
Like the drea1s sea 20 terror blown,
Comes The fierce Zoe thgss never yields,
Or yields TO death, aGd death alone.
On, on, we hear tho t.,ts}e's lin,
''Cn, on, - we llear orr leaders cry
There Is no way ban ticash's 10 win
On, on, the biIgses make reply,
Witk FaTIsg+It among the shRouds,
Wherever dsspSer signals be,
With Hooker hglting IN the clouds,
With sherman nlssCohing To the sea,
On, on, We hear tlac,a coce again
Shout back the fierce, odd rebel yell,
And though from ships aud rs.fnparts rain
The salI5iurcRs sgGoiSe. tic IRE Of Lell,
Sill on, untll abe whitening blast
Is sslencad like the tTsanpied dead.
And fair as morning shines ST last
The sta-s and stripes above their head.
They sleep to-day in siieslt lines.
Heroic men, whom fame hath lent
The glory tElfst forever shines
To be thcir lasting monument
And men and years may pass, but they,
Shrined in their oountEy'S bosom, live
Ia iairer forms tilan flesh or Giay,
The iitter forms that fame can give.
Sleep or, sleep on. heroic dead
1t little re-slzs what We may say,
For there. beyond your marrow bed,
Shines the neg ligist. yoar besier day;
And nlidst the IllIlsic ef tlle spheres
That sound tbs soldiers feyeille.
Where march and couutermaTch the years,
Ye wait the peace that is 70 be.
The Grafton was delivered by Justice u
Strong, whose remarks were chiefly eugoli
Of the order Of the Grand Army of the Rep
lie. In the course of his remarks he said:
A common experience of hsrdships and dams
Is bond of sympathy ard mutual regard wi
even desth cannot sever. II drass men togei
a. no ether expeTience csz. EIif you. gcntieI
Of the Grand Army Are no. alone Ia your re-
ence and affection for your fallen comrades.
lions Of your countTymeu WHO never belonged
the army, men assd woman who had no share
yogIr tolls aud dangers, stand side by side with
IN earnest desire to peTpetIate tho memory of
departed patriots. To them and Ia you belongs
honor Of having saved for yourselves and AL Of
Is well SIS for those who shall come after us.
union which Is the guardian OF
Of our domestic tranquility. and of
advancement II civilization