Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-30

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stand to-day7 Who can OF Will, in the light Of
these facts, deny the wisdom OF com1ng-as for
pease Heaven, we sy on shess
gra n9e a the offerings which ten not only Of their
e ana sass Of desire
when another such necessity shall ar1se7 Surely
none who hold that national dtsintegration would
national unity was worth fghtinc for nor those hose
who belteve1t worth while to keep our own and
our ch1ldrenS souls tuned up to that pitch OF pat
PIE OF Initiating those whose services this day has
Deen set apart and these ceremonies instituted to
cance ana are held not only to honor the personal
bravery OF those who sleep arouud U.S. or to give
living feel for comrades dead. They have poIt1-
cal meaning as well; but political in its best and
br0adest sense could not, at such time as this,
that small type OF part1zanship which would 1g-
more or forget that OF those who died in that tight
no small proportion differed then and diner now
from my party beliefs. We agreed, and continue
to agree, on the broad, safe basis OF country
Whlch snail Oe forever one and 1nSeparable"-Of
ONE GOVERNMENT AND ONE FLAG
Tor that country. and above all, on the doctrine
or "a government by the people, for the people,
and OF the people" 1t Is to these sentiments no
less than to those who died for their maintenance
we are paying tribute in these memorial rites
see around me not only those who bravely bore
IneiI paII ~ tnat neIce ngnJ TO bear aOt the flag
of nationality, bat many who were then too young
TO know there was war. or what 1t meant, or what
twas for; and some, too, who fought as bravely
us If the nations call to arms rang out to meet
foreign zoe. can even fancy that ii a rebellion
sn0uld break out anywhere north OF ssMason and
DlXOnS line" these former fOemen OF ours would
take patriotic pleasure in fighting beneath the
Old Tag, to thrash rs back into the Union; and IL
send them better luck in lighting us back into e
than they met in the effort to fight their own way
out 1t may be that to-day they come to lay their
In honor OF their bravery than OF the cause for
which they fell-for brave foes love a roeman
brave, and stack their arms while round his grave
Even so would welcome them and their offer
fngs-for fOemen who have learned to respect
each others pluck and sincerity are far on the
SO far as 1t might be misconstrued into a conces-
sion to the "lDSt cause" to the political theO-
rles which made the effort at secession possible,
would hesitate to place a flower upon 4 rpbe1's
grave who fell fighting for what he thought was
right. hold now, as then, that they were wrong:
and would not for my right arm or my life utter
word or do an act to belle that belief. But lone
before that strife ended learned to believe them
sincere and to know that they possessed the cour-
age or their convictions. While would not again
as once did, unite in joint ceremony, which
could be construed or misconstrued as a tribute
10 anything beyond their honesty OF purpose
myself on record as fully concedng that. what
ever may be thought or said by those who stayed
at nome and grew rich by
who never bled, save through their pocket
books. in hiring substitutes to fight ana die
Tor them by proxy know my comrades OF the
grand army will join me In the admission that
''they fought like brave men, long and well" with
daring that was "worthy OF better carlse.r No
true soldier Of the Union side will wonder at or
blame them for coming together, as now and then
they do. to lay upon the graves OF their dead the
offerings which tell OF their regard for those who
shared their dangers, their temporary trtumphs,
defeat We WHO fought against them Know T' tor
and and defeat, won and borne together, endear
less than human II they forgot the companions OF
their bootless and most unwise struggle. We can
remembranceS that such gatherings must recall
as orr own hearts are swept to-day by sad and
tender memories Of those who marched, and
and went with us into battles from which they
never came back But they do not ask, and can
nos expec. that We sno9id look on such occasions
them. II any of them still mourn for their s:iost
cause" For every desolated home,-for every
all the sunny south" have. and 'a All nv ~
comrades have, q tear OF sympathy. But here.
al amidst these graves whose every maidstone tells
most in sight OF Arlington, where dWelt the chief
who led the rebel hosts, and where now lay twenty
the many thousand more who sleeD beside the
Soldiers Home. on this day. when at more than
an HUNDRED other cemeteries scattered through all
gathered to lay on countless graves the nations
yearly Offering OF flowers. and speech ana song.
OF political heresles which made n0ssth1a the sfs
tempt temp at secession sby teaching Americans that
PRIMAL AND surRnx. ArasrANc1
was due to the state In which they lived. instead
OF to the general government. In which. by solemn
compact, the original states Of this Union
had vested supreme authority and from which all