Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-05-09
Memorial Day.

At the last meetiog of the G. A. r. Post OF
this place John T. Kelly, Alex. Russell and
Henry Korn were appointed committee to
make arrangements for properly observing
Decoration Day, and all good citizens of But
ler and vicinity are respectfully requested to
lend helping hand to have a proper obser-
vance of said day. The following general or
der has been issued from headquarters of the
Grand Army:
OMAHA, NEB., April IA, 1888.
GENERAL ORDERS. No. 10.
In compliance with the rules and regulations
of the Grand Army of the Republic, Wednes-
day, May 80, will be observed as Memorial
day.
The national encampment adopted a resolu-
tion at its session in Baltimore declaring that
this holy day should be called Memorial and
not Decoration Day.
| earnestly request all ministers and priests
of all denomination to deliver appropriate SER
mons or lectures, calling attention TO the du-
ties of the day-the sacrifices made and lessons
taught-on Sunday, May q. | hereby com
mand Posts of the Grand Army of the Republic
to attend said services in uniform. In cities
and villages where it will be practicable, re-
commend union services
| recommend that the Grand Army take
especial steps to secure the presence and aid OF
the children and youth of the country in the
ceremony of strewing flowers, and otherwise
honoring the dead and to that end | hope all
public and private schools, colleges and acade
mics will be closed.
Let the hand of fraternity and charity be ex-
tended to the widows and orphans of our dead
heroes. Seek them out; distinguish them from
all others, and teach them that on this day the
Grand Army mourns with them the loss of the
precions ones whom they gave the nation.
j recommend that the loyal women of the
nation be invited to aid in this work. They
will toll with willing hands and grateful hearts.
Though others may have forgotten the dead,
the women have never ceased to remember
them and treasure in their pure hearts their
heroic services.
The marvellous growth of the order through
out the country will be new incentive to us
TO see that no grave Is neglected. l trust
every spot where soldier lies buried will be
strewn with the sweet flowers of spring time,
and urge the Posts of the Grand Army TO take
immediate steps to remove every soldiers re-
mains from the potter's field or paupers' bury
ing ground and re-inter them in the Grand
Army grounds. We cannot perform this cere-
money in the proper manner unless we have
hone our duty to the living and the dead.
"With malice towards none and charity for
ALL" let us unite in this sacred duty. Let the
choicest, fairest and most fragrant flowers be
culled, and the soft white hands of the loyal
women of the land entwine the wreathe and
fashion the cross and crown, dropping here and
there, like the dew, tear for the dead. Let
the choisest gardens be desolated that the mem
ory of the Union soldier may not wither. We
will lift once more the curtain that hides the
dark past and see our fallen martyrs die for
liberty. They gave their lives a cheerful sac
riOce. They died in hospitals on beds of pain
before the flag was torn with shot and shell;
on the battle field in the fierce maddening
charge; On the picket line under the leafy
trees close to the babbling brook; in the prison
pen where no pitying voice was heard and no
hand reached out to save; in the swamps, flee
ing from fate worse than death, and some
went down in the mighty deep where the wild
waves lash ceaslessly over their bones. Many
sleep in graves marked unknown, but the low
ing hearts and eager hands Of grateful people !
will cast flowers upon the soft green sward that
couers their dust. Let the gates of all the
cemeteries in the land open wide and their
guardians render all the aid in their power in
this noble work.
Comrades few short years leeting swiftly |
by, and our children will be called on to per-
form this duty. Let us live that the lesson of
of memorial day will be imprinted upon their
hearts, and they will willingly take up the |
work where our palsied hands have left it, and |
perpetuate for all time to come the touching |
ceremony we have inaugurated.
BY command of PAUL VANDERvooRT
F. f. BROWN, Commander in Chief
Adjutant General.