The Republican journal., 1884-06-05

The committee with baskets filed with choice
flowers visited the graves of the dead each mark
ca with flag and laid upon the mounds the offer
ngs of sympathiAing friends. the firing squad then
delivered yolIey OF three rounds. AS soon as the
exercises we've finished the rain descended in a
gentle shower As though Heaven Itself was weep
ing in commemoration of the mournful scene en-.
acted Oh earth.
The procession now reformed, marched back to
quarters ami ali were dismissed until evening
I" 7. Lombard was marshal of the day, with
An.cl Wadeworth and Will Marshall for aids
Al seven o'clock the Post reformed and marched
to tht Belfast Opera House, occupying front seats
which We're reserved The hall was filled to its ut
most capacity On the stage were seated the orator
of the evening, Rev. Mr.. Tilden, of Augusta Col
fhilo llersey, who acted as chairman Of the even.
ing, his Honor Mayor johnson, Revs. Mr. Burning
ton and Mr.. Tufts, Chief Marshal Lombard and
Commander Eancy. The speakers stand was dec
GRATED with the American Nag and crossed swords,
while the front of the stage was festooned with
stars and stripes.
The exercises of the evening began by the atliu.
tah reading general order No. TO- after which Com.
MAnder Haney made the opening address Prayer
by Rev Mr.. Burlington followed. Mrs. David Al,
eNander recited the beautiful poem "Returned Bat
Tie iiags" in very impressive manner. Col Hersev
IN brief but well chosen speech then introduced
the orator of the evening, comrade H. W. Tfden.
The following is an abstract OF his address:
"MR. PRESIDENT, COMRADES OF THE GRAND
ARMY AND FELLOW CITIZENS am sensible, even
10 me verge of PAIN Of the Importance of the tas
when has been committed to my hands by nv
fellow soldiers of the Thomas ii. Marshall Post.
IL task IL can be called, for soldier to review the
lIlfl1l h,-f
speaking words In honor of his fallen comrades
Ii Well nigh of temeritv to break the eoouent
silence mat has breathed its magic spell over all
Hcaf!s curing TINS sacred memorial day, when the
heroic nVng have reverently visited and affection
ately adorned with flowers the graves of the heroic
dead" The speaker alluded to the Young men
that nave come upon the field of action since the
rebellion and said "As they observe our act, OF
decoration they have right to ask what mean We
W lhls service, and we owe it to them well as
10 ourselves ana our country to relate faithfully
ana frequently the story of civil strife For by
TINS story shall we be best taught how to fear and
escape the perils that have once threatened and
may again In other forms threaten the nations life
and especially to honor the dead by whose lives
the nation today lives. - We are not seeking to
honor our soldiers simply because they were brave
enough to die. We have not laid our garlands
upon the graves of the gallant dead as tokens of
aullratl0h Tor mere personal proves. 1t is a
prowess born of right that we honor. A proves
That manifested itself in defence of sacred printi
pies. Our fallen soldiers fell because they re-
fused to survive the triumph of wrong. They fell
the principle of right, of justice, of equality was
more valuable than life. How few of all the slain
warriors of history have laid down their lives for
such an exalted end this, and for this reason
now rare and distinguished is the glory hich our
soldiers have attained" The speaker alluded to
wars OF former times, and said they were waged
Tor conquest and personal gains. ''In the strug
gle of this country for Independence" the speaker
said eve find higher issue at stake than that in
any previous war It was question of popular
liberty. In the revolution was settled the
question of equal rights among equals. 1t was de
cided that England should not Cypress the children
OF England Bnt how was 1t with the children of
Africa AT the moment of Americas victory over
England, the dusky sons of Africa were sweating
under Americas lash. You see there was here a
further question to be tried. 1t was the question
OF equal rights not among equals, but Of equal
rights among all who bore the image of God and
the name of man" The speaker reviewed the slave
power ana the causes which Leaf to the civil war
which he termed the irrepressible conflict "The
moaning echoes of distress came surgng up from
the hearts of outraged millions until they touched
the lowering clouds OF heavens avenging wrath,
and there fell the crimson shower of war This
nation with It's eyes newly opened and its con
science quickened to soreness called to its
ecutlve chair Abraham Lincoln and the slave DOW
er knew their schemes were checkmated The
country almost stayed its breathing in trembling
expectancy People spoke to each other with bat
Ell breath. And then there fell upon the styed air
of this nation the sound of that first shot fired at
Sumpter. That sound brought the civilized world
to its feet. Everybody knew that human slavery
pulled that lanyard The heavy boom of that can
non on Morris Island on the night of the llth of
April 1861, reverberated far and near in the inter
est of oppression. Its sound reached far across
the great ocean and the spiritual regent of the
earth felt the crown of triple power sit closer to
his princely brow. The monarch grasped his scep-
tire with new confidence and sat upon his throne in
fresh security. Selfgovernment seemed to be top
ping over with ruin as these had hoped and pre-
dicted it would. But what of our country mean
while. paleness, not of fear, spread over
the face Of freedom. 1t the paeness Of
weighty deliberation and iron resolution The low
al multitude of this country had come to them
selves. They saw that the gage of battle had been
thrown down.
The speaker dwelt upon the early struggles of the
war, how the citizen soldier sprang to the defence
of the Union, and the discouragements met with in
the first years warfare. "In our dire extremity