Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-06-05
Our Dead Heroes.
DAY SERVICES In Ian.
CASTER, PLATTEvILLE, BOSCO.
BEL AND BLOOMINGTON.
Large Crowds Present at Each Place to
Participate In the Solemn Obsery.
ances OF the Occasion.
Summary OF the Proceedings at Each Place In
Detail By The HeraId's Special Reporters
The Day Well Observed.
AT LANCASTER.

Government as the one day in each y ear
above all others for the purpose of dec
Grating the graves of the Nations
dead heroes, dawned upon the city with
a cloudless sky, and the luxuriant glory
of Spring day, never lent the suspicious
grandeur of her beauty on more
worthy occasion. The noon train made
large additions to the already large
crowds which had been arriving from
every direction, until it became very APP
parent that our visitors numbered well
up among the thousands.
During the forenoon devoted hands
and patriotic hearts worked with untir-
ing zeal and faithfulness suitably adorn-
ing with bunting and furnishing the
grand stand, which had been erected
under the beautiful maple trees on the
north side of the court yard, and ap-
proprately draping and decorating with
evergreens and flowers the Soldiers
Monument.
Seats had been erected facing the
stand, which were occupied t. their full
capacity half an hour or more before
the exercises were announ ced to take
place, which was at O'Clock, although
it was nearly half an hour later before
the arrangements were complete and
the members of the Grand Army Post
arrived and the choir and speakers
took their place on the stage.
An inspiring air from the band an
nounced the commencement of the ex-
cises. after which Mayor Lewis Hol-
loway who presided, Senator Ryland
president of the day being ilD announced
singing, and the choir rendered with
fine effect Nearer my God to Thee
in which the great throng joined heart
lily. Rev. III. Dockham in an eloquent
and fervent prayer invoked the Divine
blessing.
Brave Noble and True was then
given by the choir and was we'll received.
At the close Mr.. Holloway introduced
the orator of the day Hon. j. I. Mills.
The Judge prefaced his address by sew
| eral of his humorous stories. He had
written nothing on paper and could
only draw on recollections of the past
and the emotions and feelings the day
created. He thought Mr.. Bushnell
would be the speaker, but as his (Bush-
nell's 81 mantle had fallen on him here,
he thought he would rather stand in
his shoes to-day, than when he, Mr.. b. =,
stood under the rebel fire at the second
battle of Bull Run. ''Mr. b." said
the speaker ''once showed me book he
picked up from the same ground from
which the rebels had marched. 1t was
new testament. The name of its own
er was written there, the Parish in which
he lived, the State of louisiana and also
his mothers prayers. After the war
was over Mr.. b. wrote to that mother
and at her request sent her the book -
the only keepsake she has of the boy
whose living form or grave she will new
er behold. On! how many mothers
both north and south carry aching
hearts-a void this world can never fill.
know the significance of this day,
what annual Civilizations and sorrow,
I what thanksgiving and tears have
brought you in such numbers to
gaze upon and decorate this monument
and these hallowed graves.
We almost shudder to look back nearly
a quarter of century ago; and yet we
cannot avoid the retrospect. 1t was in
the spring, % years ago, when the earth
was covered with flowers and smiling ma
ture was wholly unconscious of the wrath
of man. Twenty-three winters with
their mantles of snow have passed and
gone. Twenty-three springs have
} burst their letters of ice and nature
has repeated her resurrection and she
is as fresh and unwearied to-day as il
: just turned off from the hand of the
Creator. Twenty-three summers and
autumns have passed away and their
sunshlneS and showers have rewarded
/ the toll ofthe huSbandman without stint
or measure: but all the march of the sea
sons have not erased from our reccollec
. tons that terrible day; that fatal day
the inconceivable madness of that hour
: the 18th day of April, 1861, when rebe
Judge (Ruffinl with match lighted il
the fires of He'll touched the fuse and
the first shot was fired at the American
4. flag rs it tloated over Fort Sumpter
The doors of the bottomless pit were
e then thrown wide open gratiu
!, harsh thunder on their hinges anC
n the pent up flames burst from the fur
;, mace below. The first emotion of tn
n loyal people of the north was that of in
credulity. Neither Earth nor Americ
;. had friends SO wicked, surely. Said Mr.
e Seward 1--WE shall have peace in 90davs.
y No doubt the purpose of jeff Davi
u and his rebel allies was the disruption
and destruction of the American govern
e. ment, to constitute republic who's
corner stone should be human slavery
and devote a great portion of the hu
man family permanently to this forlorl
and hopeless condition. Mr.. Lincoln
= purpose at first extended no furthe
than to compel the rebels to submit t
the laws of the United States. Blu
II there was Cabinet above higher tina
5 at Washington or Richmond over whic
the God of nations presided, aud LII
purpose was to abolish human SLAYER
ID and yinGicate his right 10 the sole owner
ship of the human soul, and all its facul
," ties. His claims were in direct confiiC
,e with that of the human master. 1t wa
i when the intelligent people of the mort
10 apprehended and fell in with the ID
D vine purpose that they succeeded.
:. Every soldier that went to aid hi
~ country has personal history, an eA
d perience that the young men who wer
children in their mothers arms whe
ie their fathers enlisted. can not realize
ID and hope may never have occasion {
/. realize. Soldiers? You who have RI
l. turned from many battle field. Wins
Of were your special reasons. your expect
ions. your fears, your emotions whe
You took final leave of father, mothe
i loving wife, children, friends? One tel
ME after the defeat at Bulls Run, q
u knew that my country needed my aiC
II determined to 60, Aye. we prepare
to lay down our lives rather than OF
Z" country should perish The seho,
p master had evidently been abroad !
= the land. How wonderful, how well th
young men of that time comprehende
the momentous issue of this war. TIL,
n rebellion had to be put down, its fir,
must be put out If. all the blood
orthern veins must be poured upon