The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-07-04

ic answer to that prayer The Centennial
Commission debated long and doubtfully
as to opening the great Centennial on the
Sabbath day. Great differences were ex-
pressed and felt; but at last the grand old |
Puritan from Rhode Island, the maker of |
the engine that in Machinery Hall carried |
its miles on miles of shafting, rose and
with quivering voice and earnest manner,
said; New England reveres and loves the
Sabbath. Not hammer falls, nor plane
moves in my great shops in Rhode Island
(where 200 workmen ply their vocation,)
on Gods day and hero on that day Il speak
il not not as menace but as highest wis
DOM not breath..of that mighty enginery
shall pulsate in defiance..of Gods law ON
Gods day." 1t was the word fifty spoken
"apples of gold in pictures of silver" and
thirty-six to four) the Commission voted to
inaugurate new century with new
baptism of fidelity for Gods laws and
Gods holy day.
To you; worthy commander and COM
rades Of the Grand army, what words are
fitting to testify our reverence for your
patriotism; our gratitude 70 your grand
deeds; our full sympathyifor your suffer.
ings
They also serve who only;stand and
wait" what shall we do for these saviors
of liberty.
Napoleon, threatened with a shell which,
hurting through the air, fell near him and
deserted by his staff, was saved from death
by his old guard forming living wall
about his person. Among that number
was his favarite sergeant, Grand Phoebe.
! When his death was reported to the en-
peror, with loving grief he directed his
name to be continued ON the roll call, so
, that when the name of Grand Phoebe
sounded forth the answer came: died
upon the field of battle"
When the bravest guardsman of all
France, La Teur Avergne, fell in the i'm
minent deadly breach, his loving general
; striken with grief by the loss of his bravest
' cOmrade, that gallant soldier whose cour-
5 age came through twenty generations of
a noble men, directed it to be written of
: him; Died upon the field of honor. "
r And while we speak yet of the heroisms of
G she gallant men who led us en- to victory
q let us turn aside to drop tear of reverent
n love and pity for our dead heroes of the
IS rank and file Those nameless graves
u from Maine to California tell the story I'm.
IS written and unspoken of the glory of the
r men who marched in the ranks. No news
papers heralded their achievements. nc
y reporters filled their tents to proclaim their
e deeds of valor; yet their deeds did follow
q them and they were the saxiors of the re
J, public. They struck strong and long, and
}, their sacrifices ard bloody deaths teach us
N how mach harder it was to save and trans
:. init theirepubIic nnharmed 20 our children
is than 1T was for our sires to create and
is maintain Eit or all ranks, of all people
s. and conditions, black and white, they
IS struck for freedom now and evermore
|. And when our children ask us who Tough,
e the battles Of the repukIc we shall tell
d them, not the palaces but the shops, the
n mandatory, and the farm sent forth thiei
a hosts, mot for Hire and lucTe but for the
+ salvation of liberty. The rank and file was
; the stern schec6 from which came ouI
Il grandest teachers, and 'to4dsy around me
y see mmytwho hsve worntin eagles and the
. stars 'Gn those same shoulders where the
1 r,uskats once answered to the ''fight and
s lnft shoulder shift
y Loololround you this beautiful day, men
: and women of Michigan, and tell me what
means dhis grand, dhese glorious,emblems,
these battle stained banners, this grand
gsfheniRg of noble women and brave men,
1 Beauty and valor hand in hand, and join.
: ing in mae anthem of eternal praise to the
dead herees of the rank and file. Itmeans
y that the republic is and ever shall be pre-
served. Weare solving the problem of the
centuries. How much is freedom worthi
When worth more than the counfless noble
n lives that have darkened down 10 death to
preserve and perpetuate it. Yes, worth a
million times more than the sacrifices it has
v cost. Let Anderson and Belle Isle those
golgothas tell the story Of thier svfferings
and let every battlefield from Bull Run tc
Appomattox be the token Of their valor
Erect to them not alone marble monuments
to transmit the story of their heroism, but
L year by year, gathering as we now do tc
@ honor our sacred dead, let 1t in the hearts
r of a people saved be written and then re
It main recorded till the end OF time. AL
honor, reverence, and love to the unum
n bered dead of the rank and file. All hon
or to the muslxetry, all honor to the calvary
l. horse, foot and dragon. all honor to them
G now and hereafter. And you who loved
e them and revere their memories let US
IS sanctify this gathering to-day and bind
y ourselves not to cease Onr efforts for these
men and their children until the broad
:, outlying lands of the west shall be given,
It patented by nations gratitude, to them