The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-06-19
GEN. BUTLER's GRAFTON
DELIVERED AT
THE CITY OF NEW YORK,
ON
Decoration Day.
AN QUENT TRIBUTE
TO THR
Fallen Heroes
OF
Both the North and the South.
Both the North and the South.

Decoration Day was observed with
more than the usual ceremonies at New
York. The parade was one OF the
finest ever witnessed, 5000 mon being
in line, led by Grand Army posts, and
taking one hour to pass given point
In the evening an immense meeting
was held at the Academy of Music, on
the stage being seated President Arthur,
Gen. Mcmahon, Mayor Edison, Gen.
Hancock, Gen. Sickles, Gen. Horace
Porter, L. w. Conway, Gen. Chris
tiansen, Gen. Sheridan, and other dis
tinguished men of the country.
Gen. B. T. Butler, of Massachusetts,
was the orator of the occasion. He
was received with great enthusiasm and
spoke rs follows:
Nearly quarter OF a century ago a civil war
was raging between the o. ganized Gov, rnmcnt
Of our country and those who supported it, and
the Governments. more or less rightful, OF some
eleven OF the states OF the republic Whcae leo-
pie had abjured their allegiance tn the Union,
and set up for themselves a conte,leracy with
every attribute Of soseie gnty save stability
only, to be acquired hy victories In arms which
would command rccosnitian by the def atcd
power from OFT which 1t had broken.
The causes which led to that contention, the
magnitude OF the proportions which it assumed,
the alterations OF victory and defeat which re-
suited from the bat les to either side the sacTi-
fices OF the people Of the two contcnding terri
tories, the devotion OF the citizens of each to the
respective causes which they espoused, doubt
less with equal sincerity, the gallantry of the SOL
diers and the strategy OF the generals, the wis
dom or unwisdom of the manner in which IL was
brought to an end, or of the manner in which It
was attempted to bring together finally the peo-
pie OF the late opposing sections of tie country
when each had so completely. caergetically and
conclusively demonstrated their convictions of
the Justice OF the use for white h they respect
lively engaged, are not here and now to be re-
corded, examined, or criticised.
Unuer the permission OF an act OF Congress
which has set apart this day for a holiday, we,
remaining representatives or the winning side,
with those who thought and fought with us in
that great war, have laid aside the cares and fed
from the carking, bustling calls of busy life,
and come together TO show our admiration, and
express our grateful appreciation OF the great
deeds and high motives Of our fathers, brothers,
sons, and other dcarer relatives WHO fell in
that contest, either by the sword or the more
potent destroyers, hardship and disease.
The occasion Is not now one tor grief AMI sor-
row. Ihat IT was conceived III grief and sorrow
Il most true. The first decoration ,lays came
when wounds Were fresh, and the sears OF baltic
were unlealed, when households were drsolate
IN the first flow of grief, when the widows
weeds and the childrcn's mourning were deep.
ana an aching void was ever present to the
heart, when the slow foot of sorrow often trod
INC weii-worn path to the grave OF the loved,
lost, and Yevercd.
soldier, or marked the spot in the green church,
yard where he ought 10 have b. en- placed, though
actually sleeping on sore vcr,lant hillside of
virginia. or one of those buried along the shores
OF the Carolinas, on the plains of Georgia, i'm
the swamps OF Louisiana, or on the warm slopes
OF the mountains, Or in the valleys of Kentucky
ana tennessee, with immature flag Of our
country In token OF our reverence aud gratitude
for the loyalty which bade him follow it to
death, in annual pledge that we will continue to
uphold tho Union of which it was an emblem,
for which he laid down his fe
But our rowers and tributes we then placed
Ocsidc and over his resting place, as tokens of
our grief and woe at his loss. have now beco me
emblems OF the joyous memories left in our
hearts OF the great aud noble qualities Of o. r
departed loved ones whose seru.tures We honor.
lime, the great healer, has closed every wound,
mourning into a sober gladness that those who
belonged to us were of like kind In daring, In
loyalty, and in patriotism to the great ones gone
who from Of old have ever been held up In his
tory. song, and story as the best of earth, and
OF whom, passed away il is the pride aud joy OF
each OF US to say with sparkling eye, with proud
sha. anu nappy lace, THIS was my brother. my ia
Nor need We now bring to the graves OF our
loved ones as a decoration our cpuntry's / AZ
under which they fou. ht. What call Is there for
expressions OF loyalty and devotion 10 that faa
when all are loyal aud devoted: and If any are
otherwise their unhappy condition in that re-
gard only excites our rity. and they are saved
from our contempt only by the reflection that
long brooding over error and fancted wrongs
may bring the mind at last innoeently TO deem
them right.
OF those whose virtues now commensurate
regret they fill the patriots grave, since time
mas brought to the mind Of all of us the aucs-
tion whether upon the whole they are not
happier for the proud distinction that was
granted to them, to have fallen in the service oil
the country In line Of duty, when their death
come after them. OF how a frecmans life should
be ended when the needs of country demand the
sacrifice?
We can be conscious OF but one misfortune
that has come to them. They did not live tt
see, as we have, their loved country rescued by
their valor from tho horrors Of disruption and
anarchy, reunited as nation in bonds never
again even to be loosened. bound together with
bands OF iron, east to west, ocean to ocean
north to south, from the tropic TO the frigid
Eone-so prosperous that It's most patent incon-
and over reproduction of all the necessaries ol
LIE which 20 to make the prosperity and happi
ness OF a people.
Thanks to the halo OF glory which the courage
the hardihood, and endurance OF those whe
fought in that American war on both sides hav.
thrown around the name of the American
soldier, and 50 impressed upon the civilization
of the world our military resources ana strength
our Government Is SO strong, and our natioI
held so powerful and so able to cope with an,
class OF dangers that may threaten us either a
home or abroad, that we sleep in peace ant
| quiet, with our shores unguaraed by a navy with
= single effective ship, our harbors undefended
| by fortihcations upon which is not mounted a
| single gun that ia not obsolete. Yet We have
that due preponderance among the nations oil
the earth which belongs to our geographical po
sti0n-treaties with MS are sought and our In.
| terventton asked by neighborins nations q.
readily and urgently as 1t We had halt a millior
| OF men under arms and a navy with Thousand
| ships. While other principal powers of tn,
world, to maintain their positions, feel it necas
eary 70 withdraw from production many hun
| dTed thousand men for soldiers. to become con
snmers only, and while they have felt them
selves compelled to build. equip, and man widel,
extended nayics SO that their parliamentar,
assemblies are year by year engaged upon til,
most troublesome economic questions how
enough may be raised by taxation from IN un
| willing people to support so costly an armament
we have all our industrial forces actively en-
gagged In producing the nccessaries and com
| forts OF life and adding to wealth, SO tina
our national legislature Is tasked to lind way
| and means TO get rid OF, with a fair show o
| propricty, the surplus revenue raised by \ tax
alton which very large portion, Ii not major
| ity OF our people are UNIV iling TO have reduced
SO high, indeed, have we been raised In tn
| opinion OF mankind beyond the belief that ou
| country may ever have another war, and the i'm
probability OF its occurring IL 80 great, that sol
diers OF other countries are coming TO ns by tn
army corps every year to escape military servic
4 IN their own country, in the full persuasion tina
| the occasion will never call for II in ours. No
that these emigTants to our shores to better thei
condition were afraid Of WAITS or conflicts D
| arms, for our own armies in the war OF the re
| bellion were recruited, especially in the yolnn
| tScr SERVICE By men OF foreign DifIn, WHO Tough
brayely and well. and many Of our best officer
were OF those who had seen service in European
| armies. The emigrant seems only TO fear bein
drafted into the military service to sustain som
| despot in trampling upon the rights of tn
| people, or to carry on some useless or causeles
war.
Nor must we forget that we are Obliged 10 pas
rcpresslve laws To prevent those of other nation
| who are undesirable as citizens from coming here
| and other nations are passing like repressiy
| laws to prevent those OF their citizens who ar
| Il. sirable to them from coming here. Was tn
| like ever seen before2 Has history any pag
which records the glory, the power, and th
| wealth OF nation like this OF ours have no
| called your attention To these topics simply fo
| the purpose Of hoasting OF the facts but afte
| bringing them To your minds to ask to whom
under God, IL our gratitude to go out for all thin
| save to those whose death We honor OH this da,
| and those then their companions In arms VIII
| soon must sleep with them.
Let me not be unjust. Our dead, could the
| speak, would say. VI only In the hollow tones 0
the tomb. yet with the earnest language Of til
| soldier and patriot, Not to us alone does on
| country owe her high military ranown. Til
| time has now come when all should remembe
| that all the yalor, the eonstaney. the ring til
| high qualities as soldiers YOU attribute 10 n