Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-05-30
OAIly POST INTELuGENCER.


Today. wherever a Post Of the Grand
Army of the Republic exists,columns OF
vateran soldiers will march with slow
steps and solemn mien to "the cities OF
.ha dsadr They will bear vreatns
and baskets and punches OF SWEET nov
ers. which with evergreens and mfr''e'
will be cast upon the graves OF co'h-
rsdaa There will be ceremonisls, toucn-
;,o ,eminisoeuc =, and typical tokens
Of love and hope aud Immortality. Tears
will eonsecrate the day, and euloeies re-
..,i % vivid realization the deeds OF the
deuarted. The custom of thus annpai.y
decorating the graves of our country
defenders, will not cease to be observer
until avery soldier who WAS borne upon
the rolls during the great war Tor tue
preservation OF this government shaii
finally be mustered out. Nor should u
cease. The ceremonies of Decoration
Day are beautiful; they reach down De-
,ov the deoss of selfishness. the ciods OF
materialism and utilitarianism, wnicn
smother sensibility and tenderness ana
awaken to lively exercise the oeePes'
and hottest emotions of the human SOUL
Tbav hiring us face TO face with courage,
natriotism and self sacrifice. Iney
teach the youth of our land the nobility
of LOYALTY, and inspire in their hearts q
determination to be worthy such Ok
amples. and merit such remembrance
should duty to country hereafter oe-
msnd the sacrifice. They remind as all
that upon these dead and their surylV-
ING comrades was once placed the bur
dsn of nations preservation; that TOT
this they endured hardships and braVed
dangers which by the Survivors oil those
fatefuI. terrible years, are, IN these
peaceful days, recalled unwillingly' Tor
they bring sad "reminiscences and bitter
memories.
The Nation, 40 "a fitting token OF re-
eoonition. has set apart by Law and pro-
clamation this Both of May, as sacred
10 the sad and touching ceremoniali
and services which, in city and village
town and hamlet all over the land, viii
DO today conducted and observed. IL IL
the tribute of government 70 the mem
ory of its defenders, well earned, jasti,
accorded recognition Of their worth
their services, their success. while w
ioin in with the veterans OF the Crane
Army--in whose especial charge. ane
keeping have, bs universal consent,beer
placed the ordering and arrangement o
the solemn service--let It not be forgot
ten that duty TO the dead ends not whei
flowers are strewn over the mounds
which cover them, but that a hiRhel
duty is ever present to perform. While
we honor the memory Of our Nations
defenders, let US look TO 1t that thu
principles they sought to establish ant
maintain, continue to be vital forces IL
.his Republic. Their services were giveI
fer the unity aud indivisibi!ity of THU
Union, the extension and perpetuity oil
self government. the abolition of serf-
dom in whatever form II may appear ,anc
to dignity labor and uplift the laborer
II Is our duty to maintain the ground
these men have won and occupied: to
keep our government united, and her
people free and secure in the endowment
of every constitutional right of an
American citizen. We should so pledge
ourselves ON this and each recurring
annual "festivai Of the dead"