The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1884-06-14
"Mensrial Day" at Kansas citv.
kansas City Journal.I

An'S u memory Gay. IL c0mmem-
CRATES no event in the history Of
this nation, and yet a nation stands
at the graves Of her dead with un.
covered head.
As the years roll by the boys
are beginning TO ask the meaning
Of Memorial day, and to inquire
what they are to remember on the
S0th Of May. A nation full Of life
and In the midst Of grand achieve
ments stops to remember for q
brief hour the deeds of those who
died that she might live. We
should not remember those CON-
rades alone who are buried here,
but the hundreds Of thousands
whose graves are "unknown,n but
whose deeds are immortal, whose
lives were given a willing sacri-
fee for country, to maintain her
free institutions. In memory Of
their deeds we make this city
Of the dead q garden of roses
full of sweet flowers. A flag that
represents the nation for which
they died, marks each grave. I
am glad to see the sons Of veter.
ans here (and some Of them, sons
Of veterans who were on the 9th.
or side. They will soon have this
work to themselves.) They can
pay tribute and award the
need Of praise to the heroic deeds
Of those who died for their coun.
try. Who is he, whether he wore
the blue or the gray, who cannot
cast q flower on the grave of the
soldier at whose green mound we
standi Brave, chivalrous, gener.
ous, beloved Nat. NJ. Gwynne. He
appears to-day among those on
the other side who died for coun-
try, with that good right arm shot
away in the heroic charge at Pc.
tersburg, when he was about 10
years old, restored to that body
in which his brave soul made its
home.
We would remember his gallant
deeds to-day, they we're acknowl-
edged by the Congress Of the Uni
ted States, and we fondly trust
they will be acknowledged by the
Supreme Commander In that grand
memorial day above.
Webster said, monuments and
anniversaries are schools whose
lessons sink Deep"
This Memorial day teaches o les.
son Of love Of country, of pure pa.
triotism, aud unselfish devotion
to the right that should sink deep.
1t il well for the young to learn
early in life the history Of these
noble dead, who loved country
more than self. It will make them
better men and women It can but
stimulate them to higher purposes
and firmer resolutions.
Lincoln said in that most memo
rable address delivered at Gettys'
burg that ut is rather for us tc
be here dedicated to the great
task remaining before MS that
from these honored dead we take
increased devotion to the cause
for which they gave the last full
measure Of DEVOTION
Standing here as We do today
al can rejoice that these did moi
die in vain. We have lived to see
the full fruition Of all the hopes
and prayers Of that devoted mar
tyr. We come on this glad spring
day Of 1884 to cover these graves
with white lilies : emblems ol
peace. Yes, peace' Thank God
peace and fraternity dwelleth
throughout all this broad happy
land Of ours. l firmly believe,
comrades, that the winds thai
blow softly to-day through the
pine forests and across the fiowery
meadows Of loyal old England
sing no more loyal music over the
graves of the dead comrades who
rest beneath their granite monu
ments, erected to mara their last
resting place there, than does the
balmy breeze that is waited iron
the orange and magnolia groves
to the silent and unmarked grave
of that comrade whom we buried
in the wilderness, where the wild
flowers grow, and the only music
is the song Of the mocking bird
l am glad to be able to say this
and in saying it l speak from my
long residence in that land Of flow
ers. | believe II danger threaten
MS from foreign foe, that no por
lion Of the Union xouId rnI|5 mort