Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1884-06-19
NUMBER g.

J tory on the shining points Of their swords
and bayonets, and some, no doubt, when the
army's strength was "too slender to support
the weight of victory" Tho point wish
you to remember is that these men refused
not to obey the call OF duty, even when duty
called to death.
Comrades for call you comrades though
these hands worc too dmpled with youth to
enable me to bear the gun or weld tho
sword in tho struggle Of twenty years ago.
you arc my comrades in life's grand struggle.
in these attacks all Of US arc called Oh TO
face, aud in these charges we arc ordered to
mako, are any OF you struggling to-day
Are any of you skulking or hiding TO avoid
the call Of duty today? The soldiers Of tho
war between tho States vii! rise UP in The
day Of judgment and condemn you for your
lcrclicton Of duty when The duties Of peace.
iuI times are as imperative though less onor-
Gus than the stern duties Of deadly war.
One Of tho lessons learned by the graves
OF other soldiers, md could havo learned by
the graves OF these you decorate to-day, is
this: The call Of duty is TO be obeycd let tho
consequences be what they may. There IL
something cnnobllug, inspiring, i'll " tho
spectacle Of human endurance meeting with
mistaken front tho worry stroke Of Fato,"
whether il be witnessed in the Del .ongs. tho
Amblcrs, the Chips, the Colinscs. who fell
before the frozen baslions which guard that
uucaplurcl though often hosicgcd cilaGcl-.tho
North Pole or ii tho Livingstone who trod
the trackcss forests OF the Ozark CONT
ncnL" until he halted TO take breath to mako
tho step into the gates Of glory, and left his
body TO be borne to a rcstnS-placc beneath
tho noble arches o.! EnglAnd's greatest Alb
hey, there 10 await the angels trump; or In
the uncrowned heroes" Of many a noble
though namclcss deed who bore Guty's stand
ard unit! their I!cwork was done. Catch,
q citizens Of tirecuhrcr. soma Of tho no.
bity, some OF tho inspiration. which hovors
in Il cloud Of glory over the graves Of your
dead soldiers Looking back from this
height OH the battle fields of twenty years
ago, from which the clouds and dust havu
been swept by the prop:ious hrrc%cS which
blow over Il now peaceful country. behold
the spectacle Of endurance behold the I'M
shaken front Of these men who performed
duties whose consequences were death :
Rcnd here the stern requirements I'll duty,
md 20 forth from these scenes with new pur.
noses md Few 1own.Lo lirn'a battles. aud
fight until the clarion note oil victory snail
sound and the plnudits. not OF Carth's orrlng
multitude. but OF TINT great multitude which
TO man can number" shall break forth like
&" The sound Of many waters" IA " II" TINT
s;ltcth in the heavens" shall say swell done,
ro0l and faithful" soldier!
We ought not to pass this occasion without
rome mention Of the sentiments ol Grnu.'l'n
hcitting those who 1.-Two IN Il now peaceful!
country. For nearly twenty years the lands
furrowcl by the cannon balls have been FUR
rowcd by the peaceful! p!owsharc only Tho
fields Gown with the seed Of shot and shell,
whose harvest was an awful Gnthrrin" o. s"r-
row. of suffering, OF agony. Of death, have
bccn sown with seed whose harvcsts hhYc
been The JOY Of plenty and the blessings Of
pcncc. These mountains, - tho grand SENT
ncls Of nature" that twenty years ago looked
down on the ashes which marked the -;tcs OF
ruined hOmcstcads, now zee n0ught hnl
peace. The fields where trampcd the stru@-
cling thousands whose no!hing plumcs and
!!uttcrin. banners were tossed in The storms
OF the strife Of n divided people, are now oc-
cupcd by the quiet armies Of corn whose
aiken pumcs aud green banners wave in the
| brcczcs blowing softly over n united people.
! l.ct W echo the cry Of Richmond on the field
! OF ROa"Orth:
=. Nnw civil wounds ar" .toplc''. I'cac" li"c'
ayai;.
! Tin. he ma. long liz: here. God say amen ~
! We have lived 10 sec thr dawn Of that peace,
and our hcnrts should be grateful. Read the
proof Of that dam. i the valleys Of your own
,carls have no. yet caught The glorinus raY4,
IN the Eun:t TOP Of that mountain q; North
o-n riffs to a.. Home" for the old. wo:n-
on, Cou!crcratc 70 be erected in hs own
-unpy south. ! read :: September last, hy
! the !:rht Of the eettn% Gun which Lhrc" III
cloth Of gold" over old Winchester and ite
surroundings. The Sew England vctcranH
were y:.;t:n. Tie battlefield q! The lJtE Of
Septcmbcr. l:Gi. They marched With sol-
cn, tread ard melancholy @irgr 10 the
mound Oh. Of which the monument 10 the
..I-nkro;sn Confederate dead" rises 10 over
link The former .ccnc Of 4trIfc, and kneelny
!, . hoIy on sod once vet %jth blood prayed
,hat al angry eccl:ug2 NIGH! be bottch out
and ,ha. Code hand might forever shield
this larh from strife.
Waterman, wha, o! the night: The