Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-18

ceremonies of decoration were performed
tne order of exercises being:
Music,
Prayer, - Home Band
Music Chaplain Wells
Decors,;o, -. O. Pittston Rand
uring this ceremony the Band will piay Diroa n,
WWt naia' Gen. james A. Hall, of Damariscotta
hymn, America" By the entire assnrnh hana
There was a large attendance from
the surrounding country, Augusta, Hal.
lowell and Gardiner and the exercises
were OF most interesting character. Gen.
mars Grafton was one of great worth and
was received with evident APPRECIATION nv tho
veterans who gave their closest attention.
We append the following extract from Gen.
Halls Grafton:
Gen. Halls Address.
Comrodes and FELLOW Citizens
One hundred and eleven years ago TODAY.
az bunker Hill, battle was fought for liner
w. ana although no one now survives who
was then living, nevertheless the day il re
memoered with gratitude BY the millions who
ENJOY the blessings flowing from that event
One hundred years from this dav the millions
then inhabiting this land will commemorate
the dolpgs of our countrymen, who in the
late war, on land and sea, again fought for
the liberty and preservation of the American
Union.
n the observance of Memorial Dav we are
out keeping up very ancient custom We
have bright illustration of this assertion in
the history of ancient Greece After the
memorable battle of Platea, in the next
general assembly of Greece, held not long
after the occurrence, the historian saws, that
Aristdes proposed the following decree ::
That all the cities of Greece, should everv
year send their respective deputies to Plataa
IN order to offer sacrifices to Jupiter Liberator
and to the gods of the city; that every FIVE
years there should be celebrated games of
liberty; that the several States of Greece
should raise body of troops consisting of ten
thousand foot and thousand horse, and
| should equip fleet of one hundred ships to
be constantly maintained for making war
| against the Barbarians, and that the inhabi-
| tants of Platee, entirely devoted to he SER
vice of the gods, should be looked upon as
sacred and inviolable, and be occupied
in no other function than that of offer
ing prayers and sacrifice for the general
preservation and prosperity of Greece. All
these articles being approved and passed into
law, the citizens of Plalaa took upon them
selves to soemnize, every year, the anniver-
sarv festival in honor of those
persons whn were slain in the battle
| This was the ard of that ceremony
performed nearly twenty four hundred years
ago, on the 10Th day Of the month Maimac.
| terian (our December). At the first appear
| ance of break they walked in solemn
procession, preceded by a trumpeter, sound
| ing to battle. Next marched several chariots,
| filled with crowns and branches of myrtle.
After these chariots WAS led black BULL De-
ind ,uhi oh ii &c
sons, carrying pitchers in their hands. full Of
wine and milk, the ordinary libations offered
| to the dead, and walls of oil and incense. All
| these young persons were freemen, no slave
| being allowed to have anv part, as the cere-
mOny was instituted to do honor to men who
| had given their lives for liberty. In the rear
of this pomp followed the Archon, or chief
magistrate of the Plataans, for whom it was
unlawful, at any other time, to touch iron, or
| to wear any other garment than a white one.
| On this occasion he was clad in purple raj
ment, with sword at his side, holding an urn in
his hands, and thus he marched quite through
the city to the tombs of his mem orabls
countrymen. Drawing water with his own
hands from the fountain or spring, he washed
| the little columns standing y the tombs, and
rubbed them afterwards with incense, then
killed the bull upon pile of wood Prayers
| were then offered to the terrestrial Jupiter
| and Mercury, when he invited those valiant
souls deceased to come to their feast After
| this, taking a cup in his hand, and having
| filled it with wine, he poured it on the ground
and with loud voice said, 81 present this
cup to those valiant men, who died for the
liberty of the Grecians ~
Fellow citizens, what an example we have
| in this, coming down through the ages. We
| to-day sound no trumpet calling to battle.
We offer no sacrifice of bulls, or of wine and
| incense, but we come with what is far dearer
to American citizens, the unbounded graft
| tude of our souls, and standing around these
mounds where heroes sleep. we place above
their silent dust, the choicest flowers of
sprngtime; in our hearts saving, This we
| do in honor of those valiant men, who gave
their lives for the liberty of the American
people,"
| War seems to have been the common lot
of all nations and peoples. Mother earth
has really been soaked in the blood Of hui
manitv. slain by wars cruel curse! Yet my
comrades, since it seems to be the only
ordeal by which governments can
| maintain their existence when assalled.
fortunate is that country which possess suffi-
cient manhood in her citizens. to not be found
wanting for defenders in the hour of conflict.
| Since man must die u; since we are here but
II
| whose taking off was in so good cause, and
which gave them resting place which has
! become the care of the republic To-day all
nature smiles upon US. Never scene
like this. Around you on every hand the earth
carpeted in such myriads of colors, the trees
with their foliage in full and without blem-
| ish. the streams and rivulets gently flowing
toward the sea, the feathered songsters warb-
ling forth their sweet notes from every tree
and twig, and all around comes sweet odors
from bursting bud and open flowers; while
our people are enjoying peaceful and quiet
homes, unthinking now of war, but daily
reaping the benefits of mon saved
country united. flag unspotted, law vindi-
Gated and true citizenship established
An honor now and forever for the men oy
whose services these great results were
| achieved.
Mr.. B. A. Cox of Gardiner has been en-