Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-06-03
GRAFTON:
Nr. President, Comrades, Ladies md
Gentlemen:

Mr.. President, Comrades, Lddies ana
Gentlemen:
Memorial day was first set apart
in the hearts of the survivors and thei
loyal friends, and by them consecrateC
to the memory of the loved and lost
who had bulwarked the life and libertie.
Of the nation with their bodies, theil
lives, their all, and that this natior
might live, had met death blithely.
In time, the lawmakers of the STATE
and nation, recognizing the fitness thai
at least one day in the year should be
held sacred to the memory of its preser
vers, crystallized this loyal gratitude in
to law, consecrating Memorial Dav as
sacred to the memory Of the Nations
patriots, who gave their lives that tho
most wonderful heritage bequeathed by
the grandest ancestry might be preserved
to ourselves and the teeming genera
lions to come, intact forever.
And it is especially fitting that in tn.
young spring time, in each and every
year-in the joyous young spring time
when all nature is again being reborn
that we should reyivify in our hearts
this loyal gratitude for our glorious
dead and most fitting that God S choicest
gift to man, pure, beautiful daughters
should minister for us at this shrine
and with springs choicest gift, beautiful
flowers, strew their graves to keep theil
memory green forever
In obedience to this sentiment Of
loyal gratitude, we are here to honor
their sublime patriotism, their infinite
sacrifices, and to draw lessons for the
present and coming generations from
their illustrious example.
1t is now a full generation since thai
terrible struggle was forced upon us
There are here to-day fathers and moth
ers who were unborn then. To fully
one-half our people the war is only
known from the meager published his
tories or fireside or other narratives
They can know from history that tn,
Nation was aroused as they have neve
seen it aroused by wicked rebellion
But no form of speech can convey an,
just understanding to the minds of tht
young, of this generation, of the intens,
excitement, of the unalterable determin
alton Of the magnificent patriotism o
that crisis. In the language of Henri,
Winter Davis, "The American people
rising to the height of the occasion, dedi
cate this generation to the sword, an,
pouring out the blood of their children
demand that there be no compromise
that ruin to the Republic or ruin to til,
Confederacy are the only alternatives
that no peace shall be made except un
der the banner of victory. Standing OIL
this great resolve to accept nothing bu
victory or ruin, victory is ours.
/ This is a vivid picture Of the patriot
ism and determination of the loyal mil
lions, but it conveys no full understand
ing to the young generations of its ter
rible costs to the wives, mothers, sister
aud loving ones OF those days, as the
saw the beloved forms of their love-
ones march away to stand as bulwark
to the Nation; so many, oh! so man
never to return; and of those who di,
return, so many manned OF with shat
tered health.
, That this must be so was known, am
the dread uncertainty of which love
/, ones must die or be manned was one 0
the costs of this patriotic lottery i
which death must with certainty b
drawn by many.
Of the intense excitement at HON
when first tidings came of great battle
fought, as to whose loved ones were los
and whose saved. How can they CON
prehend this? Then a period of heart
rending, dreadful uncertainty, followe
by the tidings that the special loved on
lives, but is wounded, his beloved forr
torn and mangled by the enemies deadl
she'll, and in hospital then til
poignant anguish that the loving on
q was denied the qualification, the duty {
: ministering to the sufferers want
t would have afforded; or worse yet, th
worst that could have come t. this lo'
ing heart, he is dead; killed and burie
in trench with scores Of others; sin
: ply put out of sight in distant plac
unknown; no shroud, no coffin, no bic
+ no mothers, wifes or sisters lovin
tears to warm with sympathetic love h
cold last resting place.
The loving one can never see hi
again; is denied the sad pleasure {
looking on her dead; may not even 81
his grave OF all this unspeakab
anguish, what can they know? Whs
$ can they know of the trials and suffe
j. ings of the soldiers? of their hal
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