Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-06-03
FLOWERS FOR HEROES F.!
Graves of the Soldier ad
Beautifully Decorated by
Loving Hands.
MEMORIAL DAY AT ST. clAlRSVILLE-flAG
PRESENTATION.

In accordance with beautiful custom
and in obedience to orders, the veterans
of Drummond Post, Grand Army of the
| Republic, st. Clairsville, assembled at
their rendezvous in the court house, at
10 o'clock on Sabbath morning. for the
purpose of going in a body to the Pres
byterian church to attend Divine wor-
ship. A few minutes before it was time
to form to march to the church, Com
mander J. F. Charlesworth called the
Post to attention, when Hon. d. A. Hol-
Iingsworth, of Cadiz, who was present,
and had been especially commissioned
for the duty, arose and spoke as follows:
Mr.. Post Commander aud Comrades Of Drum
mOI1d Post, q. a. *:
lam with YOU this morning at the re
luuest of the venerable Rev. DIR. james
Drummond, of CadiZ, father of the brave
soldier wtOis honered with the name OF
your Post, to express to you his appreci-
alton of the consideration thus shown
10 the memory of his deceased son, and
to beg of ycu to accept a slight testlmo-
NAL Of his regard. He has COMMISSION
ed me to present TO you this emblem OF
our common country, as token or eS+
TEEN, and be ventures 10 hope that the
lhallowed associations which cluster
around it will lead you to accept, and,
if need be, guard and defend 1t with the
same Jealous care you did the old tat
tered emblems of the Union which were
Ifurled in triumph at AppOmattox, and
have since been laid away as sacred me>
lmentos of the war. Its intrinsic value
lis small, but it is the representative of
all tina: is good, aud great, and grand on
the American continent. 1t is the en-
blem of sixty millions of free Christian
people. 1t is the ensign of nation, in
vincible in war, and of government
whose foundation stones rest securely
in the hearts and c0nscieDces of a SOW
ereign people. As such it is deemed an
appropriate gift to Grand Army Post.
No one but brave and loyal men are adj
mitted to the order, and, consequently,
the honor of the flag must ever remain
unsullied in its keeping. Wealth cannot
purchase its badge of membership. Coed
character and honorable service III the
Union army are essential to admission.
1t does not, like some army societies, ad>
nit to its rites only those of official rank,
but in broad catholic spirit it opens
wide its doors to all honordbly discharg-
ed soldiers, who, on being mustered out,
take equal rank without regard to past
distinctions. In this the order embodles
the true spirit of our republican instltu>
tons, and is typical of A government
wherein the humblest citizen is the pe-
litical peer of every other citizen, and in
which all are alike sovereign under the
constitution.
But. nv mission is not to make
speech, and | will only add, Mr.. Post
Commander, that it affords me personal
pleasure to place this standard in the
hands of one whose orders L had the
honor to obey during the war, and whose
courage and loyalty l have seen tested
on more than one battle field.
With it hand you a letter from the
donor, expressive of his kindly sentl'
ments toward the Post. DR.. Drum
mond's letter is as follows:
CADIz OHIO, MAY 30th 1886.
To Col. JAMES F. CHARLEswORTH, Post Com
mander and Members OF Drummond Post,
No 203, e. a. R., st. Clairsv;'le, Ohio:
DEAR SIR AND GENTLEMEN-I duly appreciate
the honor shown to the memory of my deceased
son, Captain Thomas Drummond, late of the
United States army, in the name given to YOUR
patriotic organization, aud, as slight testl-
monial OF my regard, | ask you to accept the
accompanying flag which my friend, Hon. D. A.
Hollingsworth, will deliver to you.
Age and an enfeebled condition OF health,
IL. i,,O as
had hoped to be on this memorial anniver-
sary, but L assure you that, as the tender recol-
lectons of the war are recalled by the occasion,
l am with YOU in heart, in sympathy, and in
loyal devotion to the memory of your deceased
comrades whose lives were freely given as a
sacrifice in the great struggle to preserve and
perpetuate the principles Of free government
in America The faithful service in the cause
of our common country has securely enshrlned
their memories in the hearts OF grateful peo-
pie, and it is ftting as an act of patriotic duty,
that one day in each year should, by common
consent, be specially devoted to the commemor-
alton of their virtues.
In honoring the heroic dead of the nation, we
honor ourselves; in placing flowers on their
graves we add to the vernal beauty of our own
lives.
And to you and other survivors of the strife
the nation owes debt OF gratitude which must
not be forgotten. The government should
generously provide for the widow, the orphan,
the manned. and the helpless, not grudgingly
or in patronizing spirit of charity, but will
ingly, and in the same spirit which character
izes the payment of a just debt by an honest
man.
May God in His providence bless and care
for all defenders of the Republic.
Your friend, J. DRJMMoND.
Post Commander Charles worth, upon
receiving the flag, which is an exceed
ingly handsome one, of white silk firing
ed with blue, inscribed on one side
l"DrummoHd Post. No. 203, G. A. R.,
Dept. of Ohio," and with the badge OF
the order, and on the other side. bearing
painting representing protection to
the widows and orphans of the soldier
and sailor, made brief response to the
and concluded by saying that the letter
would be referred to "a select com mittee,
to make appropriate reply. The COM
mittee is as follows: Rev w Ii Haskell,
l. Danford, John e West, w A Hunt, L
c Sedwick, w S Kennon, J f Young, W
S Hobbs and John Hicks.
A little before II o'clock the veterans
formed into line, and headed by Comrade
Charles Schatz bearing the beautiful flag,
they marched to the church, where they
occupied seats set apart for their accom-
mediation Immediately in front of the
pulpit.
The altar was decorated with the
choicest flowers of May, and every ar
rangeneut showed that the Post was
heartily welcomed by the congregation
to the services of the sanctuary. Ap-