The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-06-04
HoNORIN0 THE DEAD.
MANKATo OBSERVES DECORATION
DAY WITH UNUSUAL SOL
EMNITY.
Judge Severance Pays Touching Trib.
ute to the Soldier Heroes.


EMNITY.
Judge Severance Pays Touching Trib.
ute to the Soldier Heroes.
Decoration Day in Mankato was
marked with q degree of interest and
solemnity this year which has not been
observed here before for years. In
accordance with the published request
in last weeks FREE Press, all business
houses and most of the manufactures
were closed in the afternoon, and every
one joined In paying homage to the
memory of those who died in defense OF
their country. A great number of peo-
pie from the country and neighboring
villages were here also to participate in
service of gratitude to the fallen de-
tenders of their country. The weather
was propitlous, and nothing occurred
through tho day to mar the solemnity of
the occasion nor to defeat the carrying
out of the exercises in full.
At one o'clock in the afternoon Will
kin Post formed i'm line in front of their
hall and marched to Walnut street,
where the full procession was formed,
and about two o'clock the long line
marched to the Opera House via the
route arranged by the Marshal of the
Day, the several organizations taking
their places in the line in accordance
with the published programme. Long
before the exercises opened, every
available inch of space in the Opera
House was taken, and despite the heat
and crowded condition of the house, the
audience retained their seats and lis
tened with silent interest to the exer-
cises entire. The beautiful and impress
sive memorial services of the G. A. X.
were rendered, after which Judge Sew
erance delivered the annual Grafton.
His address is here given in full, and
was as follows:
MY FRIENDs:-The common sentiment
of q grateful country has set apart and
consecrated the thirtieth day of May, in
every year, to the memory of those who
died that we might live in peace. When
1t shall be forgotten or unobserved. then
this great people will forget the army of
the dead and lose the inspiration of q
patriotism that is the chief anchor OF this
republic.
Yes, when the May Queen, from her
throne in every hazel dell, pours out her
countless blessings; when genial spring
throws its robe of floral beauty over the
cold grave Of buried winter; when the
sun goes down again into his bath OF gol-
den light; when the very air, resonant
with the ecstacy of new born life, rolls
over the hilltop and across the expand
ing prairie in waves of whispering mel.
ody, the people Of all the land flock
around the affairs OF their country, and
and alteration. in memory of those who
threw their arms around the pillars of the
republic and held IL safe on its founda.
ton. when the hurricane Of war was roar.
ing around 1t and the pathway to the
tomb was ehoked with pallia dead.
This ceremonial, though addressed to
the dead, is yet for the benefit Of the liv
ing. Those who died for their country
knew that they must enter the realms OF
eternal silence. and that no earthly sound
could reach them again. They knew
that the applause of Garth and the halle.
lujahs Of country rescued rrom national
death, must die away in the roar of the
surges that roll between the living and
the dead.
They knew that oyer the horizon OF
eternity they could not even see the
sparkling domes of the country where
they left their wives and children-yet
they made the sacrifice, the glory is theirs
but the benefit ours alone.
The wave of gratitude that crosses the
country to-day, refilling the fountains OF
recollection, and retouching with deeper
green the velvet of every soldiers grave,
brings no compensation to the dead; but
it bursts upon the golden gates of every
| living heart, and re-waters the soil where
patriotism holds its paradise. 1t sub.
merges Unborn selfishness and lust fol-
personal power and consequence, that
| ages ago proclaimed the iron rule that
man is the enemy of mana rule that in
it's fierce and savage play, tore nation af.
| ter nation into shreds and left them float.
| ing in the chaos of ages of rayless night
The tribes of Israel broke away from
their taskmasters in the valley of the
Nile, passed beneath the warning thun
ders OF Sinai and nestled amid the VINE
clad hills of the promised land. They
heard the voice of the Lying God. and
they built to HIM golden temple, whose
minarets flashed on all Jerusalem with O
ceremonial of iHconceiyable magnificenct
they accorded to him stately devo
ton. But that nation is broken up and
its people are tossed like spray in ar
ocean tempest.
Greece symbolized her power in Pontel
lean marble and reared the Parthenon OF
the AcrOpolis. Within Its walls OF sculp
tured beauty hung lis arms Of aggressiv,
war, always stained with human blood
This marble pile. like billow OF snow
rolled In an azure sky, CLEANED far out OF
the murmuring Adriatic, awakening as
pirations of beauty, but hooking at TIT
brotherhood Of man.
When the eternal city sent out her ser
ried cohorts, they returned again, leading
the wives and children of kings chained
within the smoke of their rolling char
lots. Then Roman beauty laid down tn
Tyre, descended from her lofty porticcs
crowded around the white affairs Of Jupi
ter Captolinus, and there thanked all tn
gods that Roman arms had opened an
other flood gate of human tears. TIL
gladiator stands in the deep arena wit
uplifted steel. the crouching tiger spring
and the crash of human bones is the luz
ury of human taste.
II Mars then sat enthroned on the nebr
lors pillars of the sky and his herald
proclaimed through sounding trumpct'
''Man Is the enemy OF man." So thes
peoples all believed. and so they perishe
forever in the CONFUSION OF their ow
savagery.
Il 1. Il the pride of to-day. that ever,
where the people Ut this country have a
sen. be,i 10 celebrate the actions of me
who lost their lives 10 reverse this iro
rule and establish that other, "Man is IL
! friend of man." and immutable justiC
opens her wings TO shelter the weak 4
/ well Ms the strong.
We are not here to-day to pay tribul
to the mere glamour OF war, nor to joi
1 in any shout of victory that does not iii
tingui,h between the havoc OF aimlel
!. violence, and struggle waged In the II
terest OF equ riyht, embracing I'll
grandest development of human liberty
( Mere courage on the battle fed has n
right TO demand blind alteration. II W,
\ physical courage that nerved the arm {
the Turk, when he smotc the beau;ifl
d Island of Scio and hurled its Grecia
maidens Into the remolseless ocean.
was physical courage that enabled III
4 swsrming hosts of Mahomet to tramp
| the whole habitab!e globe. and subs,
tute the crescent tor the cross. IL W,
. physical courage that year after YET
surged around the holy Sepulchre, ,
emp,y-aye, as empty as the moanir
! wind tha rippled the pool of Sloan
No, 1t is oily that courage, pure an
! upright In motive, and acting with hip
8 and lofty aim, that has right to deman
the plaudiis OF mankind Such was u