Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-30

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them when they claim their dues and sneers at
their efforts 70 obtain fair fulllment OF the con-
tract made with the Government they saved.
Out upon such fngratitudei Thanks to Godi It
does not meet with the approval Of the American
"6f the heroic flsures of the war;" said senator
Henderson, .there are yet left to Us sherman and
Porter and Sheridan. God grant them in health
and prosperity long TO live. Our thoughts turn
to-day to that sick mans couch across the river,
and our hearts are f1lied with earnest prayer that
ter, Five i FORKS St' and Appomstto1 may long Be-
spared to the country he helped to save. The
presence Of gallant Phil sheridan vas ever an In
SEPARATION to his soldiers. His name has ever been
talisman OF victory to the republic"
The exercises were closed with benediction said
oy Rev. Lew Il. YORK department. chaplain. The
Whipple and Buchanan.
AZ soldiers Home Cemetery.
The cavalry from Fort Meyer and the Sd artil-
lery joined with the veterans at Soldiers Home
to decorate the graves OF their dead comrades
The ceremony in honor OF the dead heroes was
conducted. as It has been for many years, under
the great oak trees In the cemetery, and the num-
Der assembled was greater probably than
usual usual Al, All the seats In front of the grand
young soldiers in full uniform and clinking with
the trappings OF war, and old veterans stopped
and gray were standing under the trees or walk
among the graves. The horses OF two troops OF
cavalry were drawn up In line along the walk, and
wagons were being unloaded OF their store OF f1ow
the Nearly
stand at the sound OF the national salute. They
were all In the plain blue uniforms OF the Home,
were SCARED from battle. Some still strong in
their old age, many manned and feeble
5oud he down sSnng the the days ~ GS
In contrast with the veterans were the stalwart
young cavalrymen on the active list Equipped
in their bright, yellow -trimmed uniforms booted
nd
their faces brOnzed BY exposure in Indian wars
The young veterans" and the told veterans" as
and the yellow-pumed helmets and the straw
hats were ltrted while Rev. 7. X. Noble invoked
blessing, thanked God for the patriotism and
herolsm OF the grand army, dead and living, and
prayed that their memories might live eternally.
Every head was bowed while
APRAYER WAS OFFERED FOR GENERAL SHERIDAN.
A large number Of civilians and ladies and chill
dren were present at the formal ceremony which
began at 1880. The clouds helped the big oaks to
keep away the sun, but there was no rain to in
terrupt the ceremony, The great stone columns
OF the grand stand were draped with American
the offlcers OF the Home, members of
the decorating committee, and others taking
part In the ceremony. On one side Of
the stand was stationed the Third Artillery
Band, and on the other the soldiers Home Band.
Medical Director Horation n Howard called the as
Senbage to order with O. short address, In which
he recalled the herOism OF the soldiers and de-
clared that though 1t could not be many years be-
fore the last veteran would Join the ranks of
those now dead that grateful country would
always keeps alive their memories, and the both
or May would always awake memories In the
hearts OF the American people. The marble that
marked the graves might crumble away, but the
memory of the honored dead would remain and be
held sacred. The octette from Mozart Chorus
HsSes III huntsr Leader Mrs Fannie Bryant
Willard, and May Hunter, accOmpanist; C. C. Nc
Cormick, I. Ira Cole, L, n Wiber-sang a requiem.
Home band played departed Days" An original
poem suited to the occasion was read by COmrade
George b. Flemming. After music by the Third
Artillery band and the Octette Gen. VIM. Henry
Browne, the orator Of the occasion, was intro
duced.
GEN. BROWNIES ADDRESS.
Gen. Browne, after referring to the effect OF these
annual exercises on the youth OF the land, in
teaching them to emulate the patriotism and valor
OF men whose graves are decorated, said;
"Would that ali the nations OF the earth could
take lesson from this inspiring hour. IL speaks
OF grateful people, united people, people pu-
rfed by dreadful trial, as gold is reiined in the
crucibe. 1t tells all other peoples that the young
giant OF the West through valiant fight has hard
ened SlneWs, ana has strength born OF the in
SEPARATION OF patriotism! Strength 1t tells how
an army OF million men, veterans, beneath whose
tread the ground trembled, may dissolve as do the
banks OF winters snow, not to ravage the land
but TO make IL more lovely and fruitful to make
the wilderness blossom as the rose. Arms stacked
OF love, back to the factory or the farm, back to
the bench or the bar, back to the pulpit or the
pen, back TO the multifarious vocations OF peaceI
There is nothing to fear from an army which is OF
the people, and for the people. HomeI is the
talismanic word. home, sweet homer
In closing, General Browne said:
''Soldiers OF the Grand Army of the Republic!
Is your work ended? No. Enlisted for life: not
ended while worthy companion In arms is in
purpose OF our organization shine forth as lus-
tr0uS beacon light OF benehcence. First, natur-
ally, they OF the household of faith. But recall the
days when, In the very flush OF battle, wounded
and hungry, foes fell into your hands. Did not
you pass to them the canteen OF water? Did NOT
you share with them the contents of your haver-
sacks? No longer foes were they, but brave men
in misery. Be not less merciful now. And you,
ladies OF the relief corps, We remember, IL you
modeStly forget, when, like angels or mercy, you
and your sisters few TO the scene of carnage and
In your gentle illustrations stopped not to look at
the color OF jacket, but tenderly bound up fhe
| somebody's son. Is It wonder that one of our
most distinguished fellow-sO.diers recalls with
pride the labors OF his sainted wife in field, in
camp, III hOsptai? And Is IL q wonder that
again he has been captivated by one who has won
laurels as lady nurse? Woman most lovely when
thus employed!"
After the grafton the Octette sang "America
Benediction was delivered by Rev. Mr.. Noble At
the close OF this formal ceremony the veterans and
women and children joined the decoration com.
Already, in the early morning, the veterans had
planted little flag on each grave and wagon
loads OF flowers were scattered over the green sod
At the Congressional Cemetery.
MISUNDERSTANDING early IN tQo
morning, every route leading to the Congressional
cemetery was strewn with people, most OF them
laden with flowers to decorate the graves In that
burial place. For the ceremonies q platform had
been erected nearly opposite the monument to
Gen. Rawlina Strains OF music by Weber's band
| drew the scores OF persons scattered through the
cemetery to the stand, and at 10 O'Clock the rain
having entirely ceased, Comrade HuntOon, OF the
| marked that they had met to do honor to men
who gave their lives that their country might
live He then presented Rev. Alfred Harding
chaplain OF the g. A. r., who invoked a blessing
upon the occasion. COmrade HuntOOn next intro
duced Representative Mckinney, OF New Hamp-
shire, the orator, whose address was listened 10
with marked interest.
REPRESENTATIVE M'KINNEY'S ADDRESS
Mr.. Mckinney spoke for about half an hour He
said that to the soldiers whose graves to-day they
decorated, no less than to those who fought in the
Revolution, did we owe honor for the salvation OF
this country. They had done more than had been
done by the Revolution. They had made TACT
what before had been but theory; they had COM
pleted the work that the fathers OF the country
had but begun. The fathers, having fought for
the freedom VI mankind, had not been able to
make the victory complete. Having conquered
government OF perfect freedom. The Constitu-
ton sanctioned slavery; Washington and Jefer-
son had both trembled in contemplation OF what
might come of this evil. The soldiers of
this later day had wiped from the Constitution
this blot which shamed cur national character. He
said that the victory was not OF one section over
another; slavery was q national sin, not sectional
1t was wrought into the Constitution. But, he
said, the victory of these soldiers was not CON-
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