, 1888-06-14

to the central heights with silver tie
and "A spike of gold. The streams that
roll from the north spin and weave,
grind our corn and hammer our iron
in their swift passage to the sea; the
fields and plantations in which hun
dreds sweltered with unpaid toll that
one might spend and waste, now grow
whittier than before with II richness
that intelligent labor inspires, while
the worker mingles with the sound OF
well-requited toll the sweeter songs OF
freedom.
The past is settled, and so settled
that never again on our soil shall hos
tile graves be closely dug for miles, and
filled with American dead. These
citizen soldiers died not only for this
blood bought land, but for the world.
The might Of our victorious example
pushes England forward towards an
enlarged franchise, free schools, free
church and justice to II sister nation,
half century earlier than otherwise
she would. Prussia--protestan Prus-
sia-her bayonets pointed with
thought, has smtten down despotic
Austria and torn the diadem from
France. Ressurrected Italy gathers
round new and better Rome. I'M
perial Russia lberates her serfs. Chi
ma and Japan, the oldest OF the dynas-
ties of time, reverse the order OF
the suns rising and take from us, the
youngest of the nations, their first
lessons in the civilization of the time.
"Yet what has been achieved is as the
green and tender blade of wheat which
waves in the field to-day, compared
with the heavy-headed grain which will
bend in golden rjpeness in the coming
harvest-time. Oh, Liberty! Liberty!
all the coming ages are thine own,
and the blood of our brothers has not
been shed in vain.'
Yet few days and great nation
bows In reverence ut the tomb OF its
patriotic dead. A mighty people
mingle garlands with the ashes OF its
buried defenders, in token that their
memory sweetly blossoms from the
dust. The sun will look down over II
fourth OF the wide world upon, the sa-
cred communion OF the republic with
the spirits of its preservers. From
shore to shore of the two great oceans,
II sOIls bUIIi WIN p"NNo ctePc
to the last resting places OF Freedoms
martyrs. "From countless hills and
valleys ascends the music of the mar
tial drge. Chaplets and wreaths
crown all of virtue that could die OF
our valiant host. The measured ca
lence of the memorial gun, answering
rom city to city, and from state to
state, stirs the heart of the land. The
banner, heavy with symbols
)f our loss, canopies the tombs of
hose who upheld it, even to the shad-
wv of death. The soldiery tread of
,eterans recalls the scene in which !
hose whose memory we revive to-day |
,cted so we'll their part"
They sleep, that silent host, some
With their kindred dust, others
inder the sod of Virginia, beside |
he rocks of the Alleghanies I
tnd on all the red fields from |
he peninsula to the Appomattox
rom Gettysburg to the Gulf. They !
'leep at Arlington, at Shiloh, at An
in the Wilderness, IN. the |
southwest, and all along the
,reat march from the Atlantic to the
ea. In an especial manner we were !
II fellowship with those who rest from !
heir labors, yea. and we are in fellow !
hip with them still. To us they will !
llways be what they cannot be to those
Who were not permitted to share with
hem, as we did, the days, the scenes,
md experiences that made us COM
AIDES.
The glorious fraternity OF the camp, |
he march, the battle, the trenches, the J
'igils that wearied out the stars can.
lot be dissolved by death. Those of |
)ur companions i'm war who have !
,alted and laid down in the bivouac that
10 trumpet shall disturb, are yet Of us,
md 80 forevermore will be. We are
.gain in the dust of the charging col !
INN, in the rifle pits, or on the raid.
We hear once more the shrek of the
hell, and the thrilling notes that
ound the charge. We know. as 9TH
RS cannot, how our fallen brothers
fought, and fell. BY the
,eating of our hearts we feel their
pirts with us to-day, and we breathe
! vow, like Lincoln, registered in
heaven, that so far AS in us lies. they
hall not have died in vain.
Our army is marching on. Slowly
,ut surely moves the long array. AS
me by one we pass the picket at the
,ates of death, our lessening ranks
will mark the flight of time till the
ast veteran totters from the field.
Yes, the hour hastons when, at the
rider of our Great Commander, we
must follow our departed comrades.
every year our lines are thinning, our
numbers growing less. When few
more summers shall have passed, but
handful of bent and aged men will
'e left to represent the Grand Army
{ the Repuhlic and to repent the dirge