Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-30
THE DAY.

The annual decoration of the graves of
soldiers of the Republic takes place to-day.
1t is comforting, encouraging, to realize
that as the era of the late war for the
preservation of the Union of sovereign
States recedes, the loving regard and the
gratitude of the people for the men who
DID battle in their behalf does not grow
less, but steadily augments. The people
perceive that in a very few years more
there will be no veterans to keep time to
the slow beat of the funeral march on
Memorial Day, and that such tributes of
regard and gratitude as they to-day bear
must very soon be carried to the cities of
the dead by the hands of those to whom
the war and all it meant will be bat one
of the traditions Of history This fact,
which strikes every observer with force as
he notes the slower and feebler steps of
the old soldier, and the bending form and
whitening locks of the veteran to-day, adds
a new shading of mournfulness to the
touching exercises of decoration, and
quickens the sense of gratefulness that the
true American feels to-day and every day
for the citizen soldiery of the Republic
We gather and strew flowers on this
day not only to testify that we do not for
get, nor permit time in its attrition of
passage to dim the record of gallantry,
patriotic devotion and heroic sacrifice of
the boys in blue; but to bear witness be-
fore the youth of the age that he who
lives and dies for his country's good, lives
and dies to highest purpose; that in this
empire Of free manhood there is no title
better, or above, or more glorious than
that of the nations defender; that the
soldier of the Republic is the representa-
tive in arms of all that free institutions
mean, and that an indissoIuble Union of
States secures.
The element of distance is fast becoming
an important factor in the history of the
war for the Union; we are removing from
its stirring scenes year by year, but be-
cause our point of view is farther away
we do not lose any sense of the true
proportions OF the heroism the citi-
zen soldiers of the nation displayed
quarter Of century ago. On the con-
trary, as 4 lofty and noble architectural
pile reveals all the grace and grandeur of
Its exquisite proportions only when viewed
from distance, so do the character, deyo-
ton and patriotic purpose of the heroes of
the war of the rebellion rise fairer and
grander to view when seen from the
elevated plane and distance of two de-
cades and a half of time. They rise fairer
and disclose their true proportions better
when viewed in the calm and repose of
peace, and through the atmosphere of for
giyeness to the brave brethren against
whom the necessity of the processes Of
civilization and the advancement of the
nation nearer to its goal turned our arms.
These hours should not contribute to for
getfulness of the dark, sad and bloody
days, but they should be as the balm of
forgiveness and reconciliation healing
Strengthening, unifying, weighty factors
IL he firm establishment Of that fraternity
o. common interest and purpose that
makes and secures us a Republic of States
in federation that shall never be broken
asuEder