Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-06-07
]. W. NICHOLS ADDRESS.
DELIVERED BEFORE DRUMMOND POST,
AR, ON DECORATION DAY.

a mighty, prosperous Nation, not IN
mindful of its soldiers dead, pauSes in
its rapid career, and bending over its
honored graves, seeks to pay to noble
dust, the tribute of its love. To-day,
upon the tombs of those who fought
that our nation might become great and
free, will be kindly, lovingly, laid the
wreath of spring, as slight token OF
the appreciation and gratitude OF
thankful people. Well has it been said,
"Of all the flowers that bloom gratitude
is the fairest flower that sheds 1t per
fume in the human heart"
But, my friends, in performing the
solemn, though pleasant duty, of re-
counting the lofty deeds and mighty
victories of these immortal heroes, 1t has
been the custom, we are informed, TO
select some older person, some one who
could address these few remaining sur
Yivors of our country'S Saviours as fel-
low members of the Grand Army, or as
comrades, for you know there is some
thing peculiarly attractive and endear-
ing to soldiers about that word comrade.
And think the custom wise One-fOr
certainly no one can with such aptness
describe that event, or with such feeling
and sympathy enter into the spirit OF
the occasion, as he who was present, an
eyewitness, and an actual participant.
And thought has been but a few years
since was heard the sharp rattle OF
musketry, the heavy roll of artillery,
and the measured tread of soldiers as
the long lines went forth "in battles mag
nificently stern array''-brOJher against
brother in civil strife, breaking many
family circle, and wetting many a
hearthstOne with tears, yet we were too
Young at.that time to comprehend the
situation, and hence what little we know
we gather either from the inanlmate
pages of history, or from conversation
with some of these few remaining ones,
who have not yet been added by the
death-roll Of years to the legions pre-
ceding them. Therefore, having no
personal knowledge of particular per
sons or events, our remarks shall apply
only in a general way. And as we are
here simply in lien of another, upon
short notice, and with little or no expert
ence, we ask, under the embarrassment
of the situation, that you extend to US
all due charity.
Washington Irving too truly said,
"The sorrows of the grave are the only
sorrows from which we refuse to be di
vorced." And it is well that it is so,
for this SORROW for the tomb is certainly
one of the noblest attributes of the hu
man soul. All other trials, troubles and
Affections, the soothing effects of time
seem to heal, and ultimately to obliter
ate from our memories. And while l
have no doubt but that the annual recur
renee of this Memorial Day, known as
the date marking the discharge of the
last volunteer soldier of the Union army,
kept sacred to the memory of our heroic
dead, at which time there should be no
merry-making to mar its consecrated
hours, as we assemble together as COM
mon brethren of one common country,
in the ''silent cities of the dead" beside
the graves of dear relatives, or of loved
friends and acquaintanceS, who at their
county's call, in her most trying ordeal,
when her old fort, over which peaceful
" floated the flag of stars and stripes,
loved at home, and known, honored, re-
spected, yea, feared by all other nations,
had been vigorously attacked by hands
uplifted against the life of this Union,
these were the men "who dared and
gave to the chances of battle the care
and keeping of their lives,'' for they were
not mere hirelings, contending for some
base monarch'S imaginary rights, but
for their homes, themselves and humani-
ty-their claim being the whole Union
is our field, and all her citizens our
brethren. OF course, these occasions
may bleed anew many hearts cleft and
broken, by what seems to some of these
aggrieved friends ''the cruel hands of
horrid war;" and war is a cruel thing;
and now that the angel of peace is how
ering over .us, our feelings, passions and
prejudices uneXcited, in our cool, calm,
deliberate moments, l think we will
all agree with the poet that ''war's a
game, which were their subjects wise,
Kings would not play at" and we might
here add, neither would Republics. For
in war "man'S inhumanity to man makes
countless thousands mourn" But, as
yet, it seems kind of necessary evil, a
sort of dernier resort for the adjustment
of national difficulties, in which the right
or wrong, just or unjust, the stern pow
er of might, is left to make right. So it
is, and so it always has been, for histo-
ry is chiefly made up of narration of
bloody events, and so, we fear, though
we are 10th to say it, that it ever shall
be, while governments last.
Whilst the sight of the "WindoWless
palaces of the dead" and the thoughts
of others whose bones lie mouldering in
the trenches, or bleaching beneath the
scorching rays of Southern sun, who
died far from their native land-died
that their country might live, martyrs to
her cauSe-died it may have been, upon
the bloody field of battle, it may have
been from agOnizing starvation in some
prison pen, with no roof above them but
the clouds and the stars, and no beds
beneath them but the damp, cold earth
or it may have been upon a couch of
sickness and suffering but died, as you
know, waited upon by no tender friend
ships, no well known voice of wife, sis
ter or mother near to SOothe their suffer-
ing, relieve their feverish, parching thirst,
or to close their eyes in death-I say
while these tender recollections may fill
your hearts with grief, and cause copi-
Gus tears of sadness to trickle down YOUR
cheeks, yet it is not for this purpose that
places of business are to-day directed to
be closed, work of all kinds suspended,
the usually noisy school rooms v0iceless,
vacant and silent, their many occupants,
with their young hands filled with the
fragrancies of this most delightful and
appropriate season of the year, ''rosy-
footed May" when all is blooming and
benevolent, all in orderly march, min
gled with the citizens of every descrip-
tiOn of this country, which now, by rea-
son of what these brave Union men
have done for us, presents the fairest
picture of what a republican form of
government, with christian civilization,